It happens to all of us
at one point or another. You come out of your
nightly coma and you're stiffer than an overused
nutt rag. Are you that horny? Is your body trying
to tell you something? Fear not, there's science
to explain it.
Personally, its random and doesn't always
happen. If I've had a sexual dream, it will occur.
Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) as they are
correctly called, are spontaneous erections that
occur during sleep or while waking up. All men
without erectile dysfunction are graced with
them and they normally occur around three to
five times during sleep.
NPT actually starts in utero, or in the womb , and
continues throughout life. If it’s any consolation,
men aren’t completely alone—women also get
clitoral erections and vaginal engorgement during
sleep, and various nonhuman mammals also get
NPT.
While a few different theories have been
proposed over the years to explain NPT, what
causes it still remains uncertain. NPT, just like
clitoral erections, is associated with REM (rapid
eye movement) sleep. One idea is that during
REM sleep, noradrenergic cells (neurons that
release the neurotransmitter noradrenaline
[norepinephrine]) located in an area of the pons
(part of the brainstem) called the locus
coeruleus are switched off. It is thought that
these cells are associated with the inhibitory
tone of the penis; therefore, when their activity is
reduced during REM sleep, testosterone-
dependent excitatory tones can be expressed
which result in an erection.
It’s also been suggested that NPT is triggered by
the release of nitric oxide (NO). NO is released
by cells that line the inside of blood vessels
which then diffuses into smooth muscle, causing
it to relax. This also causes blood vessels to
dilate, hence increasing blood flow to the penis
and voila, an erection. It’s thought that increased
activity of part of the pons during REM sleep
triggers a cascade of events that ultimately lead
to NO release by nerve fibers. This is also
regulated by androgens such as testosterone.
So we have discussed how, but what about why?
One idea is that these sleep exercises actually
contribute to the health of your p*nis Erections
cause the erectile tissue (corpora cavernosa) to
swell, which in turn oxygenates the tissue. This
oxygenation maintains its viability and helps to
prevent cavernous fibrosis, a condition that can
ultimately lead to erectile dysfunction.
Another interesting theory is that pitching a tent
prevents men from wetting the bed. There are
two main types of erections: psychogenic and
reflex.
The former starts with stimulating
thoughts or images which trigger an erection via
nerve signals. The latter is an involuntary
process that occurs without sexy thoughts and
it's believed that a full bladder can trigger them.
The nerves controlling these reflex erections are
located in the sacral nerves of the spinal cord
which are also stimulated by a full bladder.
Since it’s difficult to pee with a stiffy, it’s
thought that NPT may prevent accidental
nocturnal enuresis (bed wetting). While this may
sound plausible, it seems unlikely because the
body has lots of other methods to prevent you
from wetting the bed. Furthermore, it doesn't
really make sense given that nocturnal enuresis
also affects women.
It seems the most likely explanation is that all of that nighttime mischief is really helping to keep
everything in working order lols
Posted by tboixy
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