Sexsomnia, the syndrome of sleeping but still having sex, is becoming common and has a profound impact on the private lives of many people.
A man forced his wife to have sex in the middle of the night many times, but when he woke up, he couldn’t remember anything about those actions. Meanwhile, another man masturbated while sleeping to the point of causing damage to his groin area. Ashamed of his unconscious behavior, he stayed away from relationships for eight years.
Both cases are documented examples of sexsomnia syndrome – the phenomenon of having sex during sleep. Experts believe this is part of a variety of sleep disorders, including sleepwalking, eating and sleep terrors.
What is sexsomnia?
Sexual sleep disorder, or sexsomnia, belongs to a group of sleep disorders called parasomnia, which includes dream walking, dream talking, sleep eating, and nightmares. Dr. Carlos Schenck from the University of Minnesota explains that they often appear during sleep stages Delta, when the body is active but the consciousness is still asleep. Sexsomnia, a disorder that causes sleepers to engage in sexual acts without knowing it, is an example.
A survey found that about 7% of Norwegians have experienced sexsomnia. Jennifer Mundt, a professor at Northwestern University, says that sometimes sexsomnia doesn’t cause trouble but can make partners nervous when they realize what they’re doing.
Sexsomnia is part of a range of sleep disorders, including sleepwalking, eating, and sleep terrors. Image: CNN
Harm to life
A husband recounted that since 2005, his wife often had symptoms of sexsomnia. About twice a month, she makes moaning noises and says words she never uses when she’s awake. Sometimes, she even had sex or masturbated while calling other people’s names, making her husband doubt her fidelity. However, Dr. Schenck, who treated her, emphasized that the sleeping brain works differently and cannot be used to draw conclusions about awake behavior.
This woman refused to accept her behavior until her son witnessed it, leading her to seek professional help. Schenck described the condition as “terrible” and caused deep shame in the sufferer as they had no memory of their actions.
He also warned about potential legal consequences from sexsomnia, especially when it involves minors or acts of violence. Experts emphasize that there is a legal field dedicated to addressing these issues through thorough assessments and interviews.
What causes sexsomnia?
Sleep disorders such as sexsomnia can appear unexpectedly and genetic factors play an important role. Dr. Schenck points out that the risk is higher if a relative has had it. Sleep apnea, especially in men, can also trigger sexsomnia, but treating the apnea can help control both conditions.
Some medications, such as clonazepam, may be helpful in controlling sexsomnia, although they are not always effective. The case of a 41-year-old woman that Dr. Schenck treated shows that reducing stress can improve the condition. She began sleeping better without a recurrence of sexsomnia.
Dr. Schenck also emphasized that the response to stress is individual and that one rule cannot be applied to everyone. Some people have decreased sexual desire and others have increased it.
Treatment method
Sexsomnia medications can cause addiction and side effects, but there are other drug-free ways to manage the condition. Mundt from Northwestern University has researched and proposed behavioral measures. She says education about sleep stages and understanding sexsomnia can help reduce anxiety.
During sleep, our bodies go through stages of deceleration, followed by deep, regenerative sleep, and finally REM – where we dream but cannot act on our dreams. For restorative sleep, 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is needed.
Mundt recommends improving sleep hygiene by reducing caffeine and alcohol, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, and creating a cool, quiet environment. If needed, she also uses clinical hypnosis, a method that helps patients open up to new ideas and positive images, such as imagining themselves sleeping soundly through the night. This may be similar to experiencing a sleep disorder, but has significant therapeutic benefits.