Weird question...but does anyone get horny when they feel a sleep attack coming on?
Context: M / 41, IH diagnosis
I've been diagnosed with IH for about 8 years, but I've had it since I was a teenager (at least). I've tried pretty much all the medications and nothing has really been able to help. I get bad depression with Oxybates, Stimulants are a mixed bag in terms of mood and alertness, Wakix ironically made me sleepier, and Modafinil/Armodafinil make me extremely irritable.
I'm currently just using low-dose Adderall and caffeine to manage symptoms, and sleeping as much as possible at night (that seems to be the best way to ensure my day goes as well as possible).
Only recently I started to realize that in the afternoon, pretty much on queue, I will get extremely sleepy, but as that is happening, I will also start to get an erection and get horny. This typically happens multiple times an afternoon. I'm realizing that this has also happened throughout my life, but I'm only now putting two and two together.
Btw, this does not happen in reverse. If I find someone attractive, I don't all of a sudden get sleepy.
I'm mostly wondering if anyone has noticed a similar symptom or reaction?
My best guess is that it either has to do with:
- Changes in neurotransmitters and perhaps a compensatory reaction to feeling sleepy.
- *Potentially* similar to the way that men get erections during REM sleep. N/IH has sleep-wake cycles playing out during the day and my body is reacting similarly to how it would react during REM sleep.
And perhaps for the NSFW part, if I decide I'm going to masturbate and have an orgasm, I typically feel much less sleepy afterwards (which I know is also not typical if having an orgasm for most men). I imagine that has to do with a cascade of neurotransmitters that the brain is flooded with after an orgasm.
Any input or shared experiences are welcome. Thanks!