Abstract: Despite being a common occurrence among girls and women, the distinct female (assigned at birth) experience of orgasm during sleep had not been formally studied in over 33 years, yet it has a long history of pathologizing that continues today. This study used a quantitative correlational research design with descriptive elements informed by a feminist paradigm. Findings update the research base surrounding this phenomenon, here called somnus orgasm (SO). It examined the prevalence and frequency of SO among 1,248 adult women, the largest study of its kind. Over half of this study’s participants were age 31 or older, with 21.7% age 41 or older. In this regard, this study is the first of its kind to capture the experiences of older women. The relationship between SO and Female Genital Self-Image was assessed and women’s reported feelings and reactions to their SO experiences were captured. Results indicated that at least 42.7% of adult women have experienced orgasm during sleep and that they have significantly higher mean Female Genital Self-Image Scores than women who have not experienced orgasm during sleep. Responses from open-ended questions indicated that most participants view their SO experiences overall as positive events, although many reported negative reactions to their first or early SO occurrences. Findings from this study may serve to reduce the stigma and erroneous association of SO with abnormality or deviancy by adding to the evidence that female orgasm during sleep is a common experience for women and girls.
Keywords: female orgasm, sleep orgasm, female genital self-image, somnus orgasm
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