Wet dreams

Heymatt:

I've noticed that when I take a nap in the afternoon, I drool all over the place. But at night nothing. I've checked with other people, and they say the same thing, sort of. Are we weird, or is there an explanation for this?

-- Spencer, Mission Beach

There is an explanation, but all the same you might also be weird. Our bodies establish a kind of sleeping and waking rhythm, and during the sleeping cycle body functions slow down. This includes saliva production. That's one reason you wake up in the morning with a dry, sticky mouth. An afternoon nap occurs while your body functions are still on their daytime schedule. So when you nap during the day, you stand a better chance of waking up with a soggy pillow, especially if you nap right after eating a meal.