The hows and whys of morning erections

Often the brunt of many jokes and snide remarks, morning erections aka “morning wood” or “morning glories,” actually has a much more scientific sounding official name – nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT).  If a man, or his female partner, has ever wondered, “What’s up with this,” both can relax as NPTs are considered a healthy and predictable physiological response most men around the world experience.

What is a morning erection and why do they occur?

Morning erections are spontaneous erections that occur during sleep or while waking up first thing when a new day begins.  The term “morning wood” is a misnomer as a man’s penis can become erect and then flaccid on average between three and five erections a night, but it’s usually the erection a man gets when he is waking up that he notices the most.

Sexually mature men are not the only ones experiencing morning erections.  It has been noted that baby boys in utero and as children can also have this same phenomenon.  In fact, morning erections are even common in the animal kingdom among male mammals.

What triggers morning erections has to do with the sacral nerve, which is part of the parasympathetic nervous system that control erections. The parasympathetic nervous system is more active during the night when most people are sleeping and their body is resting and repairing itself.  This same nervous system can be part of what is responsible for men getting several erections throughout the night.  When sleeping, humans go back and forth between sleeping deeply and rapid eye movement or REM sleep.  REM sleep is when a person is sleeping more lightly and is the cycle when dreams occur.   It is also when the the parasympathetic nervous system is more active and is more likely when a man is dreaming – and sometimes an erotic dream.  This can be one of the reasons why a man may wake up with a n erection and maybe ejaculation.  Another reason is that a man with a full bladder could be pressing against and stimulating the sacral nerve.

Testosterone’s role

Testosterone is a sex hormone with many important roles in keeping a man healthy.  It influences bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass and strength, and the production of red blood cells and sperm.

It is one of the primary hormones helping ignite the sexual fires or libido within a man.  This hormone also surges to its highest daily levels in the early morning hours causing the penis to stand tall and erect. Every man should breathe a sigh of relief congratulating himself as morning erections are good indicators that all of his equipment is working up to par.

If a man’s blood levels of testosterone decline this can result in a reduction of the number of morning erections he will have.  Aging is another factor that brings a decline in the number of early morning erections.  But if a man is paying attention to being more physically active and leading a healthy lifestyle, he may be able to avoid this.

Why do erections pop up during the night and not during the day?

Spontaneous daytime erections are squelched by the release from the brain of a hormone called noradrenaline.  This inhibits a man (unless sexually turned on) from having an unintended and uninvited erection during the day.  But during the night while sleeping, the brain releases less of this hormone making involuntary erections arise. 

Morning erections sign of good blood flow

Some men may feel somewhat embarrassed by their morning erection, but there is no need to.  Morning erections are a natural and normal occurrence and they indicate a man’s penis is functioning as it should. 

These same erections are also indicative as a sign of good blood flow.  For a man to achieve strong optimal erectile function it requires strong blood flow to the penis.   If a man’s vessels are obstruction free and elastic, this indicates his heart and brain are functioning and his erections should be rock hard. 

It doesn’t matter whether it’s of the involuntary type of a morning wood or when a man is sexually stimulated.  If he is unable to achieve an erection, it could be a sign of cardiovascular problems and should be addressed with his doctor. 

In conclusion

A man’s erections should be strong and rock hard no matter what time of day or night they occur.  If regular nocturnal or morning erections are not happening, this should be discussed with their doctor.

Men who understand that strong morning erections and good health go hand-in-hand, is all the more reason to take good care of themselves at all stages of life.