wet dreams

About 50% of boys will experience wet dreams, which are basically a discharge of semen while the boy is asleep. Unfortunately there’s not much that can be done to avoid them. Masturbation reduces the wet dreams for most boys but there is no guarantee. The wet dreams can be quite traumatic for the boys initially, with early concerns being "Does it mean there is something wrong with me?" They‘re embarrassed about the stains on the bed sheets and for the same reason they also worry about sleep-overs in case of an accident. What needs to be made clear is that these wet dreams are perfectly natural!

The wet dreams can begin just before the onset of puberty - around the age of 11 to 12, but usually start in early teens. During sleep the penis becomes erect and the boy ejaculates. This may rouse him for a few moments before he lapses back into a deep sleep. Wet dreams - or nocturnal emissions as they are also known - are usually accompanied by sexy dreams which may not be recalled. By age 15 about 50% of boys have experienced them. The nature of wet dreams are usually extremely vivid, making it difficult to separate dream from reality. The content of the dream can seem strange to the dreamer, involving family members, close friends, animals and - disturbingly for one so young to understand - people of the same sex. However, having wet dreams involving other males does not indicate a boy is gay!

Some boys wake just after ejaculation in the wet dreams to find their shorts and sheets wet with semen. Others wake just prior, so actually experience the ejaculation whilst awake - which again can be quite startling the first time it happens. Other boys will only realise upon waking next morning. The most peculiar images can come to mind in wet dreams, and can even induce a lot of guilt, but as already stated, it is perfectly natural. The body now produces semen and it will be released either through wet dreams or a deliberate act, i.e. masturbation or sex with another person. Put simply it is the early stage of growing up - there’s no turning back, but to be honest the majority would say ‘bring it on!’