A sexsomniac is an individual that engages in sexual activities without their conscious knowledge. It's a little like sleepwalking, sleep talking or even sleep eating where the patient is unaware of their acts. In the last 2/4 years several high profile cases have reported incidences of sexual misconduct where the miscreant has been acquitted.

When a person in their sleep does acts that they are unaware of it is called somnambulism or noctambulism. Sleepsex is a variant of this phenomenon of which not much is known. Persons suffering from this type of parasomnia have been described as sexsomniacs. They usually unknowingly perform simple vocalization (such as moaning), violent masturbation to extreme acts with their partners in their sleep. Both men and women can suffer from Sleepsex/Sexsomnia. Although not much is known about this disorder, interest has accelerated due to several cases where men have been accused of sexual harassment. Characteristics of this disorder include, compulsive stimulation of the private parts, teeth grinding, genital bruising (traumatic or rough sexual acts), amnesia of the act, etc.

As previously mentioned not much is known about this disorder as research remains limited. This could be due to the social stigma and shame that is attached to these kinds of disorders. However, most researchers and sleep experts consider Sexsomnia as a sleep disorder related to sleepwalking. However recent research indicates that Sleepsex is much more prevalent than previously thought though it is still not known how many of the general population suffer from it.

A recent report on the discovery channel in the UK showed several people whose lives have been distressed due to somnambulism or noctambulism of Sleepsex.

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