Why Do Guys Get "Morning Wood"?

Sleep is a time of rest, where the body relaxes, the muscles stretch out and the body basically becomes limp. Sleep is where the whole body takes that ahh time to completely regenerate for a new day and becomes lax, similar to a rubber band being cut and losing its tautness. Why, then, do guys become hard as a rock "down there" when the rest of the body is enjoying a time of rest? Does the penis have a mind of its own, or is this actually how the penis relaxes, and is "morning wood" normal and healthy?

According to the Sapporo Medical University, "morning wood", or known officially as Nocturnal Penile Tumescence (NPT) is a natural occurrence in most healthy young men during sleep caused by a number of factors. A 1994 study done by the Sapporo Medical University in Japan on older men showed that increasing testosterone levels increased NPT, and the majority of the gentlemen were satisfied with actually having more erections during the night and waking up with morning hard-ons.

It has been found inconclusive that NPT is related to having to urinate during the night. It is argued, rather, that men do not have to immediately urinate when having a hard-on, so having a full bladder is a coincidence to waking up with a stiffy.

It's actually still a minor mystery why men get "morning wood" while they sleep, but the common theory for why men get a hard-on during the night is that during the REM cycle when the body is most relaxed and men breathe deeper, they have longer erections due to this state of rest. In fact, often-times to study sleep disorders in men, a Doppler ultrasound may be used to register the rigidity of a man's penis during sleep to see if he is experiencing NPT. A lack of "morning wood" can actually be a sign of a sleep disorder!

So is "morning wood" normal? Apparently, it's a sign that a man is getting a full night's rest and has ample amounts of testosterone in his system. A man's testosterone level actually peaks in the early morning (between 4 and 6 am) which may be another reason for him waking up to a very alert penis.

NPT occurs many times throughout the night, and erections can last anywhere from just a few moments to over an hour at one time, especially during REM, when the body is the most relaxed. A man's erections can also be influenced by his dreams, especially if he is dreaming of his sexy bedfellow, and these erections during the night are completely normal.

Rather, it is the LACK of "morning wood" that may cause concern. According to the Sapporo Medical University, a lack of NPT could mean a lack in testosterone levels, especially in older men, or a sign that a man is not sleeping properly. Since "morning wood" is a normal (and often welcomed) occurrence, men should not be concerned when they wake up erect unless they experience pain or swelling in the testicles along with it, or it just doesn't feel "right", in which case they should see a Urologist.

BBC Medical also states that NPT occurs during rest due to increased testosterone levels, and that many healthy men have them on a nightly basis. BBC Medical states that men should not be concerned about their "tent" unless it causes pain (such as after having undergone a vasectomy) and should consult a doctor at that time. The BBC Medical studies further suggests that "morning wood" is caused by increased nitrous oxide in the body which enlarges blood vessels during sleep, including the ones to the penis, which results in a hard-on that can last 2 or more hours. BBC Medical also states 4 or 5 erections throughout the night on top of a longer-lasting erection is a perfectly normal sleeping response to the body's natural relaxation and stimulation.

While no one is entirely sure why men wake up with "morning wood", you guys should be glad you have it, because it's a sign that you're healthy and well-rested and well-balanced in testosterone.