What Wet Dreams During Sleep Mean to Sexual Health

A wet dream is a spontaneous orgasm during sleep that is typically associated with erotic images and thoughts. These so-called nocturnal emissions can also happen because of hormone levels and even light stimulation of the genitals.

People of all sexes who have gone through puberty can experience wet dreams, though they are most common in the teen years. They don’t happen to everyone but are a perfectly normal occurrence.

This article explains what happens during wet dreams and what causes them. It also provides tips for how to stop wet dreams and how to clean semen from your sheets.

What Happens During a Wet Dream?

For males, a wet dream is accompanied by the propulsive release of semen (ejaculation). In females, there may be a release of clear fluid from the urethra (the tube through which urine normally exits the body) during the orgasm.

Sometimes, a person may only realize that they’ve had a wet dream when their bed sheets or undergarments are moist with semen or vaginal fluid.

At other times, an orgasm during a wet dream can be intense enough to awaken a person.

Ages When Wet Dreams Start and Stop

Wet dreams can start at age 13 or 14. Around 38% of teenage males experience a wet dream before learning what it even is.

Nocturnal emissions are more common during the teenage years because sex hormones are surging. They are also more common during periods of prolonged sexual abstinence. Wet dreams tend to occur less frequently with age but do continue beyond puberty.

Not everyone experiences a wet dream. A survey of more than a thousand males and more than a thousand females revealed that 66% and 42% of them, respectively, had experienced at least one wet dream.

What Causes a Wet Dream?

During sleep, the blood flow to your sexual organs may be increased. For males, this can lead to an erection (“hard-on”). This is the common cause of “morning wood” in which you awaken with an erection, typically without ejaculation but sometimes with pre-seminal fluid (“pre-cum”).

Nocturnal emissions differ in that orgasm occurs during a wet dream. The underlying cause is unknown but there are several theories. Among them:

• Erotic dreams: Erotic dreams may lead to orgasm for some people, though they’re not a prerequisite.
• Testosterone surge in teens: Wet dreams are linked to high testosterone levels. Testosterone, the primary sex hormone in males, will surge during the teen years right up until early adulthood.
• Stimulation of the genitals: It is possible that the rubbing of the genitals during sleep (such as with bed sheets or lying on your stomach) can cause unintended sexual stimulation. This might contribute to the likelihood of a wet dream.

Wet dreams have also been linked to watching TV. One study found that teenage males who watched more than three hours of television a day had more frequent wet dreams.

The cause of nocturnal emission in females is less clear, in part because female wet dreams are harder to identify due to the lack of ejaculation.

How to Stop Having Wet Dreams

Wet dreams are normal, but some people believe there are a few ways to reduce how often wet dreams occur. One way is to have more sex or engage in more frequent masturbation that ends with orgasm and ejaculation. This may relieve the need for males to ejaculate during sleep.

Reducing contact with the genitals might also be helpful. Try sleeping on your side or back instead of your stomach to see if it helps. You can also try wearing pajama bottoms instead of sleeping in the nude.

In the rare cases that wet dreams are troublesome, a doctor might prescribe a medication such as an antidepressant. These medicines might reduce the frequency of wet dreams, but they might also make it hard for males to ejaculate when awake.

What to Do If You Have a Wet Dream

Typically, you'll need to clean your sheets or clothing that became wet from semen or vaginal fluids.

If the stain is fresh, rinse the area with cold water before washing normally. For older stains, use a soft brush to scrub away any crust. Then blot the stain with a product containing enzymes before washing normally.

If your sheets are wool or silk, you can mix lukewarm water and a mild detergent before washing.

Summary

Wet dreams occur when you ejaculate while sleeping, sometimes as a response to sexual dreams. They mostly happen to teenage males or people going through periods of abstinence, but they can occur in females and older people, too.

Wet dreams can be a healthy and normal part of sleep. Aside from the need to clean up clothing or bedding, there’s no particular problem with them. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns or questions about your wet dreams.