Weâve all been there. Youâre in a field of grass, smelling freshly-bloomed flowers, and there they are: the hottest person youâve ever seen. You are overcome with desire in this amazing (if not slightly strange feeling) sexual fantasy â and suddenly SNAP, you wake up in a cold sweat. But, thatâs not the only thing soaking through your sheetsâŚYouâve just had a wet dream.
BY THE ROAM TEAM 4 MIN READ
Happening or occurring at night.
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the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.
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Wet dreams â also known as âsleep orgasmsâ or ânocturnal emissionsâ â are when a person orgasms involuntarily during sleep.
Theyâre called wet dreams because when someone with a penis has a nighttime orgasm, they awaken to wet sheets caused by ejaculation. During ejaculation, semen (a fluid containing sperm) is released from the tip of the penis. Wet dreams arenât attributed to masturbation or any kind of manual stimulation - research states that they happen all by themselves.
Thanks to the 21st century cultural zeitgeist around male puberty and ejaculation, most people think that only men have wet dreams, but thatâs a misconception. Women can have orgasms while they sleep too, and while they donât physically ejaculate, wet dreams for women are usually associated with vaginal wetness (if you get wet) and/or an orgasm!
When it comes to wet dreams, theyâre often the butt of the joke. Weâve all seen the classic teen flick of a young guy waking up sheepishly to wet bed sheets and trying â usually unsuccessfully â to hide them from mum, and thatâs not always far from reality. Lots of teenagers and even adults can find wet dreams to be the height of embarrassment, but thereâs no need to be ashamed. Most people with a penis will have a wet dream at some point or even have them frequently (especially as a teen). Equally, is it also completely healthy to never have a wet dream? Sometimes it just doesnât happen, and thatâs fine too.
We all know when people go through puberty, their hormones go a little wild. For cis males, this is when their testosterone production is ramped up, and can cause wet dreams, amongst other bodily changes.
If youâre born with a penis, youâll also more than likely experience erections throughout the day. They can be annoying and embarrassing, especially in public or if youâre with someone you fancy, but they are completely normal. Having erections when youâre asleep is normal too and nighttime erections can last well into adulthood.
Your first instinct when youâve had a wet dream may be to clean your sheets (and you should), but there are other steps you should take too to avoid any kind of issue with hygiene. Remember to clean your sheets and yourself. If youâre someone with a penis, clean your penis and testicles and if youâre not circumcised make sure to clean under your foreskin as well. If youâre the proud owner of a vagina, peeing after orgasm can be important (especially if youâve had penetrative sex) and a shower in the morning can help you feel as fresh as possible, but itâs not necessary.
If youâre feeling embarrassed or worried about wet dreams, talk to someone. Whether thatâs a doctor, friend or other person you trust. Wet dreams arenât a choice, so it can be hard to shake them off, but masturbating and doing the no-pants dance regularly (if youâre old enough to do so legally) can help.
Sometimes, people can feel shame around their wet dreams because they have a partner who they already have a healthy sex life with. Or people may have dreams about people who they think are inappropriate: a friendâs sibling, or maybe a teacher! Itâs important to understand that wet dreams have nothing to do with your partner, how attractive you find them, or how happy you are in your relationship. Equally, just because you have a wet dream about someone doesnât necessarily mean you fancy them! There are many misconceptions of this kind around wet dreamsâŚ
We already know that itâs not just people with penises that have wet dreams, but there are a lot of other misconceptions and rumours about them that can be harmful to the mentality and confidence of young people in particular. For example, some people think that wet dreams reduce your sperm count if you have a penis, which is false.
Another myth about wet dreams is that masturbation can curb them. Whilst this makes sense to most people, itâs not always a sure-fire way of stopping wet dreams from happening. Nocturnal emissions arenât just a teenage kick either, they can keep happening well into adulthood. Wet dreams are more common as a teen because of the hormonal changes going on, usually by the time we get to adulthood our hormones have settled a bit â but not always.
Some people say that having wet dreams is a sign of ill health, or something being âwrongâ. This is entirely untrue, in fact, wet dreams are a sign that everything is functioning as youâd want!
And no, wet dreams wonât shrink your junk. Interestingly enough, there is a truth in the mystery surrounding wet dreams: you are actually more likely to have wet dreams if you sleep on your stomach, so if you want to keep them at bay, lie on your back.
Wet dreams can be an annoyance more than anything else. Having to wash your bedsheets more often than youâd like to and a quick morning shower to get rid of any evidence, can feel cumbersome. It can be helpful to remind yourself that sexy dreams can be fun and can lead you to new experiences and fantasies you never knew you were even considering. If youâre lucky enough to have a partner, you can even try out some of the naughty nuances of your night world â weâll bring the lube!
Itâs important to remember that wet dreams are involuntary and if youâre worried about how often you have them, or what youâre dreaming about, talk to a medical professional (either a doctor or counsellor) about them. Thereâs no shame in a wet dream â weâve all been there, and certainly had our fair share of awkward avoidance of eye-contact when you see someone youâve done the sleepy sex tango with! But donât worry, and remind yourself that only you are privy to your bedtime thoughts.