WET DREAMS

by Dr. M. P. Vora

The Home Doctor
A practical guide to good health

Vol. I, No. 11 of March 1963

Page No. 22 and 23

Wet dreams are often known as pollutions in medical parlance. They are involuntary emissions of seminal fluid in the normal male from the time of puberty onwards and not associated with the act of coitus. Under sexual abstinence, they are almost invariable accompaniments of young adult life. They start at puberty and continue to occur, though less frequently, even in advanced age. They may occur either during the day or night but more commonly during sleep in the early morning when the sleeper happens to be on his back and having his bladder or rectum full. This act of emptying the sexual reservoir is physiological and need not be considered abnormal.

Normally pollution occurs occasionally in the early hours of the morning when strong erection is present. It usually follows or accompanies erotic dreams or ideas. The sleeper awakes as the orgasm is reached. Hypnotic effect follows and there is neither feeling of depression or slackness on waking.

Pollution as they end in spontaneous orgasm, often bring relief especially to the chaste when the sexual desire is strong. They, therefore, should be considered as a physiological process of satisfying the sexual appetite other than by sexual congress. This is natural way of getting relief of sexual tension while observing continence.

Is total absence of pollutions in a normal adult male, observing strict continence possible? By continence it is meant not only giving up sexual intercourse but also avoiding all other ideas, factors and actions which arouse sexual passion. Absolute abstinence from all such factors is almost impossibility especially in the modern times when our surroundings abound in various factors, stimulating sexual desire. Assuming that favorable conditions are possible, success in avoiding pollutions will be temporary only so long as the distention of the seminal vesicles (reservoir of semen) is normal and uncontrolled by our efforts and is itself sufficient to cause pollution. Hence it will be clear that occurrence of pollutions is not under wilful control. Its entire absence over a long period in a sexually normal adult does not seem to be likely.

CAUSES

Any factor which stimulates sexual centre or causes distention of seminal vesicles or irritation of the genitals may lead to pollution. The stimulus may be physical, physiological, and psychological; it may be central or peripheral. The following are some of the causes which induce pollution: - ungratified sexual excitement, hyper-irritability of the nervous centre for the ejaculation, rhythmical movements of legs or body in a rocking chair, distended bowels, full bladder, irritation of the skin around the genitals either by parasites or fungus infection, tight foreskin leading to uncleanliness, erotic sites, thoughts or reading, horse riding or cycling etc.

FREQUENCY

In a healthy man an occasional emission is normal and is not followed by harmful results. Its frequency varies widely in different individuals and at different times; for the normal threshold of sexual passion varies so much within normal limits. It depends on many factors such as age, health, mode of life, sexual vigor, social surroundings, diet and occupation. A healthy man living with his wife in ordinary conditions does not usually have them. They are unlikely to occur in those given to regular masturbation, for there is very little time for the accumulation of the secretions to produce distension of the vesicles. Most unmarried men observing continence, have them at varying intervals. With advancing age they become less frequent. It is not uncommon to meet cases in which emissions occur once or twice a week over a long period without the slightest impairment of health; while there are others in whom even one emission in a week or a fortnight is followed by adverse effects, which are usually based on wrong information or belief such as loss of ‘life- force’ or ‘manhood’. Long list of ills narrated to the doctor with a sad story of seminal losses is grossly exaggerated, imaginary and the product of one’s anxiety. A man may not have an emission for months and then have two or three times in a course of a week, another may have emission biweekly, fortnightly or monthly. All these conditions are perfectly compatible with normal health, and we need think no more of them.

PROPHYLAXSIS

Boys approaching adolescence should be told as to the possibility of the appearance of wet dreams, so that they may not get panicky or frightened at their occurrence. They should be brought up with pure thoughts and taught to avoid all things which go to stimulate sexual centre. They should be trained to empty their bladders before retiring to bed, to get up early in the morning, keep on what is known as plain and wholesome diet and to have regular physical exercise daily. People under a wrong impression should bear in mind that pollutions are in themselves beneficial rather than harmful and occur in all healthy men and do not lead to their sexual weakness or any disability. One should not think too much about them and make one’s life miserable by what is really of little importance to the general health, and efficiency. Use of hard bed instead of soft or sagging bed, avoidance of spicy food, dancing, reading erotic books, seeing exciting pictures etc., are helpful in reducing their frequency.