Sexsomnia, a desire that even the night cannot hold back
If Greek mythology is not really your cup of tea, it may well be the term "sexsomnia" in our title that catches your attention. In that case, there is no shame to have, because, as we know perfectly well, this word is intriguing (not to say exciting).
As you know, our favorite subject here is sleep. So, if we tell you "to fall into the arms of Morpheus" (god of sleep in Greek mythology), it is certainly a phrase that speaks to you. But then, what about the meeting between Morpheus and Eros (god of love in Greek mythology)?
In reality, this naughty rendezvous between the gods of sleep and love gives birth to a strange phenomenon: sexsomnia. This relates to the domain of sleep, but also sex, therefore. More precisely, it is a somewhat particular parasomnia characterized by a sexual activity... special, to say the least! We bet your curiosity is even more awake now, isn't it? So 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 unlike any other.
What is sexsomnia?
Sexsomnia (or sexomnia) is a particular sleep disorder, classified in the family of parasomnias ("disorders around sleep"). This parasomnia, as its name indicates, has a sexual character since the person who suffers from it exhibits involuntary sexual behavior, ranging from simple gestures to the completion of sexual acts... all while sleeping! If men have the unflattering reputation of falling into the arms of Morpheus just after the act of love, they are also the majority affected by sexsomnia, representing more than 70 %1 of "sexsomniacs". A first large-scale study2 was conducted in 2010 by Prof. Sharon Chung, researcher at the Sleep Research Laboratory at the "Health Network" University of Toronto in Canada, to really highlight the prevalence and frequency of this sexual sleep disorder, which had been relatively little studied until then. Thus, this study conducted on 832 patients from a sleep clinic showed that:
- 7.6% of patients suffered from sexsomnia
- sexsomnia would concern 11% of men
- this sleep disorder would concern only 4% of women
Of course, these figures should be taken with caution as they come from a study within a sleep clinic, for people already presenting certain sleep disorders. They could be revised downward in a more general population.
A sexual sleepwalking
The sexsomniac sleeps, is unconscious, but dear Eros nevertheless grants him a sexual desire that is wide awake! While it is comparable to sleepwalking due to its involuntary and unconscious nature in performing these sexual acts, sexsomnia is strictly limited to sex, whether physical or verbal, solitary or with a partner (when the partner is invited, or even forced, as we will see later). Here, therefore, no sleepwalking strolls, but rather the beginnings, or even "complete" sexual acts, which can go as far as orgasm (for the sexsomniac... and sometimes even for their possible partner!):
- the sexsomniac individual can have solitary sexual behavior: exhibitionism, masturbation, catathrenia (moaning or sexual vocalizations typical of a certain category of films... "X" to name them!)
- the sexsomniac adopts sexual behavior towards their partner (who may respond favorably) and/or uses 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 therefore does not respond to the call of the wolf, but to that of a totally unconscious sexual desire, leading to words, screams, and other physical sexual acts which sometimes can be performed without the consent of the person sharing the bed with the sexsomniac. The latter is therefore best placed to alert their partner to the appearance of sexsomnia symptoms, which are quite obvious to perceive. The sexsomniac retains no memory of their nocturnal erotic episodes. This sexual sleep disorder is not restful at all, like sleepwalking, and its association with other pathologies is quite frequent.
What are the causes of sexsomnia?
Scientists have established, through various studies3, that sexsomnia is very often associated with other sleep disorders such as:
- sleepwalking
- confusional arousals
- sleep apnea
- restless legs syndrome
Moreover, the causes of sexsomnia are relatively well identified by scientists in various researches4. In reality, the origins of sexsomnia are the same as for all parasomnias, namely:
- lack of sleep
- stress
- a depressive state
- consumption of alcohol or drugs
- having fragmented sleep
So be careful with these factors if you happen to already suffer from certain parasomnias or other sleep disorders because, on closer inspection, sexsomnia is certainly not harmless for the entourage of sexsomniacs. Eros and Morpheus may not have thought of everything!
A sexual disorder that is not restful, nor without consequences
Yes indeed. Beyond the aspect of a "somewhat weird and taboo disorder that makes you smile," sexsomnia can unfortunately turn into real suffering. Not the little death, of course, the latter being rather pleasant it must be admitted. However, imagine the shock that a forced (or barely consenting) sexual intercourse, or even more aggressive than usual, can represent, 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 uses crude language or behaves as if possessed, as has been reported in some testimonies.
To illustrate such a phenomenon, images are sometimes 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: following 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 the very young, however, due to nudity). This short film well reflects what this strange parasomnia can have as personal and social consequences.
If a clip tempts you, it is just here!
As you can see, nocturnal rebel friends, if "sexsomnia" does rhyme with "night," it is sometimes not without some troubles, if not a crazy night...
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
