Strange Penis Problems: Sleep Sex

The human body can do some really strange things. Some of those things are so strange, in fact, that most people have never heard of them. Take, for instance, sleep sex. When it comes to rare penis problems, this is definitely one of those at the top of the list. Men who are interested in their penis health and good penis care - both when awake and when asleep - should know about even the more obscure penis problems they might encounter.

So what is sleep sex?

It isn’t unusual for a man to get a little frisky in his sleep. Most men are aware of nocturnal emissions, which happen often when a guy is younger and tend to decrease in frequency as he becomes older and better able to control his sensual urges. A man might even reach down and play a little bit during his sleep, especially if he’s in the throes of an erotic dream.

But sleep sex is quite different. Men who suffer from sexsomnia, as it is often called, will engage in full masturbation sessions while they are asleep. Similar to sleepwalking, a man will often go through the motions he usually does for masturbation, including finding the lube in a drawer and using it, or even sitting or standing up to do the deed. As soon as he reaches release, he might lie right back down and continue sleeping, with no memory of the session when he wakes up.

Sometimes, a man will actually have sex with a partner while he is asleep. Though this is much rarer, it certainly does happen. If this happens, it’s with the sex partner right there in bed with the person, or at least in the same home - however, there are some rare reports of men who have sex with people who are not their partner, and they are never aware of what they are doing. Obviously, this leads to some serious consequences.

How does sleep sex happen?

Just like sleepwalking, sleep sex happens without any input from the person who is engaging in the activity. They are fully asleep, with no knowledge of what is happening and often no memory of it when they wake up.

Scientists aren’t entirely sure what causes it, but they have identified some triggers that make it more likely for someone to engage in sleep sex, or any sort of sleep activities, such as sleepwalking. Alcohol tends to be a triggering factor, as well as long-term sleep deprivation. However, the most common reason is sleep disruption: a person’s sleep is interrupted, but not enough to wake them up fully. The result is a dream-like state where they aren’t fully awake but aren’t in a deep sleep, either.

Fortunately, there are ways to combat sleep sex and other related issues. Since sleep apnea is one of the top reasons for sleep disruption, the use of a CPAP machine at night can help keep someone in bed and away from episodes of sleep sex. Some anti-anxiety drugs have also proven very helpful in keeping sleep sex at bay. And for some, cognitive behavioral therapy might have some effect.

When a man is getting it on in his sleep, he might not pay attention to the best practices for penis care, such as using adequate lube for masturbation. That’s why he can benefit from a superior penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) . This crème should contain Shea butter and vitamin E, the better to soothe sore and overworked skin. It should also contain L-carnitine, which helps fight the signs of peripheral nerve damage that can lead a man to a loss of penis sensation, especially after a rough session of masturbation during a long night.

Sleep Sex - The Real Dangers of Sexsomnia

To most men, "sleep sex" (officially classified as "sexsomnia") is something that is treated as a joke. For example, many a man has described himself as being so "ready for action" that he could engage in intercourse during his sleep. Yet for the men who actually do suffer from this disorder, it is a very real - and potentially dangerous - situation. While practicing proper penis care is always a good idea, men with this condition require specialized sleep disorder treatments to address the problem.

What is sexsomnia?
Doctors and researchers have long known that people frequently experience various forms of sexual arousal and activity during sleep periods. All men are familiar with wet dreams, or periods of sleep during which they ejaculate. Also called nocturnal emissions, wet dreams most often occur during early stages of puberty, but they can occur at any time in a man’s life. Often, wet dreams are relatively "spontaneous" - a man has an arousing dream, becomes erect and ejaculates. Other times, the man while asleep may rub his penis with his hand or thrust his penis against his bedding, in essence masturbating while asleep.

A man with sleep sex engages in such sexual activity in a more marked way. He may more actively masturbate while remaining asleep; for example, some men may lower their pajamas or strip naked and masturbate. In some instances, a man may rise from his bed and stand or sit while masturbating. He may even leave his room and wander to another location and masturbate - all while remaining asleep.

Sleep sex is not necessarily limited to masturbation. Some men have been known to engage in intercourse with a partner in their bed while never awakening; in some rare instances, men have been reported to engage in non-consensual sex with someone not his partner as a result of this condition. Needless to say, this can have serious consequences. Although this article focuses on men, sleep sex can occur in either gender.

Why does it happen?
Sleep sex is classified as a non-rapid-eye-movement (non-REM) parasomnia disorder. This is the same class of disorders which includes the much better known sleepwalking, talking in the sleep, teeth grinding and night terrors. This category also includes sleep eating, in which a person consumes food in his sleep, as well as the very dangerous driving while asleep. Most people with a sleep sex disorder also have one of these other parasomnias. As with other sleep disorders, people with sleep sex issues remain asleep while they are engaged in the sexual activity and usually have no memory of it.

Several factors can bring about sexsomnia. Alcohol can be a trigger, especially in people who already experience one of the other parasomnia disorders. Sleep deprivation, in which one is deprived of sleep for an extended period of time, is another factor. Probably the most common cause is sleep disruption, in which the sleep is interrupted. Interrupted does not necessarily mean that the person returns to a state of wakefulness; it can mean that a person is thrust out of deep sleep at inappropriate times but not into total wakefulness. Sleep apnea is probably the most familiar form of sleep disruption.

How is it treated?
A doctor doesn’t treat sleep sex issues themselves; he treats the thing that is causing it, such as sleep apnea. A continuous positive airway pressure machine is often used to help people with sleep apnea (and those with sleep sex problems). Anti-anxiety drugs are often effective for many parasomnia disorders.

Sleep sex is fortunately a fairly rare disorder, however, this and any other unconscious sexual activity can sometimes result in a manhandled penis. Any time rough handling leads to a sore penis, the member can and should be treated with a quality penis nutrient cream (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil). Men with sore penises should look for creams capable of both soothing (through the inclusion in the cream of a high end emollient such as Shea butter) and restoring penis sensitivity that may have been damaged by rough treatment (via the use of a cream that includes acetyl L carnitine, which provides neuroprotective support).