Regular morning erections are a fairly accurate indication that your erectile hydraulics are in good working order. And that’s a sign that your overall health is on a positive track as well.
There are many signs of good health, but did you know that waking up with a morning erection is one of them?
Known as nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT), waking up with your flag at full mast is not caused by having a full bladder as some might think. It is actually a common repercussion of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep for any man who is in good physical health.
In fact, according to a recent report, all men without physiological erectile dysfunction experience nocturnal penile tumescence, usually three to five times during the night, typically during their REM sleep.
But, these REM erections are different than others you might have. They are triggered by a different part of the brain than erections that result from sexual arousal. So, your “good morning” salute is not really a sign that your body wants sex but a way for your body to make sure things are working as they should; as a sign that you have healthy blood levels of testosterone and healthy blood flow within your body.
The Science of the Morning Erection
Morning erections are believed to be the results of the hormones testosterone and norepinephrine being released while you sleep. These hormones play vital roles in your sexual health:
- Testosterone is a sex hormone with many important roles in keeping a man healthy. It influences bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass and strength, and the production of red blood cells and sperm. If your blood levels of testosterone decline, the result may be a reduction in the number of morning erections and decreased sexual endurance.
- Norepinephrine is a hormone that is secreted into the bloodstream by the adrenal glands and works alongside adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, to give the body sudden energy in times of stress or during the REM dream state.
These morning erections also seem to bring about an increase in heart rate (your blood is healthily pumping).
What’s to Smile About?
Essentially, how healthy you are has a big impact on any and all sexual function, especially as you age. A myriad of health conditions can impact blood flow and make those morning erections a thing of the past. In fact, one of the first signs of a developing heart condition can be erectile dysfunction. So if you get an erection, you have some assurance you are healthy and the body is functioning as it should.
Erections, or development of erectile dysfunction (having difficulty maintaining or getting an erection) are indicators of your level of health. There are even several known health predictors of those who seem to develop ED and require treatment.
According to one study conducted by Australian researchers and published in the May 2014 issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, having a greater amount of abdominal fat mass, diabetes, and heart conditions tend to make a patient predisposed to developing ED. Essentially these conditions can affect blood flow, and that is why they have a comorbidity with erectile dysfunction.
What If You Don’t Get Them?
According to research, there is no significant difference in the morning erections of older men versus those experienced by younger men as long as the men are healthy. There is a very gradual, insignificant decline in morning erections (a slight decrease in the rigidity and length of time the erection lasts, but not the frequency of getting these morning erections) for men over the age of 60.
So if you are no longer getting that morning salute, you should probably question whether you may have an underlying health condition that is causing this change. Morning erections can be affected by the quality and length of sleep you are getting too, but one of the reasons they are of interest to researchers is that they serve as a tool to rule out physical causes of erectile dysfunction.
And, there are many contributing factors for experiencing erectile dysfunction. It may be your age, whether you have a specific health condition that’s affecting your ability to get and maintain an erection, or you are experiencing stress, anxiety, or relationship problems.
So if you still get morning erections but suffer from erectile dysfunction, your doctor may be able to rule out a physical health issue as the cause and look to psychological factors.
But if you are experiencing erectile dysfunction and have seen morning erections change or disappear, it may be time to check in with your doctor to rule out other health concerns. Once any underlying health issues are addressed, your doctor can recommend treatment options, for ED, typically prescribing a medication, such as Viagra.
ED Drugs and Morning Erections
If you doctor prescribes medication for treatment of your erectile dysfunction (ED) it can have an impact on morning erections. Even if taken the previous night it can result in morning erections. And treatment is very successful. According to one report, Viagra has improved the quality of life and relationships for countless men who suffer with male impotence.
Clinical trials show that Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is effective for up to 80 percent of men, and its safety and effectiveness were confirmed before it was first approved by the FDA in 1998. It works regardless of age or the length of time you have experienced male impotence, even if it has been for several years.
Male impotence is a common condition that affects at least one-third of men at some point during their lifetime. Viagra belongs to a family of medications known as PDE5 inhibitors, which work by relaxing smooth muscle tissue in arteries that supply the penis, thus facilitating the robust blood flow necessary to support and maintain an erection.
If you still get morning erections, smile, your body is showing signs of good health. But if you don’t, and your doctor determines Viagra is right for you, you can fill that prescription at your local pharmacy or order it online.
If you decide to go the latter route, consider taking your business to longtime online facilitator eDrugstore.com, in business since the late 1990s. It offers a full range of ED medications, including both brand-name and generic products. To learn more, visit eDrugstore’s Erectile Dysfunction page.
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