# Guys, why does this happen to us (slightly TMI) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 19, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689 "2010-02-19T21:22:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689/21 "2010-02-20T13:54:07Z")
It happens to me all the time, since I rarely sleep. ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689/22 "2010-02-20T21:12:38Z")
I thought I had read somewhere that “morning wood” and an erection when really needing to urinate was because you cant pee if you have an erection, therefore your body is stopping you from pissing yourself. I am hoping for bonus points for the use of urinate, pee and piss in the same sentence to show my grasp of the english language. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689/23 "2010-02-20T22:53:29Z")
I get em when I’m just especially comfortable or cozy. Not sure why, but for obvious reasons this lines up with being sleepy too. Probably something to do with being so relaxed and warm, your blood just gets to flowing, and BINGO! ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689/24 "2010-02-20T23:26:16Z")
I work bakery hours so this has happened to me fairly regularly. I think the ‘microsleep’ theory or something similar explains it. I am convinced that it is not a result of being aroused by something around you based on when it happens to me. My mind is usually pretty much gone at that point and I’m not paying attention to the world around me. The sensation from the erection is different too, not particularly urgent or erotic (it is, perhaps, sensual but it is not really erotic). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689/25 "2010-02-21T00:37:37Z")
Never happened to me. ---
**Author:** ![Maryna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@Maryna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maryna)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689/26 "2010-02-21T02:52:33Z")
Happens to me, I mean un-stimulated arousal when tired, particularly to the extent that I find it difficult to fall asleep. I always thought it’s one of those let’s-get-last-chance-at-multiplying-before-I-die mechanisms. Find it useful, anyways, 'coz it makes snoozing off easier. While reading this thread, I did some basic googling, and came up with [this](http://www.springerlink.com/content/k14277002784745n/). Nothing on sleep deprivation as such, but I have learned something I never thought to ask about before. This board is educational. ---
**Author:** ![TurboNuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@TurboNuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TurboNuke)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689/27 "2010-02-21T03:20:44Z")
I get horny when Im tired sometimes also. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689/28 "2010-02-22T12:34:20Z")
Isn’t the physiology of an erection actually a relaxing to let blood flow into the penis? Wouldn’t being in that tired/relaxed state likely be the mechanism at work here? ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689/29 "2010-02-22T12:53:34Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Isn’t the physiology of an erection actually a relaxing to let blood flow into the penis? Wouldn’t being in that tired/relaxed state likely be the mechanism at work here? That’s what I was thinking. Your body goes into a relaxed state, relaxing your eyes, arms, legs… and penis. It could explain it. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689/30 "2010-02-22T13:30:31Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Don’t use guys and us in relation to this topic. This phenomena does not happen to me. That’s a tad touchy for the second post in. To the OP, I imagine it’s the opposite but equal effect to “morning wood”. Something to do with feeling relaxed and not at all focussed on the crap of the day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-why-does-this-happen-to-us-slightly-tmi/529689.md?page=1)