The New Scientist magazine has reported an unusual medical problem termed as sexsomnia. People suffering from this are reported to demand sex without being aware of it or actually perform the act while being asleep.
In most cases, such sex takes place between people who are partners already. Some patients have admitted to being quite frightened and upset with this abnormal behavior over which they have no control. They fear long term repercussions on their relationships. At present, no solution has been found for the problem, leading to awkward feelings between partners. Studies suggest that stress or lack of sufficient sleep may be factors contributing to this condition.
A major hurdle in the research into this medical condition is the fact that the affected persons often do not openly discuss their problems due to a feeling of embarrassment. Since this a situation experienced when patients are not in full control of all senses, they are unable to give complete details to their doctors, even if they wish to.
Researches reveal that sexsomnia is a type of sleepwalking, in which the affected person is neither fully asleep nor fully awake. Sexsomniacs usually confine themselves to bed rather than move about. Some partners when questioned how they felt during such experiences said they did not like it while some just bore it. A few others admitted they even enjoyed the experience.
According to Nik Trajanovic, a researcher at the sleep and alertness clinic at Canada's Toronto Western Hospital, two to four percent of adults are sleepwalkers, while the figures for sexsomniacs are not very significant. He is trying to devise a method through which sexsomnia can be diagnosed in the event a patient is legally charged with sexual assault.
A web site www.sleepsex.org has been set up by Michael Mangan, a psychologist at the University of New Hampshire in the U.S. to offer guidance to patients of sexsomnia.
