What Causes Morning Erections?

While you sleep, your body and your brain run wild. The result is a morning erection. What exactly happens?

 

Morning erections are closely associated with REM sleep. (Photoxpress)

How many erections a night do men have?

On average, a human male has from three to five erections a night. Each lasts for 25-30 minutes, which means that a 60-year-old man had an erection for 5 ‘hard’ years. The final station for these nocturnal erections is the morning one.

Morning erections are only partly caused by a full bladder (a common myth ) - the latter supposedly puts pressure on the spine nerves, which cause an erection. Morning erections are closely associated with REM sleep (the time in the night, usually close to morning, when we dream) and increased heart rate. Among factors that influence morning erections are the length and quality of sleep.

What are the other causes for morning erections?

The so-called reflex arc also contributes to morning erections – the body itself supplies the penis with enough blood flow. Blood flow to sexual organs is increased during sleep, in both women and men. Morning erections are a way for the body to sustain all bodily functions. Testosterone and other hormones are to blame for this.

Accidental rubbing of the penis during sleep also contributes its part to the morning erection.

Morning erection is a sign of good potency

Morning erections became the focus of scientific research when scientists started studying impotence. If a man has trouble with the morning erection, the cause can be physical. If not, psychological causes have to be considered.

There are many factors which influence the morning erection and they all point to the fact that it's completely normal. Some have them more often than others, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Encyclopedia of Sexuality offers more advice on morning erection.

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