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Sexsomnia
Automatic sexual behaviors during sleep without consciousness or memory. A growing subject of scientific and medico-legal attention.
Last revision: 19.07.2026
| 19.07.2026 | OG image redrawn in the series style |
Raises fundamental questions on consciousness, volition and responsibility - core fields of Drive Awake's scientific inquiry.
Sexsomnia is classified as a parasomnia - a disorder of arousal from non-REM sleep. The person acts out complex behaviours while asleep, with no conscious awareness and no memory upon waking. It is associated with sleep deprivation, alcohol and stress.
While not directly a driving disorder, sexsomnia belongs to the broader forensic territory Drive Awake explores: the legal and ethical questions that arise when behaviour occurs without conscious volition. What does responsibility mean when the brain is not fully present?
The intersection of sleep science and forensic medicine is central to Drive Awake's documentary work - from the Quinto case to the broader questions of consciousness and legal accountability.