London: Not just sleepwalking or talking, there are some people who are
having "sleep sex" as they hit the sack, a British survey has
revealed. The condition is called "sexomnia" where a person engages
in sexual activity during sleep.
According to the study by Guy Meadows of The
Sleep School and Bensons for Beds, Britain's leading bed supplier, one in 10
Britons has sleep sex.
"One of the most interesting aspects was that one
in 10 people questioned are experiencing the phenomenon of 'sexomnia' during
their sleep," Meadows was quoted as saying in a bustle.com report. For the
study, they looked at the sleeping habits of 13,000 adults across Britain.
The team also found that one in 10 people went to the toilet while they
were asleep. One in seven admitted to experiencing sleep paralysis and one in
10 even stopped breathing.
The study revealed that while sleepwalking, 16
percent of people have eaten light snacks. According to Psychology Today, when
women experience sleep sex, they typically exhibit "sexual
vocalisations" and masturbation.
Men, on the other hand, would engage in
fondling and intercourse. People who suffer from "sexomnia" also show
other kinds of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and sleep deprivation. One
cause of "sexomnia" is a sleep-related epilepsy that can cause a
person to experience sexual arousal, pelvic thrusting and orgasms.
Many of us
lead hectic and busy lifestyles. It can be hard to really switch off before bed
and "as this research reveals, sleep can often be disrupted by
restlessness", Meadows added.
Eating and drinking certain foods and drinks
such as alcohol before sleep can act as a stimulant and prevent people from
achieving a sound sleep, the researchers concluded.