Ep. 151 - Why Your Morning Wood Matters

Have you ever wondered why you wake up with morning wood, or what it really means for your health? In this episode of Dr. Sex Fairy, I will answer the questions you have wondered about. Why do morning erections happen? What do they say about your testosterone levels and blood flow? Should you be concerned when they start to change? How are night and morning erections different?

We will dive into the facts behind these natural signals, explore how lifestyle factors play a role, and discuss why morning wood is more than just a quirk of male biology. Whether you have noticed changes or are simply curious, join me as we decode one of the body’s most fascinating (and telling) morning routines. Let’s transform the way you look at your health starting with what you experience in bed each morning. 

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Transcript

Why Your Morning Wood Matters

Welcome to America’s top sexuality podcast, Dr. Sex Fairy. I am Dr. Kanwal Bawa, America’s favorite sex doctor, and I am here to transform your life. Today, we are discussing morning wood, also known as nocturnal penile tumescence, sleep related erections or morning erections. 

But first, I would like to thank you for joining me on another episode of Dr. Sex Fairy. Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button, leave a 5-star review, and share this podcast with your partner and friends. For those of you interested in leveling up your performance and libido by taking my US-made Dr. Sex Fairy supplements, click the link in the podcast description below or check out the store at drsexfairy.com.

Coming back to our topic today, let’s start by understanding what morning wood is, how it differs from other types of erections, and what it tells us. Morning wood refers to spontaneous erections that occur during sleep in the early morning hours, toward the end of the sleep cycle. Nocturnal erections are essentially the same except that they happen during late night hours. They are both technically nocturnal penile tumescence, or sleep-related erections.

These erections are involuntary. They are typically unrelated to sexual arousal or erotic dreams, but they tend to happen most often during the REM, or rapid eye movement, part of our sleep, which is known for vivid dreams. You must be wondering how many erections the average man gets overnight. Most men experience three to five erections a night. During REM, the brain allows more blood to fill the penis. While men don't often remember their nighttime erections, they definitely remember whether or not they are waking up hard. 

Morning erections are such an important part of a man's sexual health that I ask about them in every single consultation or coaching session. I also made this one of the factors that determine a man’s overall sexual and psychological health in my online quiz available at mysexscore.com. You should definitely take the quiz. It is completely free, and provides valuable insight. Thousands of men and women from all over the world have taken the quiz at mysexscore.com, and Daily Mail even published an article about it.


You may have noticed that I just said that this helps me determine a man's overall sexual and psychological health, and you may wonder why. You see, a man who is having frequent and rock-hard morning erections but having difficulty performing with a partner, may well be suffering from psychogenic ED, which is erectile dysfunction arising from psychological issues such as stress, depression, guilt, performance anxiety, relationship issues, PTSD, etc.

Let's now focus on some important factors that affect morning erections. I am going to mention them in no particular order. I will start by mentioning a hormone that is all the rage. Testosterone plays an essential role in various aspects of male health, from muscle mass and energy levels to libido and erectile function. Testosterone levels naturally peak in the morning, which is why morning erections tend to be the most frequent and firm. 


In fact, my patients who are on testosterone replacement therapy or TRT, often tell me on follow up visits or calls that they have more pronounced morning erections a day or two after they take their testosterone shot. Studies have shown that testosterone affects morning erections and that men with higher testosterone levels are more likely to have regular morning erections while those with lower levels report fewer and weaker erections.

After age 30, testosterone levels begin to decline naturally, which often leads to fewer and weaker erections, including disappointing morning wood. However, aging does not have to mean an end to morning erections.  For those experiencing low testosterone, treatments like Testosterone Replacement Therapy, can help restore hormone levels, improving energy, mood, and libido, and helping support regular morning erections. For a deeper look into testosterone’s impact on sexual and overall health, and how I balance my patient’s hormones, check out episode 146 of my podcast, “6 Shocking Facts About Testosterone.” I cover the ways testosterone influences not only libido but also mental clarity, muscle strength, and overall vitality, and how to optimize your testosterone level whether you are male or female. Yes, women need testosterone too.

Before I go on to the next factor that affects morning erections, I want to warn you to be careful about who prescribes your testosterone. Hormone clinics seem to be popping up on every street corner, and shady websites are everywhere. Quantity in this case does not equal quality. Make sure you check your practitioner's credentials because they can do a lot of harm to many factors beyond your sexual function by simply over or under prescribing hormones, or by only focusing on one hormone instead of looking at the big picture.

The next factor affecting morning erections is an exceptionally important one. The number one cause of erectile dysfunction is lack of good blood flow. Morning erections cannot possibly be frequent and hard if you don't have good blood flow. Erections rely on circulation, and blood flow is what allows the penis to become erect and stay rock hard. When blood flow is healthy, erections are frequent and… shall I say… robust. Blood flow becomes more of a factor as we get older because plaque tends to build up. Think about your morning erections when you were younger. Weren’t they harder? Weren’t they more frequent? And do you find that you are having difficulty performing at other times of the day as well compared to how it used to be back in the day?

An important idea that I always discuss with my patients and my podcast listeners is that erections and cardiac health are intricately linked. A decline in morning wood can sometimes signal cardiovascular issues. Blood vessels in the penis are smaller than blood vessels in the heart. Moreover, early signs of heart disease can be very subtle, but most men notice if their erections are not what they used to be. One of my most important episodes was Episode 82 “Erectile Dysfunction & Heart Disease: The Connection You Can't Ignore.”


Make sure you listen to it after this episode. Most men think that if they don't get a good erection, they might as well keel over and die. Well, that may happen sooner than expected if you ignore your heart. Morning wood, therefore, serves as an early indicator of cardiovascular health, providing a chance to address these issues proactively.

I know you want to wake up to epic erections, but you've got to sleep well for that to happen. Good quality sleep, especially REM sleep, is essential for maintaining morning erections. Poor sleep can disrupt REM cycles, reducing the body’s ability to restore and repair. Chronic sleep issues, such as insomnia or sleep apnea, are known to reduce testosterone levels and affect REM cycles, which can result in fewer and weaker erections. 


Besides, when you're not sleeping well, you're not going to want as much sex either. Men who prioritize sleep often see improvements in mood, energy, libido and the frequency and quality of morning wood. For those interested in how sleep affects sexual health and how to improve their quality of sleep, I recommend listening to Episode 114 of the Dr. Sex Fairy Podcast, “Sleeping Your Way to Better Sex.”

Mental health plays a vital role in morning wood. Stress, anxiety, and depression are all known to interfere with hormone production, especially testosterone, which is critical for sexual health in both men and women. Chronic stress raises cortisol, a hormone that can inhibit testosterone production, leading to decreased libido and frequency of morning erections. Try managing stress through mindfulness, regular exercise, and when needed, mental health support. An interesting factor I see helping men's mental health is often an improvement in their physical health. When their erections and sexual performance improve after treatment at my Boca Raton practice Bawa Medical, it directly and positively impacts their psychological health. You see, they are now waking up harder, and the confidence and joy that it brings makes them wake up harder more often.

You have to make smart decisions when it comes to alcohol intake as well. Don't get conned into all that talk about a couple of glasses a day being healthy for you long term. While I enjoy a rare glass of wine, I am quite aware that alcohol is not good for me. Alcohol is actually a carcinogen. It is known to cause cancer. It messes with your hormones. It affects your liver. It even damages your DNA. Crazy but true. And can you imagine something that can do all this damage being good for your morning erections? If you want incredible morning word, ditch the alcohol.

Don't smoke either. Smoking damages circulation to every part of your body. It even lowers your nitric oxide levels which help your circulation. Men who smoke are twice as likely to develop erectile dysfunction than non-smokers.

Age is also a factor when it comes to lackluster morning erections because several issues start to affect you as you get older. There is a greater chance of more blockages in blood vessels. Hormones such as testosterone begin to decline surprisingly early in life. However, you are still a sexual being in your 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond. Chronic illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease can directly impact your morning erections as well. Optimizing your health overall will optimize your erections. 


Don't forget to take a look at any medications you are on if you are finding your sexual performance declining. Medications can sometimes have some very unwelcome side effects. As always, I will warn you to not stop taking medication until you speak to your doctor. With the right steps, supplements and treatments, you are still capable of having major morning wood.

Now, let’s delve deeper into the role of the nervous system in morning erections. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are two key players in the body’s ability to achieve and maintain erections, including those that happen at night. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body’s “fight or flight” response. When it is activated, whether by stress, anxiety, or even intense exercise, it can limit blood flow to non-essential areas, including the genitals. 


This reduction in blood flow can impact the frequency and quality of erections, because a stressed body will prioritize vital functions like heart rate and breathing over sexual functions. Chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system is often associated with high stress levels, which we know can significantly impact both physical and sexual health.

On the other hand, the parasympathetic nervous system, often referred to as the “rest and digest” system, is essential for relaxation and recovery. When it is active, blood flow is directed toward functions like digestion and sexual health. This system plays a vital role in the occurrence of nocturnal erections, including morning wood. During sleep, especially REM sleep, the parasympathetic nervous system promotes blood flow to the genitals, helping to maintain erectile function and keeping tissues healthy. If this system is disrupted, as often happens in cases of poor sleep or high stress, men will notice a decline in morning erections. When the nervous system is balanced, it supports great morning erections. 

At Bawa Medical, we provide cutting-edge treatments like BawaWave, for example, and utilize focused shockwaves to stimulate blood flow and improve circulation to penile and vaginal tissue. This treatment not only enhances the vascular health of the penis but also works in tandem with the parasympathetic nervous system to support natural erections. Similarly, BawaShot—our proprietary PRRM and exosome-based treatment—boosts tissue health and regeneration, giving an additional layer of support to those looking to maintain healthy erectile function. And these are just two of many Bawa Medical treatments geared towards giving you the sexual function and pleasure you deserve. Don't hesitate to contact me by calling 1-877-DRSEXFAIRY, or filling out the contact form at drsexfairy.com. 

My US-made Dr. Sex Fairy Supplements are very helpful for supporting sexual health, especially for men and women who are experiencing hormonal imbalances or reduced energy and libido. My supplement Renew is a testosterone booster. Enhance is a nitric oxide booster and increases blood flow. Passion increases desire or libido as well as sexual performance. They work best when taken together, but you can take them individually as well. You can find them linked in the podcast description or on drsexfairy.com. You can always give us a call if you need some guidance with the supplements.

As I bring this discussion to its home stretch, I want to emphasize that while morning wood may seem like a small part of life, it is a significant indicator of health. Regular morning erections reflect balanced hormones, quality blood flow, restful sleep, and a healthy mind-body connection. By paying attention to changes in morning wood and taking action when necessary, men can support their overall health. Morning wood acts as a daily check-in with your body, a reminder of how interconnected our physical and mental health truly are. Embrace this signal as a reminder of the importance of prioritizing your performance and health.

Thank you for listening to Dr. Sex Fairy. If you found this episode valuable, consider leaving the podcast and me a 5-star review. Follow me on TikTok @drsexfairy, Instagram @therealdrsexfairy, and YouTube at Dr. Sex Fairy. Visit my website, drsexfairy.com, for more information or to book a consultation with me. Don’t forget to subscribe to Dr. Sex Fairy for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Remember, a life well-lived is one where we honor both our physical and emotional needs, nurturing ourselves and our relationships. Morning wood is about more than just the body; it is about the joy, connection, and intimacy we share with our partners. By taking the time to understand and care for ourselves, we pave the way for deeper love and a richer, more fulfilling life. Until next time.