sexual Dreams and Male Fertility: Myths, Facts, and What Science Really Says

There are various speculations regarding nocturnal emissions or ejaculation during sleep. Many men believe that such occurrences could be an early sign of infertility or low sperm count. However, according to medical experts, ejaculation during sleep is a normal and natural phenomenon.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that as young boys reach puberty, the levels of testosterone (the hormone responsible for the development of male characteristics, mostly produced in the testes) increase, which may sometimes cause sleep disturbances.

Researchers at Shue Yan University in Hong Kong conducted a study titled Sex Dreams, Wet Dreams, and Nocturnal Emissions, attempting to understand why people have sex-related dreams during sleep.
In this study, 80% of participants reported that sexual dreams during sleep led to ejaculation, i.e., they experienced discharge. It is believed that school- and college-aged boys are more likely to have such dreams.

The participants in the study reported experiencing these types of dreams an average of nine times per year.

A common belief is that the type of dreams you have relates to your thoughts or desires. However, this research challenges that notion.
The study notes that although sex is an important part of human life, having sexual dreams is not extremely common the frequency of such dreams is relatively low.

The male body naturally produces sperm continuously. If semen is not ejaculated through sexual intercourse or masturbation, the stored sperm is released automatically during sleep. This is a natural process.

Dr. Bhupati John explains, Just as women menstruate, men also produce semen. However, over time, semen and masculine strength have become linked in cultural narratives, leading to many myths and misconceptions.

---

Can This Cause Infertility in Men?

Researchers from Tongji Medical College in China referenced a study published on the website of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, where sperm samples from men were compared with those from healthy men.

Idiopathic anejaculation is a condition where a man experiences difficulty ejaculating, but no psychological or physical cause is found during medical examination.

The study found that 72% of infertility cases in men were due to idiopathic anejaculation.
Men with this condition face challenges in ejaculating during intercourse but may still have sexual dreams while asleep.

The study analyzed semen from 91 men who suffered from this condition.
It showed that sperm released during sleep was 30.6% more motile and 61.4% larger in volume than sperm obtained through other methods.

This indicates that despite idiopathic anejaculation, men still produce healthy sperm which is naturally released during sleep.

Because it was not possible to predict when ejaculation would occur during sleep, the men in the study were asked to wear condoms while sleeping for three months.



Can Sperm from Wet Dreams Be Used in Fertility Treatment?

Another study by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists examined sperm from men suffering from psychological erectile dysfunction.
The quality of semen released during sleep can vary.

This study suggested that sperm obtained from nocturnal emissions could be used in artificial insemination treatments, potentially avoiding painful procedures like electro-ejaculation or direct sperm extraction from the testes.

The researchers emphasized that erectile dysfunction can affect anyone, from 12-year-old boys to elderly men.
It is unscientific to claim that erectile dysfunction causes infertility or reduces sperm count.



Do Wet Dreams Affect Sexual Health or Sperm Count?

After ejaculation (through wet dreams or masturbation), the body naturally produces new sperm.
Nocturnal emissions do not cause infertility nor do they negatively impact sperm count.

--
Why Do People Have Sexual Dreams?

Sperm is stored in a part of the body called the seminal vesicle. The rate of sperm production varies from person to person. Just like an overflowing water tank, when the vesicle fills up, semen is naturally expelled.

Having sexual dreams does not mean a person is ill, though the exact causes of such dreams are not fully understood.

It may be that a person has a sex-related dream, or sexual arousal occurs suddenly during sleep.
Some believe that dreaming reduces physical strength, but there is no scientific evidence to support this claim.

Sexual dreams do not impact sperm count or sexual performance.

Ejaculation — whether during sleep or through masturbation — is actually a sign of a healthy reproductive system.