Sleepsex – A Serious Condition or an Excuse for Sexual Misconduct?

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is defined as “active brain in an inactive body,” and takes place during the fifth stage of sleep. On the other hand, non rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) takes place in the first through fourth stages of sleep and is defined as an “inactive mind in an active body”. (5) Wait a second- our body can be active while sleeping? Indeed it can. In fact, there are a number of sleep disorders that take place during NREM sleep called parasomnia or arousal disorder. They activate the autonomic nervous system and motor systems during sleep and include sleepwalking, sleepeating, sleep-talking, teeth grinding, restless leg syndrome, somniloquy (sleep talking), and sleepsex (3).

Sleepsex or sexsomnia (SBS) is a recently discovered sleep disorder in which the patient exhibits sexual behavior while still asleep. Contradictory to popular belief, SBS is a NREM disorder and therefore not associated with dreaming or the acting out of dreams (4). Sleepsex is believed to be caused by short interruptions or unusual brain-wave patterns during the third and fourth phases of sleep (8). It has been successfully treated with Clonazepam, psychotherapy, and drugs typically used to combat other parasomnia disorders such as Valium (1, 8). A majority of patients with SBS have a history of other parasomnia disorders, predominantly sleepwalking.

Relatively few cases of SBS have been published in academic journals. The prevalence of sleepsex is unknown, but it is believed to be a lot more common than originally thought because a lot of SBS cases go unreported. Those afflicted are likely to be afraid to seek help due to embarrassment or fear that others will accuse them of performing the acts willfully (1, 4). However, the condition is a lot more prevalent among men (8).

Because only a small percent of the population have experienced SBS, it is important to explore the individual cases thoroughly in order to better our understanding of the disorder. An article in the Archives of Sexual Behavior describes two case studies (4). One case involves a man who has a history of sleepeating and sleepwalking who wakes in the middle of the night to engage in sexual activity with his partner on a daily basis and does not recollect the events the following morning. However, his girlfriend reports that he sometimes snores loudly during the sleepsex episodes. She claimed he is slightly more aggressive during sleepsex than when awake, but she expressed that she frequently enjoyed the episodes. The second case study involves a 45-year old man who was arrested for sexual battery after fondling a 14-year old girlfriend of his daughter while asleep. He too had a history of sleepwalking, but no history of sexsleep or sexual misconduct. Neither of the patients had psychiatric problems (4).

Other reported cases that are worth mentioning include a court case reported by BBC News reported where a man feigned sleepwalking in order to sexually assault a female friend (7). The following month, BBC News reported a committed woman diagnosed with sleepsex who would leave her house while sleepwalking and have sex with strangers while asleep (6). An Internet-based study discovered several women who were violently forced to take part in sexual activity with their sleeping husbands/boyfriends. They also claimed that their partners were almost impossible to wake and had no recollection of the event when awoken (1). The study also mentioned a number of sleep masturbation cases where the partners were deeply troubled by the behavior due to load moaning. It is also important to point out that a number of these cases were reported by partners of the SBS patients because they claimed their partner would not admit to their behavior (1). Some patients reported seeking help from doctors who sent them to psychoanalysts or psychiatrist because they felt the condition was feigned (1, 2).

Initially when reading case studies of sexsleep patients, I thought that the condition was one of the many outrageous things that sleepwalkers are capable of doing in their sleep. I’ve heard of stories where sleepwalkers get into their cars and drive to the grocery store, thought sex could be another one of their unconscious activities. I never really saw it as a condition within itself. However, recent studies are showing that the condition is becoming more and more accepted as a sleep disorder of its own (8). After reading through a number of case studies, I can’t help but question the integrity of the patients in some reported cases studies. Why is the condition not found in children when a large number of parasomnias tend to more highly prevalent among children? The BBC incident of the feigned sleepwalker is somewhat troubling as sexual offenders could potentially use sleepsex as a defense. In such cases, I am strongly in support of the prosecution because I feel chronic sleepsex is a potentially dangerous condition and should not go untreated. It is easily treatable and therefore, I feel should not be used as an excuse for sexual misconduct. It is comforting to know that jurors have generally been in favor of the prosecution in legal cases where sleepsex has been used as a defense (4).

Moreover, qualitative analysis of SBS cases showed that number of negative emotions such as shame, guilt, and frustration were experienced a majority of those who suffered from the condition or were affected by it (1, 4, 8). Therefore, if left untreated, SBS can threaten relationships, foster psychological problems, and instigate legal problems as a result of sexual misconduct (8). The sleepsex.org website provides an open forum where people who have experienced sleepsex can share their stories and learn more about how to control their condition.

It is scary to think of what the human brain can do without the consent of one’s I-function. In regards to sleepsex, the autonomous behavior of the human brain can be seriously dangerous and destructive. It’s as if the brain has a mind of its own. Throughout this course we’ve examined central pattern generators and corollary discharge signals along with a number of other harmless ways in which the brain autonomously controls behavior with no influence from the I-function. However, sleepsex demonstrates how there are potentially serious consequences for lacking I-function control and further establishes the importance of the I-function.

REFERENCES

(1) Mangan, Michael A. “A phenomenology of Problematic Sexual Behavior Occurring in Sleep.” Archives of Sexual Behavior 33(3) (2004): 287. Web Version: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=1&did=642263901&SrchMode=3&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1179468586&clientId=42764&aid=2

(2) Mangan, Michael Ph.D. Sleepsex.org http://www.sleepsex.org/

(3) Mangan, Michael Ph.D. Sleepsex: Uncovered. United States: Xlibris Coorporation, 2001. Web Version: http://www.sleepsex.org/text/SleepsexUncovered.pdf

(4) Rosenfeld, D.S., Elhajjar, A. J. “Sleepsex: A Variant of Sleepwalking.” Archives of Sexual Behavior 27(3) (1998): 269-279. Web Version: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=9&sid=1&srchmode=3&vinst=PROD&fmt=3&startpage=-1&vname=PQD&did=29326458&scaling=FULL&pmid=19481&vtype=PQD&fileinfoindex=share2%2Fpqimage%2Firs3%2F20070517195605150%2F29826%2Fout.pdf&rqt=309&TS=1179446165&clientId=42764

(5) Sleep http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep#Arousal May 2007

(6) Sleepwalker Feigned ‘Sleepwalk’. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/3625952.stm September 3, 2004.

(7) Sleepwalkers Who Have ‘Sex Sleep’. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3744226.stm October 15, 2004

(8) “Stanford Sleep Experts Treat Medical Condition Behind Violent ‘Sleep Sex’”. Science Daily. March 27, 2002. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/03/020327072432.htm