I am in my late forties and have an urgent matter that needs your help.
In recent months, my wife and I have noticed I have less of the morning wood.
In recent days, I have not observed any sign of morning erection at all.
I was worried about being impotent and attempted sex last weekend.
To my relief, I was still able to perform normally.
I read somewhere that a lack of morning erection is a sign of erectile dysfunction. Therefore, I am terrified this is an early sign of impotence.
I understand you are addressing issues of ageing and sexual health, and I am hoping this week will be my turn to put Dr G on the spot about morning erection.
Why do men get morning erections? Why is it happening in the morning?
What exactly is the purpose of the morning glory?
I read on the Internet that morning erection can occur when I am asleep. How do I test if I actually have erections at night?
Admittedly, I am somewhat stressed about my job. Do you think the morning less glory is all stress-related?
I hope to hear from you this Sunday, making my Sunday Morning Glorious again!
The "morning wood" or "morning glory" is a colloquial term commonly used to describe a phenomenon called nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT).
In fact, morning glory is actually a misnomer, as the spontaneous erections of the penis actually occur at night (hence the nocturnal description).
The sleep-related erections are observed at least three to five times during a period of sleep, each lasting 10-30 minutes, predominantly in REM sleep.
The spontaneous natural erections are noted in the early waking hours, and they are fondly referred to as morning glory.
As men wake up at various stages of natural sleep, the awareness of the frequency and degree of morning rigidity is variable between individuals.
The morning erections are common in the animal kingdom, especially among mammals.
The observation of such rest-related erections is noted even in human fetuses in the womb.
Physiologically, NPT helps oxygenate cavernous tissue: nitric oxide-mediated arterial inflow expands smooth muscle, compresses venous outflow, and raises intracavernosal pressure.
The suppression of such inhibitory neurons in the brain during REM sleep allows the relaxation and generates testosterone-related excitatory erections.
The repeated tumescence is believed to contribute towards enhancing penile neuro-vasculature.
The frequency and the degree of the morning glory are naturally blooming in youth, and the intensity and regularity diminish with advancing age.
As men get older, the natural levels of testosterone begin to decline between the ages of forty and fifty, which coincides with the decrease in episodes of NPT.
Ageing also affects every layer of the erection pathway, with less nitric oxide bioavailability, more oxidative stress, and atherosclerosis reducing arterial inflow.
In addition, lower smooth-muscle-to-collagen ratio and increased stiffness curb maximal rigidity and durability.
Lastly, the declining testosterone in ageing males also plays a role in dampening the frequency of morning woods.
The decline of the morning woods is more pronounced in less healthy men, especially those suffering from dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.
Needless to say, the side effects of medicines to treat such non-communicable diseases also have dampening effects on sexual health.
Stress and relationship strain can also affect sexual desire and frequency of spontaneous erection.
An individual faced with anxiety results in the sympathetic system enhancement to deal with challenges.
When the neurological system is on overdrive, individuals become agitated and short-tempered.
Over a prolonged period, this may manifest itself with symptoms of depression, such as insomnia, fatigue, lack of sexual appetite, and erectile dysfunction.
The existence of Nocturnal Erection is useful in helping sexual health practitioners to determine the cause of sexual dysfunction.
The presence of NPT is a good predictor of erectile dysfunction associated with psychological or physiological causes.
In a formal setting, a device detecting NPT (e.g., RigiScan) can be placed around the penis during sleep.
The sensors at the tip and base of the penis detect changes in penile length and girth during sleep and relay the information for computer analysis.
Although it may seem inappropriate, the Postage Stamps Test can also be used to evaluate nocturnal erections.
A length of postage stamps connected by perforations is secured loosely around the width of the flaccid penis prior to sleep.
If the perforated connections are torn upon awakening, the presence of nocturnal tumescence is evident.
William Barclay, the Scottish Theologian, once said: "Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory."
The emergence of the morning glory is technically a reflection of endurance in the sexual and mental health of an individual.
When men are faced with sleeplessness and anxiety, it is inevitable to experience uncertainty resulting in performance anxiety.
Keeping a healthy lifestyle and open communication are usually keys to avoid long-term setbacks in the bedroom.