Waking up with a morning erection is often a delight to men. It brings this assurance that the penis is still active and ready for morning rides.
However, not all men get this erection. For such men, most days of the week are without this morning erection that you can call morning wood (slang).
Morning Erection [Nocturnal Penile Tumescence]
This erection is a normal part of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep for males of all ages, even in infants and children.
According to a study, it is a sexual excitation that occurs in the morning that is mere epiphenomena of REM sleep-related physiologic changes.
Basically, the erection is not related to erotic content of dreams, previous sexual activity, or a full or empty bladder (1).
Why Does Morning Erection Happen?
You see, sex-related hormones are associated with REM sleep.
According to a study, testosterone modulates nearly every component involved in erectile function. That is, from pelvic ganglions to smooth muscle and the endothelial cells of the corpora cavernosa (2).
Testosterone also regulates the timing of the erectile process as a function of sexual desire.
Furthermore, it coordinates penile erection with sex.
Testosterone levels are higher early in the morning compared to the afternoon or evening in males.
For Further Insight On Morning Wood Read:
Basically, this sex hormone needs to be at appropriate level for a man to have morning erection.
It is a better time for a man to have sex and for him to be able to shoot well enough to impregnate a woman.
We also believe that a woman releases her egg around this time of the day. So, the chances of conception are assumed to be higher at this time of the day.
Few studies also show that a man’s sperm count is slightly higher at this period of the morning.
Our resolutions on this are because a woman also experiences clitoral erection in this same period of the day (3).
God could not have said be fruitful and multiply without putting a mechanism that revolves around timing. Time and chance happens to everything, remember.
Is It Possible To Lose Morning Erection?
A man can lose this vital erection which we consider very necessary for sexual relationships and procreation.
However, a lot of it may not have underlying health issue. It could be as a result of ageing in a man.
But where the drop is sudden and erection happens less, it could be as a result of health issues.
You see, the life of the modern men is full of stresses and constant strain, both physically and psychologically.
Also, stress could trigger unhealthy habits that could lead to eating unhealthy. This would lead to weight gain.
Another thing that could cause this is avoiding to have sex. There are indications that when erections are not used, you lose them.
Yes! For instance, if you stop using your hand, over time, the hand gets weak, atrophies and dies.
The same is true about other organs of the body. In fact a study says regular intercourse lowers risk of erectile dysfunction. (4)
This is where psychological effect comes in and that is to put it in a simple way.
So, stress, the food you eat which lower testosterones level and psychological ‘manipulations’ (think – avoiding sex) could make a man lose his morning erection.
That said, you will want to know what a man can do to gain this morning wood back.
How To Enhance Morning Erection Without Pills
Doing the under listed things could help you restore your morning wood and feel that hardness you once felt.
Once you confirm (by medical test) that you have need to improve your morning wood, apply these recommendations.
1. Eat Foods That Increase Testosterone
Food plays an important role in maintaining the hormone (testosterone) level. Remember, this hormone is part of what makes the morning wood occur.
Also ensuring that you are within your ideal weight helps keep your sexual strength up.
Studies show that what your diet contains can increase testosterone level.
basically, some foods that can help are, avocado, pomegranate and dark leafy greens.
Others are cocoa products (without sugar), berries and others.
Adding adequate amounts of these items to your meal will help restore your morning wood.
According to a study, being overweight lowers testosterone level in men.
2. Exercise Boosts Morning Wood
Most importantly, humans cannot do without movement. No matter how much you try to avoid it, you will surely need it to stay fit and strong.
One of the reasons that you could experience poor morning erection could be a poorly serviced heart.
When the heart does not pump enough blood to the penis, there will not be a good erection (5).
Exercising can change the entire thing and make more blood available to the penis at ‘crucial’ times of erection.
Also, when you do some kind of exercises, they raise your testosterone level.
We will highlight different studies that link different types of exercises with a rise in testosterone level.
In 1983 a study found that lifting weight could increase testosterone levels in men (6).
Another study of older men found that regular physical activity increased testosterone and growth hormone levels. It also has a positive effect on brain function (7).
You see, this can also work for men that are overweight or obese.
According to a study of men with obesity, regular exercise did more to increase testosterone levels. This works better than even losing weight (7).
Also, another study says weekly exercise of 160 minutes for 6 months contributes to decreasing erectile problems in men with ED.
This is most effective when the ED is as a result of physical inactivity, obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and/or cardiovascular diseases (8).
Just find something to make small dumbbells and use them in the morning or evening.
This will increase your muscles. The more muscles you have, the high the level of testosterone.
3. Lower Stress Level
According to studies, stress level can lower sex drive in men. This is because stress affects the heart and the brain.
Stress also has negative effect on testosterone levels. A study says, lower stress is equal to higher testosteronal level in men (9).
Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to reduce stressors as much as possible. Keep a positive mindset and stay away from things that could increase stress level. One of them is lack of adequate sleep.
4. Get Adequate Sleep
Finally, increasing the amount of sleep you get as a man will positively enhance your morning erection.
Sleep is the ‘third pillar of health’ along with diet and exercise (10).
Remember that REM sleep which begins 90 minutes from sleep time is in stages.
The longer your sleep, the better it gets.
Poor sleep affects your sexual health in different ways.
Other Helpful Resources
- Erectile Dysfunction: Natural Remedies For Men Sexual Health
- These Simple Things Make You Have Weak Erection
- Foods That Work On Your Penis And Help Hold Erection
- Penis: How You Can Have Erection For Long
- 5 Fertility Boosting Foods For Men And Women
According to a study this could cause erectile dysfunction, lower urinary tract symptoms, and low testosterone level (11).
Adults are expected to get between 7 to 8 hours night sleep.
People doing less than that are likely to experience poor erectile function or lack of morning wood most times.
You see, we can tell you the things you need to do, but we won’t be able to do them for you.
Make a decision to apply the right things to make your sexual wellness return to optimum level without enhancement products.