This article will take you through what is sexsomnia, its characteristics, and its treatment. We will also have a look at how sexsomnia is diagnosed.
Sleeping with your partner is one of the hallmarks of a healthy romantic relationship. Despite this, many people struggle with sleepwalking behaviors that interfere with sleep and overall well-being. In this article, we will discuss the condition known as sexsomnia, which is defined as “a sleepwalking disorder that is triggered by sexual excitement or activity”. Sexsomnia is also called Parasomnias.
Characteristics Of Sexsomnia
The most common symptoms of sexsomnia include:
- Struggling with sleepwalking
- Wandering from place to place during sleep
- Acting out sexual dreams or fantasies
- Falling during sleep or while in bed (fainting episodes)
- Trying to remove clothing during sleep
- Going on sexual adventures without waking up
- Inappropriate exposure to sex (e.g., appearing in pornographic material)
- Eating disorders (such as binge eating and restrictive eating)
- Taking drugs or supplements to stay awake or to feel better
Along with these symptoms, sexsomnia is frequently associated with other mental health conditions, such as:
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- SAD (social anxiety disorder)
However, not all people with these conditions experience sexsomnia. In fact, only about 10 to 20% of sufferers will display this disorder. Thus, it is an important condition to consider, especially since it can drastically affect a person’s day-to-day functioning.
Causes Of Sexsomnia
Although sexsomnia usually occurs in people with a history of mental illness, sleepwalking can also be caused by a wide variety of factors. Among them are:
- Drugs that cause vivid dreams or nightmares (e.g., ghrelin hormone, histamine, xylazine, and thiopental)
- Heart disease or other medical conditions that interfere with sleep quality (e.g., restless leg syndrome, diabetes, and migraines)
- Alcohol or substance abuse (e.g., caffeine, nicotine, and cannabis)
- Change in seasons (e.g., due to cold weather, bright lights, or stress)
- Menopause (i.e., the “change of life”)
- Side effects from medications (e.g., SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and SNRIs (serotonin- and noradrenaline-reuptake inhibitors))
- Various neurological disorders (e.g., PD (Parkinson’s disease), ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and stroke)
In some cases, sexsomnia can be triggered by a combination of factors. For example, a person with a history of depression may exhibit sleepwalking after taking antidepressants that cause vivid dreams or nightmares. Alternatively, an anxious person may experience sleepwalking after taking anxiolytics that cause anxiety.
What is Sexsomnia and its Risk Factors
Individuals who are at risk for sexsomnia typically have one or more of the following factors:
- A family history of sleepwalking
- A history of mental illness
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Anxiety
- SAD
Those who have a strong genetic predisposition to sleepwalking are at an increased risk for this disorder. In fact, people with a close relative, such as a parent, sibling, or child, who experiences sleepwalking are six times more likely to develop it themselves. This is compared to individuals who have a weaker genetic predisposition or no history of this condition in the family.
As mentioned, sleepwalking can be triggered by a variety of factors. Some of these risk factors are clearly medical in nature, while others are more psychological. For example, those who exhibit sleepwalking after taking certain drugs or drinking alcohol are likely to have a mental illness that is causing their behavior. However, it is still possible that a person without a mental illness could develop sleepwalking after taking certain medications or drinking alcohol – especially if they have one or more of the risk factors listed above.
Interestingly, there is one factor that places a person at risk for sexsomnia, regardless of their overall mental health: sexual addiction or activity. In other words, if a person is regularly having sex with multiple partners or engaging in high-risk sexual behavior, this increases their chances of developing sleepwalking. Similarly, those who suffer from compulsive sexual behavior, or who use sex to cope with problems, are at increased risk for this sleepwalking disorder. This makes sense, as people with these problems are likely to be more distracted by their sexual fantasies and needs than their daytime responsibilities – potentially causing them to act out these fantasies in their sleep. This condition is known as “sleepwalking disorder due to sexual addiction or activity” (or briefly sexsomnia).
How Is Sexsomnia Diagnosed?
In order to properly diagnose sexsomnia, a physician must first establish the patient’s total sleep time. This is done by reviewing the patient’s sleep logs, looking at the time stamps on the different sleep episodes, and counting the number of hours spent asleep during the day. Once this is done, melatonin or an equivalent drug is usually prescribed to help the person sleep better (or to reduce the time spent awake during the night). If this does not work, the next step would be to try an SSRI or SNRI, or benzodiazepine (an anti-anxiety drug), depending on the patient’s symptoms.
What is Sexsomnia Treatment
Depending on the underlying cause of the sleepwalking disturbance, different treatments may be required. In some cases, the physician may simply prescribe medication to reduce the time spent awake at night. In other cases, a behavior therapy program may be required, focusing on controlling the patient’s sleepwalking behavior. Finally, in some cases, a combination of the two may be necessary. In general, the goal of treatment for sexsomnia is to improve the patient’s quality of life by reducing or preventing the daytime consequences of this condition (e.g., falls, accidents, financial problems).
If you or someone you know is experiencing sexsomnia, you should not be afraid to speak with a physician about this condition. However, it is still important to remember that this is a somewhat rare disorder and that most people will not develop this problem. Nevertheless, given its serious nature and potential for harm, those who do develop sexsomnia should be treated as soon as possible.