Contents:
- Medical Video: Morning Erections Medical Course
- Why is the penis erect when we fall asleep?
- Sexual stimulation during sleep
- Older, more rare
- The penis that always wakes up early is good
- What if the penis doesn't erect in the morning?
Medical Video: Morning Erections Medical Course
"Why does the penis erect every time you wake up?" Men must be familiar with the situation when they wake up in the morning and find your penis erect. Doctors call the 'awakened' penis or erection that morning as nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT).
A spontaneous erectile condition called NPT occurs during sleep or when you just wake up. Reported IFL Science, all men with normal penis conditions and not experiencing impotence will experience erections during sleep and usually occur between 3 and 5 times.
Although in recent years there have been several theories that explain the NPT, what remains the cause is still unclear. What is clear is that NPT is related to REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement).
Why is the penis erect when we fall asleep?
There is one theory that says that while in REM sleep stages, noradrenergic cells in the part of the brain called the locus coeruleus, will die. This theory suspects that these cells are associated with a blocking pattern in the penis. Thus, when this cell is not active in the REM sleep stage, testosterone which depends on stimulation patterns eventually produces an erection.
Study conducted Society for Endocrinology also supports the theory above, where there may be parts of the brain that die during REM sleep, so that when we are asleep, the brain no longer maintains and checks the penis. If the brain normally controls the penis and ensures that erections only occur when needed, REM sleep is actually free for the penis to do what it wants. And what he wants is hardened or erect.
Sexual stimulation during sleep
Sometimes the cause of an erect penis during sleep and when you wake up in the morning is quite simple: your penis is indeed aroused. Even if you are unconscious and fall asleep, or still collect your life when you wake up from sleep, it is not uncommon for your penis to accidentally experience friction with certain objects such as bolsters, or even the partner's body next to you. So even if you don't realize it, this is why your penis receives these stimuli and reacts immediately.
Older, more rare
Most men who experience penile erection in the morning are men at a young age. On average, those who have entered old age will rarely experience it again. In addition, many men in middle age often wake up in the morning because they feel like urinating.
Joseph Alukal, M.D., assistant professor of Uroloi and Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Langone Medical Center, said thatmen aged 60-70 years who wake up early and want to urinate, usually do not feel an erection in the morning.
In addition, one reason why your penis is erect when you wake up is because your testosterone reaches the highest peak in the morning. And because a man's testosterone level usually begins to decline in the age of 40-50, this is also the reason whymorning wood slowly starts to rarely occur with age.
The penis that always wakes up early is good
Tobias Kohler, M.D., M.P.H., professor and director of the urology division's residency program at Southern Illinois University’s School of Medicine, say that if you consistently erect in the morning or when you fall asleep, this is good for your health. Especially for your blood flow to the penis, which is also needed for erection when needed.
So if you experience erectile problems when you try to have sex, but you have no erectile problems during sleep or when you wake up in the morning, chances are that the erectile disorder is only caused by a psychological condition, for example because you feel anxious, stressed, or depressed.
Dr. Kohler continues, if you also have never had an erection at night, it means a signal that blood flow to your penis may be problematic. This is a common characteristic of conditions such as heart disease, blocked arteries, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.
What if the penis doesn't erect in the morning?
Dr. Kohler stressed that you don't need to worry if you realize that the number of your erections in the morning is slowly decreasing. You might actually have an erection all night and you don't realize it because you're sleeping soundly.
However, if you don't feel an erection in the morning within a few months, immediately see a doctor. If you don't have an erection again in the morning, this can be a sign of depression, chronic stress, or other general health problems such as heart disease. Reduced erections can also be signs of your low testosterone level.
Dr. Kohler added, if you already know what is the reason why your penis does not erect in the morning, for example high cholesterol levels, blocked veins, or low testosterone levels, often your penis erection problems can be treated with certain medications.
