WHAT CAUSES MORNING WOOD?

COLIN HANNA AND NATASHA WEISS·DECEMBER 19, 2024

5 MINS READ

Rise and shine! Although some mornings it’s more ‘rise’ than ‘shine’.

Most men have experienced this situation – your eyelids creak open to a slanted ray of sunlight coming through your window blinds. Birds outside are chirping as you yawn and pull away the covers and notice that it’s not only the sun that’s come up – so has your penis.

Morning wood, AKA Nocturnal Penile Tumescence, is a natural phenomenon for men at any age. Researchers have found that even infants experience erections while sleeping in the womb.

Many people assume that waking up with an erection is due to sexual stimulation or arousal, but this isn’t always true – morning wood can be a natural bodily reaction to a number of things.

Morning Wood Causes

Nobody knows, without a doubt, what causes nocturnal tumescence and it can’t be linked to one specific cause. but it’s believed that can cause an erection as you rouse yourself from a good night’s sleep.

A Full Bladder

It’s normal for your bladder to fill up while you’re sleeping, it may also be the culprit behind morning wood. In some cases, having a full bladder can put pressure on your sacral nerve. This nerve is part of the parasympathetic nervous system and plays a key role in erections.

When a full bladder puts pressure on this nerve while you’re sleeping it can cause a sort of “reflex erection”. This type of erection can linger in the morning until after you urinate.

Stimuli Sensitivity

While you might not consciously be aware of what’s going on around you while you sleep, your body stays somewhat aware as a means of survival. That means that your body, including your penis, may respond to stimulation even when you’re sleeping.

So if you’re sleeping in a position that puts some pressure on your penis, happen to be cuddling with someone, or if your PJs brush against it, that stimulation may lead to an erection. People move around in their sleep – it’s normal, just know this movement may increase the chance of you waking up with morning wood!

Hormonal Fluctuations

Everyone experiences hormonal shifts, regardless of their physiological sex. For men, testosterone levels tend to be higher in the mornings, especially after waking up from REM.

As you get older and your testosterone levels begin to dip, you’ll notice your instances of morning wood also happen less frequently.

And speaking of hormones, just like there are ones that can cause an erection, there are some that will inhibit you getting an erection. When you’re awake, your brain releases hormones.

Decreases in Morning Wood

Although it can come as a surprise sometimes, morning wood is often an indicator of good health. If you notice a decrease in the amount of erections you wake up with.

Side effect of some medications like antidepressants. Prostate disease. Smoking, alcohol, or drug abuse. Sleep apnea.

It should not cause anxiety, but talk to your doctor about any underlying health issues you may have.

Morning wood lasts a few minutes, some may experience it for up to 35 minutes. Talk to your doctor if it lasts longer than one hour.

Morning Wood Myths and Facts

There’s a lot of information out there and sometimes it’s “hard” to weed through it all. Let’s clear up some myths and facts about morning wood.

Myth: Wet Dreams and Morning Wood Are the Same Thing

A wet dream, otherwise known as a “nocturnal emission” is when you have an orgasm during your sleep. This may happen when you have an erection while you’re sleeping, possibly from a sex dream. That being said, you can wake up with morning wood, without having a wet dream.

Fact: There’s a Correlation Between Morning Wood and Sleep Issues

There is an inverse correlation between the two actually. People who don’t regularly get morning wood may be because they’re not getting enough quality sleep.

If you have issues with insomnia or have a weird sleep schedule you may want to pay attention if it affects you. While morning erections are not necessary, they can be indicative of a balanced, healthy body that’s getting enough sleep.

Myth: Morning Wood Keeps You from Urinating in Your Sleep

While peeing with an erection can be a bit trickier than with a flaccid penis, it is possible. That being said, morning wood may be a byproduct of clenching your pelvic muscles so as not to urinate, thus stimulating blood flow to your genitals.

Fact: Morning Wood Can Be a Sign of a Healthy Penis

Waking up with an erection can be considered a good thing when it comes to the health of your penis. If you regularly have morning wood, it’s a sign that the blood supply and nerves to the penis are working as they should be.

Morning wood may indicate healthy nerves and blood flow to the male reproductive organs.

Claim: Morning Wood Is Always Triggered by Explicit Dreams

In reality, nocturnal erections occur naturally and aren't always linked to sexual thoughts.

Even if you're not aroused, enjoy the natural phenomenon or use it as an opportunity for pleasure.

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