Penis & Testicle Concerns / Question
Published: April 27, 2009
Dear TeenHealthFX,
Waking up hard Dear HealthFX, I am a 17 year old male, I have not experience sex, however I masturbate quite frequently. Sometimes in the morning when i wake up, I find that I am erect. Throughout the night I did not dream or think of sex. Is this bad? Can I stop it? sometimes it can be quite embarrassing.
Signed: Waking Up Erect
Dear Waking Up Erect,
Whether a man is sexually active or not, or masturbates or does not, having “wet dreams” in the night and/or waking up with an erection is completely normal. Morning erections – scientifically defined as nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) – are a healthy and normal physiological response that most men experience. It can cause embarrassment for some men (especially younger men going through puberty), but it is normal, a common occurrence, and is nothing to be ashamed of.
Some facts about morning erections:
- Morning erections are basically the tail end of a series of nighttime erections – the last erection in a series. Most men will not even be aware of the previous erections that have occurred in the night.
- On average, a healthy male will have between 3-5 erections in a full night sleep with each erection lasting between 25-35 minutes.
- One common misconception is that morning erections are caused by a full bladder. A full bladder is not the cause.
- The exact cause of morning erections is unknown, however, there does seem to be some connection between morning erections and REM sleep (this is the time in night where you dream and brain activity changes).
If you have any further questions or concerns, please speak to your primary care physician or an adolescent medicine specialist – or feel free to write back to TeenHealthFX.com.
If you don't have a doctor and live in northern
Signed: TeenHealthFX
At all levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash is greater for teens than for older drivers.
