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Study: 'Sexsomnia' Causes People to Have Sex in Their Sleep
Sunday, June 03, 2007
If you think it's impossible to have sex while you sleep, think again,
according to a new study.
There are at least 11 different sex-related sleep disorders, collectively
referred to as "sexsomnia" or "sleepsex," that affect people who are
otherwise psychologically healthy - causing them to unknowingly engage in
various sexual activities during the night.
Carlos Schenck, a psychiatrist at the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders
Center, and his colleagues have studied a number of behavioral disorders
associated with sleep.
"Any basic instinct can come out in the context of sleep," Schenck told
LiveScience. "All sorts of things can happen."
Recently, he and his colleagues turned their focus to sex-related sleep
disorders. They conducted computerized medical literature searches for
studies published between 1950 and 2006 related to sleep and sexual behavior
and looked through a number of sleep medicine textbooks. They also analyzed
data from a previously completed internet survey that had gathered data from
219 people, 92 percent of whom had experienced multiple "sexsomnia"
episodes.
Among other things, they found that people - mostly men - sometimes
masturbate, initiate sex with a partner and reach orgasm during sleep. They
usually have no memory of these activities when they wake up, learning about
them only if a partner or roommate tells them. Some of these activities can
also have legal consequences, such as if someone initiates sex without a bed
partner's consent, noted Schenck.
People are at-risk for developing sex-related sleep disorders when they also
tend to suffer from other sleep disorders - such as sleepwalking or sleep
terrors, according to Schenck. "Sexsomnia doesn't come out of nowhere," he
said. But "for whatever reason, sexual behaviors become part of the
repertoire."
While people might feel ashamed to learn from their partners that they are
exhibiting these behaviors while they sleep, these disorders are not
indicative of psychological problems, noted Schenck, whose recently
published book, Sleep: The Mysteries, The Problems, and The Solutions, has a
chapter devoted to sex-related problems. "Bizarre and inappropriate behavior
during sleep does not necessarily reflect a daytime psychological problem."
And "sexsomnia" disorders are easily treated with medication, he added.
If anything, people who become aware of their problem but don't seek help
put themselves at an even greater risk. "The longer you go with this problem
without getting it treated, the more you can then develop a secondary
psychological problem," such as depression, said Schenck, whose study is
published this week in the journal Sleep.
Study: 'Sexsomnia' Causes People to Have Sex in Their Sleep
Sunday, June 03, 2007
If you think it's impossible to have sex while you sleep, think again,
according to a new study.
There are at least 11 different sex-related sleep disorders, collectively
referred to as "sexsomnia" or "sleepsex," that affect people who are
otherwise psychologically healthy - causing them to unknowingly engage in
various sexual activities during the night.
Carlos Schenck, a psychiatrist at the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders
Center, and his colleagues have studied a number of behavioral disorders
associated with sleep.
"Any basic instinct can come out in the context of sleep," Schenck told
LiveScience. "All sorts of things can happen."
Recently, he and his colleagues turned their focus to sex-related sleep
disorders. They conducted computerized medical literature searches for
studies published between 1950 and 2006 related to sleep and sexual behavior
and looked through a number of sleep medicine textbooks. They also analyzed
data from a previously completed internet survey that had gathered data from
219 people, 92 percent of whom had experienced multiple "sexsomnia"
episodes.
Among other things, they found that people - mostly men - sometimes
masturbate, initiate sex with a partner and reach orgasm during sleep. They
usually have no memory of these activities when they wake up, learning about
them only if a partner or roommate tells them. Some of these activities can
also have legal consequences, such as if someone initiates sex without a bed
partner's consent, noted Schenck.
People are at-risk for developing sex-related sleep disorders when they also
tend to suffer from other sleep disorders - such as sleepwalking or sleep
terrors, according to Schenck. "Sexsomnia doesn't come out of nowhere," he
said. But "for whatever reason, sexual behaviors become part of the
repertoire."
While people might feel ashamed to learn from their partners that they are
exhibiting these behaviors while they sleep, these disorders are not
indicative of psychological problems, noted Schenck, whose recently
published book, Sleep: The Mysteries, The Problems, and The Solutions, has a
chapter devoted to sex-related problems. "Bizarre and inappropriate behavior
during sleep does not necessarily reflect a daytime psychological problem."
And "sexsomnia" disorders are easily treated with medication, he added.
If anything, people who become aware of their problem but don't seek help
put themselves at an even greater risk. "The longer you go with this problem
without getting it treated, the more you can then develop a secondary
psychological problem," such as depression, said Schenck, whose study is
published this week in the journal Sleep.
