窒息式性爱利用人体在缺氧窒息的瞬间，局部器官的高度收缩，而使自己或对方从中得到性快感和性高潮。常见的是用床单、塑胶袋紧罩脸部，让人有快窒息的感觉；但常有不小心而令人死亡的事件发生。

Erotic asphyxiation or breath control play is the intentional restriction of oxygen to the brain for the purposes of sexual arousal. This sexual practice is variously called asphyxiophilia, autoerotic asphyxia, hypoxyphilia. The term autoerotic asphyxiation is used when the act is done by a person to themselves. Colloquially, a person engaging in the activity is sometimes called a gasper. The erotic interest in asphyxiation is classified as a paraphilia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association.