Why Do Men Get Erections in the Morning?

Morning erection, literally termed as morning wood, morning glories are a series of nighttime erections that occur during the sleep and also immediately after a man wakes up. Nocturnal penile tumescence is a normal, healthy physiological reaction that actually starts even before the birth of a person and continues during the lifetime. The release of nitric oxide by the cells lining the interior of blood vessels can cause NPT. The nitric oxide then enters the smooth muscle, causing relaxation of muscles and dilation of blood vessels. As a result, the blood flow to the penis increases, causing an erection.

Morning erections are a continuation of the series of nighttime erections. Healthy men can have three to five erections while asleep, each lasting 25-35 minutes.

 

Causes of Morning Erection

Erection is caused when blood rushes into the penis as a result of sexual stimulus. In young men, erections may occur without any arousing stimuli. While you are asleep, a number of things happen in the body that may contribute to an erection when you wake up.

Full Bladder

The bladder becomes full at night due to urine retention. The penis becomes engorged when the urethra is filled with urine. An engorged penis often becomes erect. A full bladder is so discomforting that it may awaken a man even from a deep sleep, compelling him to relieve his bladder.

Use of Erectile Dysfunction Drugs

ED medications can significantly impact men, causing morning erections, especially if taken a day or night before sexual activity. Research reveals that men that take ED drugs are more likely to experience morning erections than those who do not use these medications.

Activities of Brain During Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep

A man experiences four stages of REM sleep, during which erections can occur at night. These series of erections can be carried over into the morning as morning glories. During REM sleep, a person visualizes lifelike dreams, which can result in physical reactions, and an erection could be one of the results.

The neuro-reflexes stirred during REM sleep can cause spontaneous erections at night, resulting in morning erections as a tail end. As REM is associated with the end of the sleep cycle, it is still possible for a man to experience the physical effects of the sleep in the form of morning erections when he enters the wakefulness stage.