Sex while sleeping? Sounds nice, but officially Sexsomnia is considered a sleep disorder – and that’s not that rare …
Well, what kind of secrets have you already blabbed in your sleep ? Or are you even one of those people who rob the fridge at night or haunt the flat without hearing anything?
Sleep disorders , such as sleepwalking and gnashing of teeth, so-called parasomnias, are known to most people, at least from hearing-say, many even from their own experience or from the circle of acquaintances. According to estimates, around one-third of the population in industrialized countries such as Germany and the United States has something to do with it, at least occasionally, and as much as half in major cities.
Sexsomnia: orgasm instead of teeth grinding
However, some of these disorders are much less well known: just as some people grind their teeth in deep sleep or wipe the floor, some have sex in their non-REM sleep stages – and can not remember anything the next morning.
Sufferers of the so-called Sexsomnia perform sexual acts in their sleep– alone or with others – giving the impression that they are awake. This can range from masturbation to lovemaking with sex toys to intercourse with a partner, if one is present. Unpleasant idea, especially in the latter variant: Because the Sexsomniac does not opt for sex – but follows only an instinct.
Sexsomnia: causes and frequency
The causes of Sexsomnia are probably the same as in other parasomnias: disturbances of the brain waves , which affect the “normal” sleep behavior and let the affected people like remote-controlled do things that they do not (consciously) want. And just as in sleepwalking, alcohol, drugs and especially stress can increase the symptoms during “sleep-sex” (ie in frequency and duration).
So far, there are no representative studies on how many people are affected by Sexsomnia – but a few individual cases are apparently not. In 2003, a study by the University Health Network in Canada surveyed nearly 1,000 patients who were receiving medical treatment for sleep disorders. 7.6 percent of respondents were affected by Sexsomnia , with the proportion of men (11 percent) three times that of women (4 percent). If one adds these numbers up to the total population, one would assume that about every one-hundredth has occasional “sleep-sex”.
Sexsomnia: risks and side effects
After all, the consequences of this sleep disorder are – at least, if you deal with yourself – mostly harmless. However, if a partner is involved, it will be more difficult!
In any case, those affected by Sexsomnia should seek professional advice and explore the causes . First of all, ideally we always want to know what we are doing. And second, we should have sex only if we want to – and can enjoy!