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Rocking the REM wet dream

What Is Really Happening When Women and Men Have Wet Dreams

The science and the sexy

Carol Lennox. LPC, M.Ed.

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Couple cavorting underwater
Photo by Gary Edmonstone on Unsplash

Yes, women have wet dreams, too. Ours might not be as wet as men’s, but then sometimes they are.

What causes wet dreams in all genders?

The main stimulus is REM — rapid eye movement sleep.

REM sleep is a sexually active brain state.

During REM sleep — which is typically when we dream — people tend to experience genital arousal, faster breathing, and an increased heart rate. Some experts believe that this may be enough to cause nocturnal emissions in certain people.

This is true for both males and females. While the process is more obvious in males — since it can be difficult for them not to notice “morning wood” — females do experience clitoral erections and vaginal engorgement during REM sleep, even if they don’t realize it.

As with orgasms in waking life, many wet dreams are triggered by sexual content. Dreaming about sex is common — 2007 research found that, regardless of gender, 8% of people’s dreams involved sexual activity, and of these dreams, about 4% resulted in orgasm.”

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Carol Lennox. LPC, M.Ed.
Carol Lennox. LPC, M.Ed.

Written by Carol Lennox. LPC, M.Ed.

Psychotherapist sharing new choices. Leans far Left. Mindfulness practitioner before it was cool. LPC, M.Ed. Helping you make a difference every day

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