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Medical condition / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sexsomnia, also known as sleep sex, is a distinct form of parasomnia, or an abnormal activity that occurs while an individual is asleep. Sexsomnia is characterized by an individual engaging in sexual acts while in non rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Sexual behaviors that result from sexsomnia are not to be mistaken with normal nocturnal sexual behaviors, which do not occur during NREM sleep. Sexual behaviors that are viewed as normal during sleep and are accompanied by extensive research and documentation include nocturnal emissions, nocturnal erections, and sleep orgasms.
Sexsomnia | |
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Pronunciation |
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Specialty | Psychiatry, sleep medicine |
Complications | Allegations of sexual assault; rape |
Causes | stress, sleep deprivation, pre-existing parasomnia conditions, consumptions of alcohol or drugs |
Diagnostic method | Based on symptoms, clinical studies |
Treatment | medications, anticonvulsant therapy, CPAP |
Sexsomnia can present in an individual with other pre-existing sleep-related disorders.
While parasomnia disorders like somnabulism (sleep walking), sleep talking, and night terrors are widely researched and discussed, lack of research and hesitance associated with the discussion of the disorder arises from its sexually aggressive nature. Although they may appear to be fully awake, individuals who suffer from sexsomnia often have no recollection of the sexual behaviors they exhibit while asleep.
In some cases, a medical diagnosis of sexsomnia has been used as a criminal defense in court for alleged sexual assault and rape cases.