There's nothing better than a peaceful night's sleep. Unfortunately, for some people, getting a good sleep can seem next to impossible. While most people will suffer from common sleep disorders like insomnia at least once in their lives, some unfortunates live with rare sleep disorders that interrupt their lives.
Two such disorders – night terrors and sleepsex – can be distressing not just for the person who has the disorder, but for the partner who share's their bed.
Do you have either of these sleep disorders?
Night Terrors
A person suffering from night terrors wakes suddenly screaming, thrashing around, and sometimes even getting up and running away. If you witness someone having a sleep terror you'll find them difficult to wake up, and they won't respond to attempts to calm them.
Sleep terrors are different from nightmares, which occur in a different sleep stage. Sleep terrors are common in children, and do not need to be treated unless they are disruptive, however an adult experiencing sleep terrors should seek specialist help. There is a danger a person prone to sleep terrors might injure themselves or someone else when they thrash about.
Sleepsex
"Sexsomnia" or Sleep Sex is part of a range of disorders called "parasomnia". Parasomnic disorders occur during sleep, or when an individual is just falling asleep. Sleepwalking and sleeptalking are the most common parasomnic disorders, although many others, such as sleep eating and sleep sex, are becoming more widely studied.
During a Sleepsex episode, a person may, while asleep, make sexual noises or gestures, or make advances toward their partner. The person is asleep and does not realise what they are doing, and, if woken, will have no recollection of their behaviour.
Sleepsex can be distressing for the other partner, who may feel violated, especially as normally gentle loves can become aggressive and violent during sleepsex behaviour. Sleepsex can cause issues in a relationship, and, as such, anyone experiencing what they believe is sleepsex should check into a sleep disorder clinic for testing.
Sleepsex is rare, but might be more common than researchers realise. Many people will not report episodes of sleepsex if they feel embarrassed or ashamed.
For more information about sleep problems and insomnia cures you can visit the Sleep and Insomnia Guide
Two such disorders – night terrors and sleepsex – can be distressing not just for the person who has the disorder, but for the partner who share's their bed.
Do you have either of these sleep disorders?
Night Terrors
A person suffering from night terrors wakes suddenly screaming, thrashing around, and sometimes even getting up and running away. If you witness someone having a sleep terror you'll find them difficult to wake up, and they won't respond to attempts to calm them.
Sleep terrors are different from nightmares, which occur in a different sleep stage. Sleep terrors are common in children, and do not need to be treated unless they are disruptive, however an adult experiencing sleep terrors should seek specialist help. There is a danger a person prone to sleep terrors might injure themselves or someone else when they thrash about.
Sleepsex
"Sexsomnia" or Sleep Sex is part of a range of disorders called "parasomnia". Parasomnic disorders occur during sleep, or when an individual is just falling asleep. Sleepwalking and sleeptalking are the most common parasomnic disorders, although many others, such as sleep eating and sleep sex, are becoming more widely studied.
During a Sleepsex episode, a person may, while asleep, make sexual noises or gestures, or make advances toward their partner. The person is asleep and does not realise what they are doing, and, if woken, will have no recollection of their behaviour.
Sleepsex can be distressing for the other partner, who may feel violated, especially as normally gentle loves can become aggressive and violent during sleepsex behaviour. Sleepsex can cause issues in a relationship, and, as such, anyone experiencing what they believe is sleepsex should check into a sleep disorder clinic for testing.
Sleepsex is rare, but might be more common than researchers realise. Many people will not report episodes of sleepsex if they feel embarrassed or ashamed.
For more information about sleep problems and insomnia cures you can visit the Sleep and Insomnia Guide