April 16, 2024

Health

15 fascinating facts about morning erections

This morning, upon waking, you're greeted in your underwear by an erection as rigid as an iron bar. A very common scenario, wouldn't you agree?

But for some, this morning erection can be a source of anxiety. What happened last night to put you in such a state? What did you dream about to be so aroused? It's a mystery…

However, this erection, a simple continuation of the nocturnal erection , is a natural phenomenon observed in the early morning in all men.

In fact, during the night, your body relaxes and your pelvic organs increase in size. Your penis fills with blood… Yes, you have an erection without even realizing it!

This article presents 15 fascinating facts to discover about morning glory , the morning erection.

1) A universal phenomenon

Let's start with the obvious. Morning erections, also called nocturnal penile erections or tumescence , are a natural phenomenon occurring in all men during the REM sleep phase .

Penile swelling during sleep occurs involuntarily and uncontrollably.

Yes, indeed! You, me, and him on the other side of the planet, we all get morning erections. And there's pretty much nothing we can do about it…

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2) Related to the sleep cycle…

Rapid Eye Movement (REM), or paradoxical sleep, is the ^fifth and final stage of a sleep cycle. It is the stage closest to waking. Nocturnal or morning erections occur during this phase.

As an aside: REM sleep also promotes the formation of dreams, including particularly intense dreams and also all those that we remember most once we wake up.

If you observe a friend sleeping with significant eye movements under their closed eyelids, they are most likely in this phase of REM sleep.

3)… and controlled by the brain

Yes, indeed. It is likely that morning glory is triggered by the parasympathetic nervous system, a reflex system.

This area of the brain controls many things that happen in our body, such as digestion and heart rate regulation. All this without us even thinking about it… magical, isn't it?

Daytime erections linked to more classic arousal depend on the sympathetic nervous system , which we control more consciously.

4) It's not just in the morning

Morning glory is simply the continuation of a nocturnal erection upon waking.

There is, however, a slight difference: morning erections are often harder than nighttime erections .

Why? Between 6am and 8am, a man experiences a surge of testosterone in his body, causing an erection as hard as a rock (or almost).

5) Women can also have them

The similar phenomenon of morning erection is observed in women: the vagina becomes moist, the labia swell...

Like men's, women's clitoris fills with blood an average of 5 times per night. Nature is well designed.

6) A bit like gymnastics

Morning erections have many benefits for the human body. First of all, erections are good for blood circulation and also for the brain.

An erection is good for blood circulation and also for the brain.

Most importantly, since penis elasticity declines with age, this swelling of the penis during sleep would therefore help maintain its flexibility, essential for reproduction! A morning erection is a bit like your penis exercising and training before getting down to business.

7) No need to be excited

Morning erections are different from the more classic ones linked to arousal and desire, that is, when your brain sends an electrical shock causing your penis to swell .

Conversely, no sexual stimulation occurs with morning glory . Therefore, it is not linked to an erotic dream; it is purely mechanical .

Morning Wood Knock GIF from Morning Wood GIFs

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8) Does the bladder play a role?

According to some specialists, when your bladder is full, your body sends a signal via an erection to alert you that you need to empty it quickly. But this theory is not necessarily shared by all sexologists.

Proof: when your bladder is full during the day, your penis doesn't automatically swell, does it?

9) Between 3 and 6 erections per night

Each man is said to have approximately 3 to 6 erections per night. Why?

As already explained, nocturnal erections are directly linked to REM sleep . Now, we all have 3 to 6 REM sleep phases each night.

The calculation is therefore quickly done.

10) It can last 30 minutes

A morning erection typically lasts between 10 and 30 minutes . If it lasts longer than 4 hours, it's called priapism , which is more problematic. In this situation, it's best not to wait too long before seeking medical help.

As a side note, TF1 reveals that a man had to be hospitalized after a morning erection lasting 17 hours!

11) A man spends a large part of his life with an erection

By combining nocturnal erections and the more classic ones linked to more physical arousal, a man would spend an average of 50,000 hours in an erection during his lifetime.

Most of these erections occur during sleep.

Morning Wood GIF from Zac Efron GIFs

12) A healthy lifestyle is important…

Excessive consumption of tobacco, alcohol or the use of sleeping pills negatively affects the quality of your morning erection.

Why? These substances have negative effects on testosterone production, blood vessels, and nerves.

13) But the absence of morning erections is not necessarily synonymous with health problems

Erections in the early morning are a continuation of those that occur during the night.

Therefore, if you don't notice morning glory , don't worry. In most cases, this phenomenon occurs at night without you even realizing it.

But in cases of complete absence, the causes can be varied: stress, fatigue, or even erectile dysfunction. In this case, it is recommended to consult a doctor .

The number of erections at night or in the morning declines over time, without disappearing completely.

14) It can cause ejaculation

And yes, nocturnal emissions also exist.

The reason this time is simpler: according to sexologists, these occur to regulate the amount of sperm that we sometimes have in excess.

15) It decreases with age

This is a normal and natural human process. Morning erections occur before puberty and even before birth. In fact, even fetuses can have erections in their mother's womb!

Whether you are young or older, all men have them!

However, as men age, they gradually experience a phenomenon called andropause. Andropause is somewhat equivalent to menopause in women. In fact, the level of testosterone in the blood declines with age . More specifically, studies show that from the age of 30, this level decreases by approximately 1% to 2% per year.

However, testosterone is essential for having an erection… It is therefore normal that the number of erections at night or in the morning declines over time, without disappearing completely.

→ See also : What is the minimum size to satisfy a woman?

Key takeaways

Morning erections are a natural phenomenon in all men and are often a sign of good sexual health.

However, a complete absence of erection can be a sign of health problems or erectile dysfunction. In this case, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional.