11 years ago I had a nocturnal penile plethysmograph test for ED. You sleep for a night with a small data recorder strapped to your thigh. Attached to the data recorder are a pair of rings that fit gently around your penis. The rings mechanically constrict every few seconds, and the recorder measures your penis’s resistance to that constriction. Flaccid? The rings contract easily without much resistance. Erect? the rings encounter resistance when they contract. Unlike the one-shot postage stamp, the data recorder builds a record of erectile activity over the course of the entire night.
The local liquor store was running a promotion on a wine. I snerked when I read the name: Morningwood wine. The clerks really didn’t care to comment on this when I asked “really?”, I guess they had heard enough already.
After reading this thread, I’m starting to wonder if I should try a bottle or two.
There have been numerous tests conducted on sleeping subjects. Erections during REM sleep are well-documented. Similar arousal is found in women during REM sleep.
Both are measured by sensors while an EEG is being taking. REM sleep gives a recognizable patter on EEGs and other sensors confirm that an erection is present.
It’s mind-boggling ironic that you’re complaining about scientists relying on anecdotes only to support your side simply by supplying an anecdote. The difference is that the effect has been studied and is so dependable that a lack of it is a sign of erectile problems. Do you really think doctors use this as a tool if there hasn’t been studies that proved it so?
As Machine Elf confirms, doctors use this fact as a diagnostic tool. They’ve just moved on from postage stamps.
And tdn raises and important question that you need to answer: if it’s caused by needing to pee, why don’t you get erections during the day when you have a full bladder?
Machine Elf, no probe up your behind, though? I have a book on sleep and it describes the methodology for the R.E.M. study that wiki article alluded to - for both men and women they also had anal probes, not just a ring around the penis/some sort of probe to monitor the clitoris.
All I can say is that the folks they studied must be champion sleepers because I can’t imagine sleeping with probes in both orifices!
As I recall, Dr. Oz or some other physician discussed this on The View, which piqued the interest of the cohosts and largely female audience. He said it is a simple natural part of the male process - all night long Mister Ed goes up and down, up and down. It’s sort of like nature is verifying all systems are go. If you wake up at “full mast” time, morning wood.
He also mentioned it is an indicator of true medically-caused ED problems when this does not happen.
Back before pyjamas, I assume there would have been an evolutionary advantage to this function.
It has regular blood flow; except when inflated, the flow is somewhat limited. (Hence the “if you have an erection that lasts more than 4 hours…” warning).
They say humour is lost on some people. Back in the cavemen days, there was a reproductive advantage to frequently being locked and loaded while sleeping in a huddled mass group.