Sex is a natural act and one that is increasingly out of that taboo shell in which society confined it. The new perspective on the sexual act tries to normalize it as a whole, both the good and the bad . One of the most curious behaviors that exist around sex is sexsomnia or sexual sleepwalking, a sleep disorder that can lead to compromising or uncomfortable situations.
Sexsomnia is a parasomnia (sleep disorder) characterized by the unconscious desire to have sex while asleep. Although it is more common than it might seem, it occurs in only 10% of the cases of people with sleep disorders, so it is still a fairly minority behavior. Sexsomnia causes the affected person to present behaviors of a different sexual nature while sleeping, these can range from moaning or sexual sounds to masturbation or intercourse . As it is a variant of sleepwalking, the affected person is not aware of their actions and does not usually remember anything the next day . This behavior is more common in people who suffered from sleepwalking or night terrors in their childhood and youth.
The latest studies place this parasomnia within the non-REM phase of sleep , when a sensory blockage occurs and the nervous system is isolated from external stimuli but muscle atony (relaxation) is not yet complete. It is precisely this situation that allows sleepwalking behaviors to occur, which are muscular and physical responses but not mental .
According to the American psychologist Michael Mangan , sexsomnia is more common than is believed and its increasing visibility has even led to the emergence of specialized forums on the internet (sleepsex.org). In it, those affected are invited to tell their experiences about this curious behavior in order to make it known and make possible affected people aware of the existence of this sleep disorder and the possible treatments that exist. Contact with professionals or tests such as polysomnography, which records brain activity and eye movement to detect sleep disorders, are some effective mechanisms to confirm the presence of this parasomnia. Once confirmed, there are specialized therapies and medications to control it .
It is natural to think that the first person who will notice this disorder will be the person living with the sexsomne, whether it is their partner or not . This behavior may not pose any problem for the affected person and the people who live with him, and even some women have admitted that “sleeping sex” with their partner is better than when they are awake, but it is a disorder that must be watched. In 2012, for example, a British man was charged with raping a young woman who was sleeping at home and later acquitted when the jury recognized his status as sexsomne .
Sexsomnia is a minority behavior that continues to be studied and about which knowledge has increased enormously in recent years , making many people who suffer from it understand that it is a sleep disorder and that, those who wish, can take it. measures to control it.
