Erect penis every time you wake up in the morning, what is the cause?

"Why is the penis erect every time you wake up, huh?" Men are familiar with the situation when you wake up in the morning and find your penis is erect. Doctors refer to a penis that is "awakened" or erect in the morning as nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT).

This spontaneous erection, called NPT, occurs during sleep or when you wake up. Reported IFL Science, all men with normal penises and no impotence will experience erections during sleep and usually occur between 3 and 5 times.

Although in recent years there have been several theories explaining NPT, the cause remains 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 states that when you are in the REM sleep stage, the noradrenergic cells, which are in a part of the brain called the locus coeruleus, will die. This theory suspects that these cells are associated with an inhibitory pattern in the penis. Thus, when these cells are inactive in the REM sleep stage, testosterone which depends on the pattern of stimulation eventually results in an erection.

Studies conducted by the Society for Endocrinology also support the above theory, where there may be parts of the brain that die during REM sleep, so that when we are asleep, the brain no longer watches and checks the penis. If the brain normally controls the penis and ensures erections occur only when needed, during REM sleep the penis is free to do what it wants. And what he wants is to harden or get an erection.

Sexual stimulation during sleep

Sometimes the cause of an erection during sleep and when you wake up in the morning is quite simple: your penis is aroused. Even though you are unconscious and asleep, or are still collecting lives when you just wake up from sleep, it is not uncommon for your penis to accidentally experience friction with certain objects such as a bolster, or even the body of your partner beside you. So even if you don't realize it, this is why your penis receives the stimulation and reacts immediately.

The older it is, the less often it happens

Most men who experience an erect penis in the morning are young men. The average person who has 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, says that men aged 60-70 years who wake up in the morning and want to urinate, usually no longer feel an erection in the morning.

In addition, one of the reasons why your penis gets erect when you wake up is because your testosterone hormone reaches its highest peak in the morning. And since a man's testosterone level usually begins to decline in his 40-50 years, this is also the reason whymorning wood slowly begins to occur less frequently with age.

A penis that always wakes up in the morning is good

Tobias Kohler, M.D., M.P.H., professor and residency program director for the division of urology at Southern Illinois University's School of Medicine, says that if you consistently get erections in the morning or while you fall asleep, it's good for your health. Especially for your blood flow to the penis, which is also necessary for an erection when needed.

So if you experience erection problems when you try to have sex, but you don't have erection problems when you sleep or wake up in the morning, chances are that the erection problem is only due to a psychological condition, for example because you feel anxious, stressed, or depressed.

Dr. Kohler continued, if you also never have 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 get erect in the morning?

Dr. Kohler emphasizes that you don't need to worry if you notice that your number of erections in the morning is slowly decreasing. You may actually have had an erection all night and you didn't even notice because you were fast asleep.

However, if you don't feel an erection in the morning for several months, see your doctor right away. If you really don't have an erection in the morning, this could be a sign of depression, chronic stress, or another general health problem such as heart disease. Reduced erections can also be a sign of low testosterone levels.

Dr. Kohler added, if you already know what causes why your penis doesn't get erect in the morning, for example high cholesterol levels, clogged veins, or low testosterone levels, often your erect penis problem can be treated with certain medications.