Teentalk

During the teen years, wet dreams happen to most boys. One day you wake up and find that your bed sheet is wet and sticky. Wet dreams are as normal as the occurrence of beard or mustache in boys and are a part of your development.

What is a wet dream?

Wet dream, also known as “nocturnal emission”, occurs when you ejaculate during your sleep. Although they are common in teenagers, even young men and some adult may also have wet dreams.

What is the reason behind a wet dream?

A wet dream results when you have a sexually arousing dream while sleeping, and as a result, your body releases semen through ejaculation. During the REM (rapid eye movement) phase of sleep, it’s natural for guys to experience an erection. If you happen to have an arousing dream during this period of sleep, you will sometimes ejaculate.

You may have trouble remembering the dream or feel confused just after you have a wet dream. Some guys wake up because they feel like they are going to wet the bed. This is completely normal and nothing to be embarrassed about!

Can I prevent wet dreams from happening?

Although some people have ideas about how to prevent wet dreams from happening, there is no proven strategy for this. While having to change your sheets or clean up afterward may be embarrassing or annoying, keep in mind that wet dreams are a normal part of development.

If you are feeling uncomfortable about having a wet dream, talk with an adult you trust – a parent, a school counselor, your health care provider. Talking about it is the best way to allow you to feel more comfortable about this natural part of your development.

Your period is a natural part of your life and you can do anything you would do any other time of the month. If PMS is a problem for you, there are ways to manage it. PMS is a group of changes that can affect you on many levels. The changes come 1 to 2 weeks before your period. Once your period starts, they go away. It probably has to do with changes in your body chemistry around the time of your period.

First you need to need to figure out the symptoms, so let’s have a look at them:

Physical signs: Tenderness in breast, bloated tummy, stomach and headache, swollen feet, pimple, constipation, etc.

Emotional signs: Mood swings, anger outburst, depression, anxiety, difficulty in sleeping.

Behavioral signs: Forgetfulness, loss of mental focus, tired.

Now look at the other side of picture - there are lots of ways to manage PMS. Even if you can’t totally fix it, it’s nice to know you have the power to help yourself. These tips might help you:

• Exercise about 30 minutes a day.
• Eat healthy foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
• Try to get enough calcium from foods (think dairy, green leafy vegetables).
• Avoid salt, caffeine, and alcohol.
• Don’t smoke.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Work to lower stress. Track your moods and symptoms in a journal.

Try over-the-counter pain relievers like Ibuprofen. Be sure to follow the dosing instructions exactly as per the doctor’s instructions.

Talking with a mental health counselor can help you to develop new skills to overcome challenges. If you have notes about your symptoms, bring it to the doctor /therapist. Plan ahead about the questions you want to ask. That way you’ll get the best help from your doctor.

Once your period starts, there are certain hygiene measures that every girl should take. Here are a few important ones:

• Take a shower or bath daily
• Use clean underwear and change it every day.
• Choose good quality sanitary pads and it is advisable to change a sanitary pad once every six hours and every two hours for a tampon, to prevent infections.
• Do not use soaps or vaginal hygiene products to wash the genital area. Instead, use warm water. Intimate wash soaps or cleansers can kill the good bacteria making way for infections.
• Make sure that you wash your hands with warm water and soap after changing your pad/tampon.
• Never flush used sanitary pad and tampons down the toilet. Throw them in the dustbin to prevent the spread of infections.
• Wear comfortable, loose clothing, rather than jeans or tight-fitting during periods. This will ensure air flow around the sensitive areas as well as prevent sweating to a large extent.

Here's also a video on menstrual health:

https://youtu.be/LNDE_LDWXW0