Wet dreams are common after you go through puberty, but so many people do not realize what these occurrences say about your sexual health. While these are more commonly experienced by boys, girls can also have them. They are a part of growing up, but when we look at the research, they may share more than we imagine.
In this article, we’ll explore why we have wet dreams and how they are connected to your sexual health. We’ll dive deep into what it means for your hormonal health, sexual arousal, as well as your body’s natural reproductive processes. By the end of this article, you’ll understand all you need to know about wet dreams and their connection to sexual health.
Why Do We Have Wet Dreams?
The truth is wet dreams happen because we have reached sexual maturation. After hitting puberty, wet dreams occur because we’re able to reproduce. Whether or not we’re ready for this responsibility does not matter, but our biology dictates that these occurrences can happen. That is good news for many who worry that they may be abnormal for experiencing these events.
Wet dreams, also called nocturnal emissions, have been studied by many researchers. In fact, one study in Pakistan showed that young Pakistani men displayed misconceptions about nocturnal emissions, and 94% of them experienced this at least once in their lives. A reported 32% of respondents experienced guilt because of what happened (Source: PubMed). Fortunately, there’s no reason to feel guilty for a seemingly natural occurrence.
If anything, doctors and medical professionals have all said the same thing: we have wet dreams because they are natural. However, there is more of a connection between wet dreams and sexual health than people might imagine.
How Wet Dreams Connect to Sexual Health
Wet dreams or nocturnal emissions connect to your sexual health for a few reasons, including the obvious ones. Not only does it indicate hormonal changes within your body, but it can also indicate that your body has endured puberty and can engage in normal reproductive processes.
For those who have already gone through puberty, wet dreams can also have significant meaning. Not only can they indicate natural hormonal changes and your overall sexual health, but they may also indicate needs that aren’t being met. Let’s look closer at some of these points and how wet dreams connect to your sexual health.
Hormonal Changes
Wet dreams are connected to your hormones because they indicate that you’ve experienced ordinary puberty. In other words, you’re likely growing up and becoming more of an adult, which means that you’re going to have more hormones, like testosterone, within your body. For boys specifically, wet dreams indicate that you are enduring puberty or have experienced the hormonal changes necessary during this period of your life.
It's important to note that not all kids will have the same timeline when it comes to these hormonal changes. In fact, not all kids will experience nocturnal emissions, either. However, those who do can rest assured knowing that wet dreams are nothing more than an indication that their body is hormonally on the right track during puberty and even beyond.
Sexual Arousal
Aside from hormonal changes, wet dreams may also indicate your ability to become aroused. One study on nocturnal emissions for young male adults demonstrated that those who watched pornography were more likely to masturbate but less likely to experience nocturnal emissions (Source: PsychNet). What this might indicate is that wet dreams are a natural part of the maturation process for young adolescents, and as they become aware of how to satisfy these desires, they may have fewer wet dreams.
This is fascinating research, and ultimately, it demonstrates an important point: once your body demonstrates itself capable of arousal, your body will continue to mature, and you’ll become more aware of how to satisfy these needs. Whether it’s done individually or in time with another, wet dreams tend to indicate that your natural sexual arousal is on track and expected as you continue to mature. If you have gone through puberty, wet dreams might indicate that you simply need to relax.
Natural Reproductive Processes
When it comes to wet dreams, whether you’re going through puberty or you’re older, you’ll be glad to know that these dreams mean that you’re capable of natural reproductive processes. Even if you don’t have these dreams too often, even experiencing this just once in your life indicates that your body can reproduce and, therefore, is sexually healthy. However, some studies show that—at times—nocturnal emissions may be your body’s way of releasing excess sperm.
Another study in Zimbabwe showed that for many young boys, their first wet dream was actually an indication of their puberty starting, indicating that they were capable of producing children (Source: Springer Link). With all this in mind, you can see how nocturnal emissions are an indication of sexual health, especially reproductive capabilities, among men and young boys going through puberty. So, if you have experienced a wet dream, there’s no need to be embarrassed! It’s completely natural, and best of all, it’s actually a sign that you’re healthy.
Take Steps to Improve Your Overall Health
With an understanding of wet dreams or nocturnal emissions, people can remove some of the shame surrounding this common and expected phenomenon and see that this really is a great sign. Whether you’re a young boy, adult man, young girl, or even a woman, experiencing a wet dream here and there is normal. It indicates that you not only experience normal hormonal changes but that you can become sexually aroused and have children.
All in all, this points to one conclusion: wet dreams are a positive indicator of your sexual health. Hopefully, you learned a little bit more about sexual health and the purpose of nocturnal emissions and that, despite your experiences, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
