Trying to have sex while you are asleep is a sexual sleep disorder. Who knew?

WESTCHESTER, IL – Sexsomnia was reported by almost eight percent of patients at a sleep disorders center and was more common in men than women, according to a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 7, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC.

Results indicate that 7.6 percent of patients (63 of 832) at a sleep disorders center reported that they had initiated or engaged in sexual activity with a bed partner while asleep. The prevalence of reported sexsomnia was nearly three times higher in men (11 percent) than in women (four percent).

"There have been no previous studies of how frequently sexsomnia occurs," said co-investigator Sharon A. Chung, PhD, Sleep Research Laboratory staff scientist in the department of psychiatry at the University Health Network in Toronto, Canada. "While our finding of eight percent of people reporting sexsomnia seems really a high number, it should be stressed that we only studied patients referred to a sleep clinic. So, we would expect the numbers to be much lower in the general population."

Some people have this happen while sleep-walking. Got any ideas on how to deal with that one?

I'm thinking a more realistic online dating service should check for qualities that have heretofore been beyond the bounds of discussion in polite society. Guy got sexsomnia? He could get matched up with an insomniac nymphomaniac. He might not remember it the next morning. But she'll be happier.