Why do men often wake up with an erection?

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

This episode is brought to you by PayPal. You know how a mom's bag has everything? Sunscreen, snacks, a stapler?

The new PayPal app is like that, but for your money. Shop, pay, manage your account, and earn rewards all in one place. And with purchase protection on eligible items, biometric security, and pass keys, you're protected at every step. Download the new PayPal app to get started. See paypal.com/protectionterms.

SPEAKER_2 (0:29)

This episode is brought to you by Nordstrom.

For 125 years, Nordstrom has been part of your story. The stylist who found the perfect outfit for your big interview, the first pair of walking shoes for your one-year-old, the tomato soup you shared with your sister at the cafe. These are the moments that make Nordstrom, Nordstrom. Big or small, we're here for all of it. Celebrating 125 years with new moments still ahead. Discover it all in Nordstrom stores and at nordstrom.com.

Bababam (1:03)

Why do men often wake up with an erection?

Thanks for asking.

A lot of people think that morning erections are triggered by erotic dreams or a need to pee. But in fact, they're a physiological reflex linked to sleep. That's right, they're not dependent on sexual arousal at all. And in a somewhat similar way, women actually also experience increased blood flow to the clitoris during the night. Now, the scientific term for a nighttime erection is nocturnal penile tumescence, or NPT for short, and men get a few each night on average. They occur during REM sleep phases, which make up around 20% of total sleep time. So when a man wakes up with morning wood, it's usually because he was in the midst of a REM sleep phase, or just coming out of one. The presence of a morning erection therefore hinges on the moment when the man wakes up. What exactly is REM sleep? REM sleep follows a phase of light sleep and gets progressively deeper. During REM sleep, we tend to dream a lot, and our brain activity resembles that of when we are awake. REM stands for rapid eye movement, and that's because our eyes move under our eyelids, even while the body remains still and devoid of muscle tension. According to verywellhealth.com, REM sleep affects neurological stimulators that increase blood flow to the penis, and that increased blood flow is what causes an erection. Are you saying it's an involuntary reflex then? Exactly. It's an automatic response unrelated to sexual desire or arousal. In addition to REM sleep, there are certain other factors generally cited as causes for nighttime erections. These include hormone shifts. When it comes to sexual function, we know that testosterone plays an important role. Writing for healthline.com in 2023, Kimberley Holland said that your testosterone level is at its highest in the morning after you wake up.

Any physical stimulation, no matter how subtle, may also lead to an erection. For example, your partner may touch your penis intentionally or unintentionally, or a bedsheet or pyjama fabric could rub up against it. What if I stop experiencing morning erections? Having an erection when waking up is good news, because it's an indicator that blood circulation to your penis is good. But even if that doesn't happen to you on one or more mornings, it's still possible that you had erections at night, but just weren't going through REM sleep when you woke up. Also, bear in mind that all men tend to get less nighttime erections with age, as well as seeing a drop in their testosterone levels. verywellhealth.com suggests that getting a medical checkup is only really necessary if you never wake up with an erection, as that could be a sign of erectile dysfunction due to an issue with your blood vessels or nerves. And it's particularly important to see a doctor if you stop getting morning wood all of a sudden, rather than experiencing a gradual drop in frequency with age.

There you have it.

Now you know why men often wake up with an erection. In under three minutes, we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts, and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along and you will really know for sure.

Ba ba ba.