As a man, you have very likely woken up with a morning erection at some point. This might have made you wonder what could have been responsible. Did you have erotic thoughts before going to bed and were those responsible? Questions like these will very likely pop up in your mind.
Yes, sexual thoughts can make you have morning erections. But this phenomenon is purely natural and normal. It can, in fact, be a life saver, and that’s no joke. Read on to find out how.
Why You Have Morning Erections
Experts say that it is normal for a healthy man to have erections 3 to 5 times a night. You may not catch any of those by the way. This is a pointer to a body that is functioning efficiently. Morning wood, also known as nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT), results from changes in natural chemical levels in your body as you sleep.
There is a connection between these morning erections and the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep cycle. Your body relaxes and muscles become smooth. Your brain stimulates increase in the level of nitric oxide, which relaxes muscles and makes blood vessels to dilate. This boosts the supply of blood to the penis, leading to an erection.
In addition, the amount of the hormone noradrenalin the body produces reduces while you sleep. Your brain usually releases high amount of the chemical during the day. This happens to help you control erections in daytime.
Surge in testosterone levels is another possible reason for a hard boner in the morning. The belief is that the amount of this hormone is highest in the morning and falls as the day progresses.
Morning Erections Good for Your Penis
Morning erections offer a good way of keeping your penis in good shape. The male organ may suffer decline in function without them. You may think of the erections as means of exercising the organ. They help to keep things in good state for when there will be need for a hard boner.
Regular morning erections swell and oxygenate penile tissue known as the corpora cavernosa. They facilitate tissue repair and regeneration. Thick fibers can develop in the tissue without them, leading to erectile dysfunction(ED).
By working out your penis, morning erections keep its tissue soft. They work on the smooth muscles to improve stretchiness. Some experts believe that your penis may become shorter without nocturnal penile tumescence.
Morning Erections Are A Sign of Good Health
It may also interest you to know that morning erections are an indication of how well your body is functioning, or otherwise. They are especially important for gauging heart health.
You may take these as signs that blood circulation in your body is great when you have them regularly. It’s not just about blood flow to your penis, but to different parts of your body. So, if you have not been having morning wood, you may need to speak to your doctor. That could be a sign of high blood cholesterol, atherosclerosis or heart disease.
As you may have figured already, not having morning erections may point to possible problem of erectile dysfunction. Studies have found that men with ED are at greater risk of heart disease.
There is certainly nothing wrong with you if you regularly wake in the morning with a hard erection. It’s a good thing! You should, instead, worry if you do not experience this.
There is need to emphasize that you won’t always detect these erections, though. But if you go several months without chancing upon any, you should consider speaking with your doctor. This can help prevent ED or, worse still, cardiovascular issues.
REFERENCES
The low down on morning erections and why they are important. – The TestoMeds.com Blog (http://www.testomed.com/blog/low-morning-erections-important/)
What Is a Morning Erection? | Men’s Health (https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/what-is-morning-wood)