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Pleasant Dreams! A Guide to Nocturnal Emissions
by Jon Platner, 11.12.03
The alarm clock sounds — time to wake up. You slowly open your eyes, and try to figure out which pair of jeans you'll want to sport at school today. But wait, what's that? The bed sheets feel wet and sticky. The reality
sets in ...
For many of us, this scenario is all too real. Although most guys (and some girls) will at some point experience having a wet dream, many find the messy aftermath embarrassing. But having a wet dream is nothing to be ashamed of — in fact, it's totally natural and normal!
What's a Wet Dream?
A wet dream is an erotic dream that is so intense that a guy ejaculates (cums) in his sleep. Nocturnal emission is one of the ways the body gets rid of semen build up, so it usually doesn't happen during periods of masturbation or sex play. Very often guys don't remember the dream. If they don't know what's going on, they may think they've "wet the bed."
Although wet dreams are most common among teenage guys, many men also have nocturnal emissions as adults. Some guys never have wet dreams, but most do. Dreams or no dreams — both are normal.
And ladies needn't feel left out — women and girls have wet dreams, too. Their vaginas become lubricated as they become sexually aroused in their dreams. But there is less evidence of wet dreams in women than in men because less liquid is produced or spilled on the bed sheets. Wet dreams are also more common in men, because a man's penis gets more tactile stimulation (physical touch) during sleep than a woman's clitoris.
What's Goin' On?
So what happens from the time you rest your eyes to the time your sheets get sticky? Here's how it works:
- During sleep, from time to time, our bodies enter periods called REM, or rapid eye movement, which last from a few minutes to a half hour.
- During these sleep periods, guys experience several erections, and girls experience vaginal lubrication.
- If a dream during REM sleep is very arousing, the sensation of an erect penis pressed against a mattress can lead to erotic dreaming and ejaculation in guys. Girls can also have erotic dreams and get aroused to the point where they produce some liquid from their vaginas.
When It Gets Played Out
Having to change the sheets on a frequent basis can get annoying, and some guys may want to try to prevent wet dreams. In general, guys have nocturnal emissions less often if they are ejaculating while they are awake, either from masturbation or sex play with a partner. The same goes for girls who have wet dreams.
Of course, many girls and guys are perfectly content with their wet dreams. And that's fine too. Remember, having wet dreams is natural, normal, and nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, many people believe that nocturnal emissions actually help to relieve stress. And on top of all that, they feel pretty good! |
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