Sleep Facts

Sleep sex is a rare condition that causes unwanted sexual behavior during sleep. This condition ranges from disruptive moaning to unwanted sexual advances on their partner during sleep. Originally discovered by Stanford researchers in 2002 it is believed that this condition results from glitches in brain waves during sleep. Christian Guilleminault, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford School of Medicine stresses that this condition is medical in origin rather than psychological.

Rather than moving normally through the phases of sleep - each of which has a classic brain-wave pattern - the patients in the Stanford study had strange patterns during sleep phases - short disruptions in their sleep. Recordings in the Stanford study showed that the sleep sex behavior occurred during these disruptions in the sleep cycle. Seven of the patients apparently had problems with walking in their sleep.

Apparently, sleep sex can be alleviated by the same medicines that fix problems related to sleepwalking. Emotional problems do in fact seem to change the way sleep disturbances are acted upon. Whether a sleep disturbance shows itself as sleep sex or sleepwalking depends on the emotional state of the sleeper when the disturbance begins.

The main point is that sleep sex is something that can and should be treated. Given that some reported cases involve violent acts committed on partners during sleep its important to get help as soon as possible. By removing the stigma associated, hopefully more sleep sex victims will get treated.

I’ve been fascinated by sleep related disorders for many years now. This is, however, the first I’ve heard of sleep sex. It’s reassuring to know that for those who suffer from it a treatment is readily available. I can’t imagine suffering from this condition and not realizing that a simple fix can be found by a visit to a specialist.