Automatic sperm release at night is a common condition in men, especially when they are in their adolescent stage. You might have heard it referred to as wet dreams, nightfall, or nocturnal emissions.
This condition has been a cause of concern for many men. They either believe it is due to some existing health condition or feel guilty as it is against their culture. In this article, we’ll discuss in detail what wet dreams are and whether they harm a man’s health.
Does Ejaculation During Sleep Affect Health?
Before learning whether wet dreams affect your health, let’s understand what is present in the ejaculate. An ejaculate is a man’s semen, a whitish fluid that carries the sperm needed for fertilization.
Semen is ejaculated when a man is sexually aroused, usually during masturbation or intercourse. But some men might ejaculate during sleep. This is not a medical condition and does not indicate any health issues.
This often happens in adolescent boys as they undergo a lot of hormonal changes during that period. The semen and sperm released will be regenerated, so you don’t have to worry about any fertility issues or health conditions.
How to Control Automatic Sperm Release at Night?
Nocturnal ejaculation is more common in men when they are in their adolescence. As they grow older, most men stop ejaculating during their sleep. However, some men might still have this habit and feel some discomfort over the issue. They might feel self-conscious and won’t discuss this matter with others.
These men can follow some methods to control sperm release at night, like
- Relaxing their mind and body with some relaxing exercises like yoga before sleeping,
- Meditating before going to bed,
- Masturbating before sleeping,
- Consulting a psychiatrist and discussing their dreams (some men also have wet dreams if they have sexual dreams while sleeping).
Causes of Semen Leakage
Not just while sleeping, semen leakage during any time other than sexual arousal can be concerning to men. Below are some of the causes of semen leakage where men ejaculate automatically without any stimulation.
Sexual Arousal
Some men might experience semen leakage before or after the actual ejaculation when they are sexually aroused. This is a normal occurrence and is not a health issue.
Nocturnal Emissions or Wet Dreams
As discussed above, hormonal imbalance in adolescents is the major cause of nocturnal emissions. It can also be caused if a person has sexual dreams and they are aroused during sleep.
Leakage While Urinating
This condition is more common in men with retrograde ejaculation, a condition where the semen enters the urinary bladder instead of exiting through the penis during ejaculation. This semen will then be expelled through urine.
Prostatitis
Prostatitis is the inflammation of the prostate gland. The prostate gland is responsible for the production of semen. Any issues with this gland can cause semen leakage.
Medication Side Effects
Some antidepressants (like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), mood stabilizers, and hormone treatments can also cause sperm leakage in men. They can also cause other side effects, like
- Decreased sex drive,
- Erectile dysfunction, and
- Delayed ejaculation.
These side effects depend on the type of medication and its dosage. Consult a healthcare provider before taking any of these medications.
Nervous System Injury
An injury to your nervous system can also cause semen leakage. Your nervous system might be affected due to various factors:
- Old age,
- Infection, injury, or surgery in the spinal cord or groin areas.
During ejaculation, your body undergoes complex neurological functions. Nerve damage can disrupt this function and cause sperm leakage.
Conclusion
Automatic sperm ejaculation can make men uneasy and self-conscious. But they don’t need to worry too much about it. It is a normal phenomenon that occurs in adolescents and growing men.
It is best to consult a Fertility Doctor if men are concerned about this issue and treat the underlying cause.
Sperm leakage during sleep may occur if the bedsheets trigger the genitals or if men have a sexual dream. A wet dream may cause some semen leaking rather than a complete ejaculation. In any case, once a boy reaches puberty, nocturnal discharges are quite prevalent.
Our body will never run out of sperm. A man’s body produces millions of sperm, and ejaculating once a day will not reduce their sperm count. If the sperm count is normal, there is no risk of ejaculating every day.
Wet dreams are completely normal for men, and some doctors even consider it a sign of a normal reproductive function. Typically, men will have wet dreams about one or two days a week. If it is recurrent and happens more than a few times a week, it is best to consult a doctor about this issue.
These men can follow some methods to control sperm release at night, like
- Relaxing their mind and body with some relaxing exercises like yoga before sleeping,
- Meditating before going to bed,
- Masturbating before sleeping and
- Consulting a psychiatrist and discussing their dreams (some men also have wet dreams if they have sexual dreams while sleeping).
