# If I have an erection in a dream, do I actually have one? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 25, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-an-erection-in-a-dream-do-i-actually-have-one/256750 "2004-07-25T01:47:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PaulFitzroy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2acd7d/32.png) [@PaulFitzroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulFitzroy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-an-erection-in-a-dream-do-i-actually-have-one/256750/1 "2004-07-25T01:47:42Z")
At the risk of sounding immature I’ll ask this puzzling question. I had a dream last night during which there were long (ha!) periods of me having an erection. I won’t explain the context, but I was conscious of the erection in my dream and could even feel the pressure of it against my jeans (I have very vivid dreams.) Was I indeed sporting a boner as I slept? Or was this strictly my imagination? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-an-erection-in-a-dream-do-i-actually-have-one/256750/2 "2004-07-25T02:07:16Z")
Males typically have erections whenever they are in REM (dreaming) sleep, so you have an erection when you are dreaming even when you are not dreaming about having an erection. Females also have clitoral erections during REM sleep… ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-an-erection-in-a-dream-do-i-actually-have-one/256750/3 "2004-07-25T02:08:14Z")
I can’t really speak for you, but every time I’ve woken from from a dream in which I was erect, I actually was. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-an-erection-in-a-dream-do-i-actually-have-one/256750/4 "2004-07-26T01:40:21Z")
I don’t know. Would you like me to stay the night and check it out? :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PaulFitzroy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2acd7d/32.png) [@PaulFitzroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulFitzroy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-an-erection-in-a-dream-do-i-actually-have-one/256750/5 "2004-07-26T01:56:44Z")
Send me your picture first. ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-an-erection-in-a-dream-do-i-actually-have-one/256750/6 "2004-07-26T05:39:49Z")
If your erection dreams are recurring, you can always try the Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) stamp test, detailed on [this page](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003339.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Kegg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Kegg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kegg)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-an-erection-in-a-dream-do-i-actually-have-one/256750/7 "2004-07-26T06:49:22Z")
On that “nocturnal penile tumescence” test, can you have your girl friend lick the stamps? * * * Spelling and grammer subject to change without notice. ---
**Author:** ![PaulFitzroy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2acd7d/32.png) [@PaulFitzroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulFitzroy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-have-an-erection-in-a-dream-do-i-actually-have-one/256750/8 "2004-07-26T07:35:41Z")
I’d do it but they don’t make stamps big enough. Bing-Bam-Pow!