To dispel widespread misinformation about sex, News18.com is running this weekly sex column titled ‘Let’s Talk Sex’ every Friday. We hope to start the conversation about sex with this column and address issues of sexual health with scientific insight and nuance.
This column is being written by Sexologist Prof (Dr.) Saransh Jain. In today’s column, Dr. Saransh Jain explains the disorder – sexsomnia and suggests ways to treat it.
Although sleep is considered a state of rest, there are people who remain active during their sleep. Most often, this is due to a disorder or medical condition such as sleepwalking or talking in one’s sleep. There is also a disorder that is of a sexual nature. Known as sexsomnia, it occurs when a person engages in/performs sexual activity (with himself or with others) while sleeping.
Also called “sleep sex”, sexsomnia is a type of parasomnia, where the brain is caught in the transition between the states of sleep and wakefulness. If their behavior is misunderstood or occurs while sharing a home or bed with others, it can have legal consequences. In fact, this disorder is often used for defense in cases of rape and molestation.
Why does sexsomnia happen?
Most of the available studies have found that sexsomnia mostly occurs during non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM), the deepest phase of the sleep cycle. The brain does not sleep as a single unit, and different parts of the brain may behave as if they were partially awake several times during the night.
This is what happens with non-REM parasomnias. For parasomnias to occur, more primitive parts of the brain need to be activated, such as the brain stem and the parts that control automatic reactions and behavior, while other parts of the brain, such as the cerebral cortex, remain inactive. The result is that someone has active muscles and is able to respond to simple input or questions, so they can perform simple, basic or automatic behaviors, but are not aware or aware of what has happened. I don’t remember anyone.
What are the symptoms of sexsomnia?
Sexsomnia often causes self-touching or sexual motion, but it can also cause a person to unconsciously seek sexual intimacy with others. Common symptoms of sexsomnia episodes include: heavy breathing and increased heart rate, initiating foreplay with someone else, spontaneous intercourse, no memory or memory of sexual events, staring blank or glassy during events, Unresponsive to external environment, inability or difficulty waking up during events, refusal of activities during the day when fully conscious, sleepwalking or talking
Is sexsomnia more likely to occur?
Sexsomnia is usually made worse by three factors – two factors that increase sedation of the cortex (sleep loss and alcoholism), and one that increases activation of the brain stem or arousal system (stress), the root cause. Huh. The more tired people are, the more likely they are to have parasomnias. There are some people who very predictably develop parasomnias during busy work periods or exams.
Alcohol or other sedatives: Alcohol and other sedatives, including certain prescription drugs and illegal substances such as marijuana, can increase the risk of parasomnias. Alcohol has the effect of calming the cerebral cortex and activating the brain stem, which is the mechanism through which parasomnias occur.
the stress: Stress can increase the risk of parasomnias. Often stress and sleep deprivation occur together with work or study deadlines, and this combination can bring on parasomnias.
Once sexsomnia begins to cause problems such as irritating the partner or creating tension in the relationship, people may become anxious or fearful of its frequent occurrence. This makes it more likely to happen, so people with sexsomnia can fall into a vicious cycle of increasing discomfort, which is often the trigger to get help and see a sleep specialist.
How is sexsomnia treated?
If you have sexsomnia, here are some factors that will help reduce your chances of sexsomnia.
Manage trigger factors: Since sexsomnia can be triggered or caused more frequently by triggering factors such as sleep deprivation, stress and sedatives such as alcohol, drugs or drugs, it is important to manage these as best as possible. I often enlist the help of a psychologist to help people proficient in stress management techniques.
Treat coexisting sleep disorders: Since disturbed or fragmented sleep is one of the common associated features of sexsomnia, it is important to look at sleep quality. This is usually done with a clinical interview with a sleep specialist and measurement of sleep using a sleep study (polysomnography). If a sleep disorder is present, such as insomnia, restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea or a circadian rhythm disorder, treatment will often reduce the symptoms of sexsomnia.
Medicines: Anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications can be very effective in reducing sexsomnia. However, none of these medicines can be taken with alcohol. This means that people with sexsomnia are at particular risk while drinking alcohol, as it can make sexsomnia more likely and they may not be able to take medication to reduce it.
relationship counselingDue to the nature of sexsomnia, it can create difficulties in relationships. If the behavior is self-stimulatory, partners may become upset by it or be concerned that it is being caused by unsatisfied needs within the relationship. If the behavior is initiating sex, partners may clearly feel intimidated or violated and working with a psychologist or counselor may help.
If you have sexsomnia, it is worth seeing a health professional such as a sleep doctor to look at factors that may increase your risk of events and what can be done to reduce that risk.
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