|
S
|
exsomnia
or sleep sex occurs when an individual engages in sexual acts while asleep.
Most
available research has found that sexsomnia episodes occur mostly during
non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM), the dreamless, deepest stage of the sleep cycle.
Sexual dreams are not considered a type of sexsomnia because they do not
involve physical actions or behaviors aside from arousal and ejaculation.
What is sexsomnia?
Sexsomnia is when a person enagages in sexual activity while sleeping.
Sexsomnia is considered a type of parasomnia, an abnormal activity,
behavior, or experience that occurs during deep sleep. But many of the facts
about sexsomnia, such as its exact cause, the variety of symptoms, and its
prevalence, are not understood.
Sexsomnia is a relatively new condition, with the first official case
reported in 1986. And according to a 2015 study,
only 94 cases of sleep sex have been documented worldwide.
Sexsomnia is also very difficult to study long-term because it takes place
randomly during the night.
Symptoms
Sexsomnia often causes self-touching or sexual motions, but it can also
cause an individual to seek sexual intimacy with others unknowingly. Sexsomnia
may also occur at the same time as other parasomnia activities, such as
sleepwalking or talking.
Sometimes it is a partner, roommate, or parent, who first notices symptoms
of the condition. Sexual partners might also notice that their partner has an
abnormally heightened level of sexual aggression and decreased inhibitions
randomly in the night.
Common symptoms of sexsomnia episodes include:
·
fondling
or rubbing
·
moaning
·
heavy
breathing and elevated heart rate
·
sweating
·
masturbating
·
pelvic
thrusting
·
initiating
foreplay with someone else
·
sexual
intercourse
·
spontaneous
orgasm
·
no
recollection or memory of sexual events
·
blank
or glassy stare during events
·
unresponsive
to outside environment during events
·
inability
or difficulty waking during events
·
denial
of activities during the day when fully conscious
·
sleepwalking
or talking
Aside from the physical symptoms that occur during episodes, sexsomnia can
have harmful emotional, psychosocial, and even criminal consequences.
Triggers
Sleep deprivation, stress, and shift-work may all trigger sexsomnia.
As with other parasomnias, such as sleepwalking, it seems sexsomnia is
caused by a disruption while the brain is moving between deep sleep cycles.
These disturbances are often called confusion arousals (CAs).
Though the causes of sleep sex remain unknown, research shows the
condition has clear risk factors, primarily medical conditions, lifestyle
habits, jobs, and medications that interfere with sleeping patterns.
Triggers considered to increase the likelihood of sexsomnia include:
·
lack
of sleep
·
extreme
exhaustion
·
excessive
alcohol consumption
·
use
of illegal drugs
·
anxiety
·
stress
·
poor
sleeping conditions (too light, noisy, or hot)
·
poor
sleep hygiene or schedule
·
shift
work, especially high-stress jobs, such as military or hospital work
·
travel
·
sharing
a bed with someone, regardless of their relationship with the person
Obstructive sleep apnea is linked to many of the
documented cases of sexsomnia, likely because it causes disruptions during deep
sleep.
Some people who develop sexsomnia in adulthood engage in other parasomnia
behaviors, most commonly sleepwalking, or did in childhood.
Medical conditions considered risk factors for sexsomnia include:
·
obstructive
sleep apnea (OSA)
·
gastroesophageal
reflux disease (GERD)
·
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
·
a
history of other parasomnia activities, such as sleepwalking or talking
·
colitis
·
ulcers
·
migraine headaches
·
types
of epilepsy and other seizure disorders
·
head
trauma
·
medications
for anxiety and depression, specifically escitalopram (SSRI)
·
sleep-related
dissociative disorder, a condition often related to childhood sexual trauma
Link to drugs,
alcohol, and medication
When sexsomnia is related to the use of alcohol or illegal drugs,
treatment involves immediately stopping use or reducing the drug to a safe
level of use.
People experiencing sleep sex as a side effect of prescription medications
may need to stop taking the drugs or change the dosage.
In many cases though, the benefit of the medication outweighs the side
effects, so treatment may focus on reducing the impact of sexsomnia symptoms.
Treatment and management
It seems that the best way to treat the condition is to maintain a
healthy, regular, sleep-wake schedule.
In most reported cases, symptoms of sexsomnia were reduced or resolved
when individuals got more consistent, high-quality sleep.
The actual effect of treatment on sexsomnia is poorly understood because the
symptoms are difficult to track long-term.
Sexsomnia
medications
Some medications may be recommended to treat sexsomnia, including mild sedatives and antidepressants.
In some reported cases, off-label medications designed and approved for
the treatment of other conditions have been used to manage sexsomnia.
Treating underlying conditions that cause sleep disruption, such as sleep
apnea, may also reduce or resolve cases of sexsomnia.
Medical treatment options for sexsomnia include:
·
anti-anxiety
and antidepressant medications,
such as duloxetine and clonazepam
·
nasal
continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy
·
antacids
and proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs). These are available over-the-counter or online.
·
mild
sedative medications
·
mouth
guards, bite plates, or mandibular advancement devices. Speak to a medical
professional before purchasing
Lifestyle
changes
In nearly every described case of sexsomnia, at least part of the
treatment process involved lifestyle adjustments. As many of the symptoms of
sexsomnia negatively impact other people, the best way to treat it tends to be
nighttime isolation.
Some people with sexsomnia reduced problematic symptoms by locking
themselves in their bedroom alone at night or placing an alarm system on their
bedroom door.
Psychological
management
Seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist may also reduce feelings of
embarrassment and shame associated with sexsomnia.
People with sexsomnia may also significantly reduce emotional and
psychosocial symptoms by undergoing group counseling sessions with the person
negatively impacted by symptoms.
In most documented cases, sexsomnia symptoms have alarmed or angered the
conscious bed partner.
A 2007 study concluded,
however, that during sexsomnia episodes some partners were less hurried,
gentler, and more focused on satisfying their partner.
Diagnosis
Sexsomnia was only recently classified medically, so there is no standard
diagnostic process for the condition.
A psychiatrist, often one specializing in sleep disorders, may diagnose
sexsomnia by reviewing individual medical history and asking questions about
symptoms. However, the most widely accepted diagnostic method for sexsomnia is
video-polysomnography (vPSG).
During vPSG, an individual is attached to physiological devices, such as
heart rate, breathing, and motion monitors, and videotaped while they sleep.
Currently sleep sex is classified as a type of parasomnia in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
The International Classification of Sleep
Disorders, Third Edition (ICSD-3), also
classifies sexsomnia as a type of non-REM parasomnia.
Complications
Some people feel ashamed or embarrassed to learn they have done things
they do not remember doing, especially sexual acts.
Sexsomnia can also make the question of consent difficult, given the
individual initiating or engaging in the sexual act is technically unconscious.
Several court cases have involved charges of sexual misconduct relating to
sleep sex with a variety of outcomes.
Although a person's medical history and other evidence will be carefully
examined in court, determining responsibility remains complicated and
controversial.
No comments:
Post a Comment