Teh One Who Knocks
03-07-2012, 12:50 PM
By DULCIE PEARCE - The Sun
http://i.imgur.com/SfJPu.jpg
SLEEP should be a time for rest and relaxation.
But for Chelsea Harold it is the time when she changes from a normal girl into a sleeping sex addict — with no memory of her behaviour.
The 24-year-old's rare medical condition, sexsomnia, has ruined several relationships and she is now too scared to get into bed with a new man.
Chelsea reveals: "It has turned me into a sleeping sex addict but in the morning I cannot remember a thing.
"Boyfriends in the past have been really offended when I tell them I was asleep the entire time and that I have no memory of what we did the night before.
"My sexsomnia has broken up three of my relationships and it's making my dating life hell.
"I am worried about the next romance I have as I know how difficult it is for men to understand."
http://i.imgur.com/vzhf0.jpg
For many sufferers like Chelsea, the condition causes them to touch themselves intimately or have sex with a partner and have no recollection of it happening.
Chelsea says: "Trying to explain to a man that I cannot remember makes me sound mad. I don't drink alcohol very often so I can't blame that.
"Doing all these sexual things without memory makes my confidence plummet and I feel isolated. It also makes a man feel like a failure in bed."
Sexsomnia was recognised as a sleep disorder in 2003. Sufferers will often also sleepwalk, talk, grind their teeth and even clean the house while asleep.
In Britain, four per cent of people suffer from the condition.
Chelsea says: "I often sleepwalked as a child, but I think my sexsomnia started in 2007.
"I had a boyfriend, Tom, and we were in a happy relationship. One evening he started talking about the sex we'd had the night before and how much he had enjoyed it.
"I thought he was joking, as I had been far too tired to have sex. As far as I could remember we'd only had a kiss and a cuddle.
"Tom started to get upset and asked if I was accusing of him of being bad in bed. We ended up having a huge row."
Tom told Chelsea how they had made love twice during the night — once at 1am and again at 2.30am — and that she seemed to have an insatiable appetite for sex. "I could tell Tom was telling the truth," she says.
http://i.imgur.com/CXpEU.jpg
"He went into great detail about everything we had done and how confident and liberated I had been in bed.
"He wasn't a liar and it made me feel very scared. I racked my brain to remember doing anything, but there was nothing.
"It was terrifying to realise that I hadn't been in control of my body during the night."
Chelsea and Tom's relationship broke up a month later but his revelation had made her aware of her condition.
After doing some research on the internet, Chelsea discovered the condition known as sleep sex or sexsomnia. She says: "Finding the information was such a relief. The fact it is a real medical condition gave me the confidence to talk to my GP about it.
"My doctor said that my sexsomnia could be linked to my sleep-walking and may be made worse if I'm under stress in my daily life.
http://i.imgur.com/lWHbD.jpg
"She told me to keep a diary of my sleep patterns and I also decided to have hypnotherapy."
Chelsea also has counselling to help build her confidence and to stop her feeling so scared of the condition.
She says: "I have had two boyfriends since Tom and although I was open and honest with them about my sex-somnia, they both found it too difficult to deal with. When I am awake we had a very healthy sex life but it was when I was asleep that they could not deal with it.
"They felt very uncomfortable having sex with me and that it was a slight on their performance when I couldn't remember it in the morning.
"I have tried to explain it to them but I know they felt like lesser men. I know it must be confusing for them as I always initiate sex while I'm asleep."
According to Chelsea, the sleep sex episodes occur more often when she's feeling stressed by her work as a retail manager or by a relationship.
She says; "I now try to control my stress levels. I have taken up yoga. Whenever I feel worried about something, I have to talk about it in counselling.
"Otherwise I'm worried the stress will show itself when I'm asleep." Chelsea's family are naturally worried about her sexsomnia. She says: "I hated having to tell my parents about my condition.
"No parent wants to hear about their daughter's sex life, let alone that she's having sex in her sleep.
"But they realise how difficult it is and are very supportive."
Chelsea, from Carnon Downs, Cornwall, has bravely spoken out about her condition as she feels other women should not be ashamed of living with sexsomnia. She says: "I am sure many people reading this will find it funny or make sleazy comments about it but it is not that fun to live with.
"I have learned over the years that I cannot be ashamed of this and want other women to know they should be not be ashamed, either."
Chelsea has provided support to other sufferers on forums and is currently working on launching a support group for women who suffer sexsomnia.
She says: "I am doing Skype chats with other girls all over the world and we all help each other."
She also hopes that by talking about sexsomnia, she will one day find a man who is able to live with it. Chelsea says: "My confidence is slowly increasing and, although I will never be in complete control, I want to feel happy when I'm awake.
"I hope that one day I can enjoy the sex life of a normal woman."
http://i.imgur.com/SfJPu.jpg
SLEEP should be a time for rest and relaxation.
But for Chelsea Harold it is the time when she changes from a normal girl into a sleeping sex addict — with no memory of her behaviour.
The 24-year-old's rare medical condition, sexsomnia, has ruined several relationships and she is now too scared to get into bed with a new man.
Chelsea reveals: "It has turned me into a sleeping sex addict but in the morning I cannot remember a thing.
"Boyfriends in the past have been really offended when I tell them I was asleep the entire time and that I have no memory of what we did the night before.
"My sexsomnia has broken up three of my relationships and it's making my dating life hell.
"I am worried about the next romance I have as I know how difficult it is for men to understand."
http://i.imgur.com/vzhf0.jpg
For many sufferers like Chelsea, the condition causes them to touch themselves intimately or have sex with a partner and have no recollection of it happening.
Chelsea says: "Trying to explain to a man that I cannot remember makes me sound mad. I don't drink alcohol very often so I can't blame that.
"Doing all these sexual things without memory makes my confidence plummet and I feel isolated. It also makes a man feel like a failure in bed."
Sexsomnia was recognised as a sleep disorder in 2003. Sufferers will often also sleepwalk, talk, grind their teeth and even clean the house while asleep.
In Britain, four per cent of people suffer from the condition.
Chelsea says: "I often sleepwalked as a child, but I think my sexsomnia started in 2007.
"I had a boyfriend, Tom, and we were in a happy relationship. One evening he started talking about the sex we'd had the night before and how much he had enjoyed it.
"I thought he was joking, as I had been far too tired to have sex. As far as I could remember we'd only had a kiss and a cuddle.
"Tom started to get upset and asked if I was accusing of him of being bad in bed. We ended up having a huge row."
Tom told Chelsea how they had made love twice during the night — once at 1am and again at 2.30am — and that she seemed to have an insatiable appetite for sex. "I could tell Tom was telling the truth," she says.
http://i.imgur.com/CXpEU.jpg
"He went into great detail about everything we had done and how confident and liberated I had been in bed.
"He wasn't a liar and it made me feel very scared. I racked my brain to remember doing anything, but there was nothing.
"It was terrifying to realise that I hadn't been in control of my body during the night."
Chelsea and Tom's relationship broke up a month later but his revelation had made her aware of her condition.
After doing some research on the internet, Chelsea discovered the condition known as sleep sex or sexsomnia. She says: "Finding the information was such a relief. The fact it is a real medical condition gave me the confidence to talk to my GP about it.
"My doctor said that my sexsomnia could be linked to my sleep-walking and may be made worse if I'm under stress in my daily life.
http://i.imgur.com/lWHbD.jpg
"She told me to keep a diary of my sleep patterns and I also decided to have hypnotherapy."
Chelsea also has counselling to help build her confidence and to stop her feeling so scared of the condition.
She says: "I have had two boyfriends since Tom and although I was open and honest with them about my sex-somnia, they both found it too difficult to deal with. When I am awake we had a very healthy sex life but it was when I was asleep that they could not deal with it.
"They felt very uncomfortable having sex with me and that it was a slight on their performance when I couldn't remember it in the morning.
"I have tried to explain it to them but I know they felt like lesser men. I know it must be confusing for them as I always initiate sex while I'm asleep."
According to Chelsea, the sleep sex episodes occur more often when she's feeling stressed by her work as a retail manager or by a relationship.
She says; "I now try to control my stress levels. I have taken up yoga. Whenever I feel worried about something, I have to talk about it in counselling.
"Otherwise I'm worried the stress will show itself when I'm asleep." Chelsea's family are naturally worried about her sexsomnia. She says: "I hated having to tell my parents about my condition.
"No parent wants to hear about their daughter's sex life, let alone that she's having sex in her sleep.
"But they realise how difficult it is and are very supportive."
Chelsea, from Carnon Downs, Cornwall, has bravely spoken out about her condition as she feels other women should not be ashamed of living with sexsomnia. She says: "I am sure many people reading this will find it funny or make sleazy comments about it but it is not that fun to live with.
"I have learned over the years that I cannot be ashamed of this and want other women to know they should be not be ashamed, either."
Chelsea has provided support to other sufferers on forums and is currently working on launching a support group for women who suffer sexsomnia.
She says: "I am doing Skype chats with other girls all over the world and we all help each other."
She also hopes that by talking about sexsomnia, she will one day find a man who is able to live with it. Chelsea says: "My confidence is slowly increasing and, although I will never be in complete control, I want to feel happy when I'm awake.
"I hope that one day I can enjoy the sex life of a normal woman."