Good in bed? Tell him he's dreaming

The Age ^ | June 25, 2003 | Stephen Cauchi

[gcruse]

Falling asleep after sex is common. But sleeping during sex?

Canadian medical researchers have discovered an intriguing condition, sexsomnia, in which people who are asleep proceed to initiate sexual activity with others. The condition, detailed in the June edition of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, appears to be a mix of sleepwalking and adolescent wet dreams.

Amazingly, not all partners of such people are distressed or irritated by the novel experience of having an unconscious person make love to them. Some almost prefer it. The article, by three researchers from the universities of Toronto and Ottawa and the Toronto Western Hospital, described sexsomnia as, if not a new condition, a "distinct variation" of sleepwalking. The researchers discovered it by interviewing patients referred to a sleep clinic for normal sleep-related problems.

"Only subsequently did the issue of sexual behaviour during sleep emerge," wrote the researchers, although they noted prior cases of indecent exposure during sleep.

"We anticipate that the number of potential cases is large but sexual behaviour in sleep is not yet recognised by physicians as a behaviour of note or a problem."

There were eleven case studies, mostly male. One married man, 35, had sexual dreams and "enacts these by having intercourse with his wife, who is convinced he is asleep... (he) is only aware of his behaviour from his wife's reports".

Two girlfriends of another man, 43, "independently confirmed that he frequently engages in sexual behaviour while asleep. One describes him as a 'different person' during these activities - apparently he is a more amorous and gentle lover and more orientated towards satisfying his partner."

By contrast, another man, 37, is "more aggressive and more amorous" while asleep, according to his wife. "He indulges in behaviours while asleep that he does not undertake when awake... there is no stopping him."

But when he once grabbed her neck, she had to slap him.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

You're cured!

[RedBloodedAmerican]

:o)

[DoughtyOne]

"We anticipate that the number of potential cases is large but sexual behaviour in sleep is not yet recognised by physicians as a behaviour of note or a problem."

Let me guess. We're less than 24 months before this being listed as rape.

[Cathryn Crawford]

But when he once grabbed her neck, she had to slap him.

Damn. I don't blame her.

[csvset]

And I fell asleep and dreamed
I dreamed I was in a Hollywood movie
And that I was the star of the movie
This really blew my mind, the fact that me,
an overfed, long-haired leaping gnome
should be the star of a Hollywood movie

But there I was, I was taken to a place, the hall of the mountain kings
I stood high upon a mountain top, naked to the world
In front of every kind of girl, there was
black ones, round ones, big ones, crazy ones...

[DoughtyOne]

In another study a new phenominon was also discovered. A number of men admitted to acting like they were asleep when they made sexual advances toward their wives, because they noted that the wives less frequently said, "Not tonight honey" under these cirumstances. And if they did, the male partner could continue the advances under the guise of being asleep and not understanding the communicated 'nos'.

[gcruse]

Well, you've given it all away, now.
Just for that, you get the wet spot.

[Scenic Sounds]

I know it's possible to be asleep at the beginning, but . . .

[DoughtyOne]

Does that qualify as selling out mankind? LOL

[Dan from Michigan]

I'm uhhh sleepin...yeah that's it.

[doubled]

I remember "Mad About You" did an episode on this. So far ahead of their time.

[Savage Beast]

"not all partners of such people are distressed or irritated"

Yes. This has been my experience.

[b4its2late]

I guess this explains why I'm so tired when I wake up.

[banjo joe]

"Two girlfriends of another man..."

the hell?

[ChemistCat]

Yeah, EWWWWWWWWWWww!

[The Brush]

I've actually fallen asleep while.... wait a minute, I've decided not to admit that here.