Sexsomnia, a desire that even the night cannot hold back

If Greek mythology is not really your cup of tea, it might just be the term “sexsomnia” in our title that catches your attention. In that case, no shame in that, because, we know full well, this word is intriguing (not to say exciting).

As you know, our favorite subject here is sleep. So, if we say “falling into the arms of Morpheus” (the god of sleep in Greek mythology), it’s certainly a phrase that resonates with you. But then, what about the meeting between Morpheus and Eros (the god of love in Greek mythology)?

In reality, this naughty rendezvous between the gods of sleep and love gives rise to a strange phenomenon: sexsomnia. This relates to the realm of sleep, but also sex, therefore. More specifically, it is a somewhat particular parasomnia since it is characterized by… special sexual activity, to say the least! We bet your curiosity is even more piqued now, isn’t it? What are the causes of sexsomnia? How does it manifest?

When Eros meets Morpheus, here is (almost) everything you need to know about sexsomnia, a story of sex and sleep like no other.

What is sexsomnia?

Sexsomnia (or sexomnie) is a particular sleep disorder, classified within the family of parasomnias (“disorders around sleep”). This parasomnia, as its name indicates, has a sexual character since the person affected exhibits involuntary sexual behavior, ranging from simple gestures to the completion of sexual acts… while sleeping! While men have the unflattering reputation of falling into the arms of Morpheus right after making love, they are also the ones most affected by sexsomnia, as they represent over 70%^[1] of "sexsomniacs". A major study^[2] was conducted in 2010 by Prof. Sharon Chung, a researcher at the Sleep Research Laboratory at the "Health Network" University in Toronto, Canada, to truly shed light on the prevalence and frequency of this sexual sleep disorder, which had been relatively under-studied until then. Thus, this study conducted on 832 patients at a sleep clinic showed that:

• 7.6% of patients suffered from sexsomnia
• sexsomnia would affect 11% of men
• this sleep disorder would only affect 4% of women

Of course, these figures should be put into perspective as they come from a study within a sleep clinic, for individuals already presenting certain sleep disorders. They could be revised downwards in a broader population.

A sexual sleepwalking

The sexsomniac sleeps, they are unconscious, but dear Eros gives them a sexual desire that is very much awake! While it is comparable to sleepwalking due to its involuntary and unconscious nature in the execution of these sexual acts, sexsomnia is strictly limited to sex, whether physical or verbal, solitary or with a partner (when the spouse is invited, or even forced, as we will see later). Here, therefore, no wandering while sleeping, but rather the beginnings, or even "complete" sexual acts, which can go as far as an orgasm (for the sexsomniac… and sometimes even for their potential partner!):

• the sexsomniac may exhibit solitary sexual behavior: exhibitionism, masturbation, catathrenia (moaning or sexual vocalizations typical of a certain category of films… "X" to name them!)
• the (or the) sexsomniac adopts sexual behavior towards their partner (who may respond favorably) and/or uses a language a bit more colorful than usual
• in rarer cases, the person suffering from sexsomnia may adopt involuntarily aggressive sexual behavior towards their partner, scream, and appear possessed

The sexsomniac does not respond to the call of the wolf, but rather to that of a completely unconscious sexual desire, leading to words, screams, and other physical sexual acts that, at times, can occur without the consent of the person sharing the bed with the sexsomniac. The latter is therefore in the best position to alert their partner to the appearance of the symptoms of sexsomnia, which are quite evident to perceive. The sexsomniac retains no memory of their nocturnal erotic episodes. This sexual sleep disorder is not at all restful, like sleepwalking, and its association with other pathologies is quite common.

What are the causes of sexsomnia?

Scientists have been able to establish, through various studies^[3], that sexsomnia is very often associated with other sleep disorders such as:

• sleepwalking
• confusional arousals
• sleep apnea
• restless legs syndrome

On the other hand, the causes of sexsomnia are relatively well identified by scientists in various research^[4]. In reality, the origins of sexsomnia are the same as for all parasomnias, namely:

• lack of sleep
• stress
• depressive state
• consumption of alcohol or drugs
• having fragmented sleep

So be careful of these factors if you happen to already be subject to certain parasomnias or other sleep disorders because, upon closer inspection, sexsomnia is certainly not trivial for the entourage of sexsomniacs. Eros and Morpheus may not have thought of everything!

A sexual disorder that is not at all restful, nor without consequences

Indeed. Beyond the aspect of "a somewhat strange and taboo disorder that lends itself to smiles", sexsomnia can unfortunately turn into real suffering. Not the little death, of course, that being rather pleasant, it must be admitted. However, imagine the shock that a forced (or less than consenting) sexual encounter can represent, even more aggressive than usual, even within a couple. The sexsomniac will have no memory of it, but it goes without saying that their partner may have been shocked. Especially when the sexsomniac adopts crude language or a possessed behavior, as has been reported in some testimonies.

To illustrate such a phenomenon, images can sometimes be as telling as words. Thus, in 2014, the short film "Sexomnia" was released, a small film directed by Paul Minor. The pitch is as simple as it is evocative of what sexsomnia can represent: after a night of sexual sleepwalking, a young woman wakes up the next day, naked and in an unknown place, unable to remember what she did. Here, the subject is treated aesthetically and without explicit scenes (not recommended for younger audiences, nonetheless, due to nudity). This short film well illustrates the personal and social consequences that this strange parasomnia can have.

If an excerpt tempts you, it’s just here!

As you can see, dear nocturnal rebels, if "sexsomnia" rhymes with "night", it is sometimes not without certain troubles, if not a night of madness...

Sources :

[1] Sexsomnia: A Specialized Non-REM Parasomnia ?, Anne-Laure Dubessy, Smaranda Leu-Semenescu et al, "Sleep", February 2017 [2] Study Finds that Sexsomnia is Common in Sleep Center Patients, "American Academy of Sleep Medicine" website, June 2010 [3] Sexsomnia: parasomnia associated with sexual behaviour during sleep, H. Ariño, A. Iranzo et al, free article "Neurologia", April 2014 [4] Sexsomnia: Abnormal sexual behavior during sleep, Monica L. Andersena, Dalva Poyaresa et al, "Brain Research Reviews", 2007