An erection is often triggered when an individual becomes aroused by thinking about, seeing, or feeling something or someone who is sexually exciting. The brain sends signals that widen the arteries connected to the penis, allowing more blood to enter.
An erection begins with sensory and mental stimulation in your brain. Your brain sends messages to your penis via your nerves. Essentially, these messages tell the muscles of your corpora cavernosa (this contains the sponge-like material) to relax, allowing blood to flow in and fill the open spaces.
Causes of erectile dysfunction
This is usually caused by stress, tiredness or drinking too much alcohol, and it's nothing to worry about. It can also be a side effect of some medicines. If erectile dysfunction happens often, it may be caused by a condition such as: high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
A sudden hard-on is believed to be caused by fluctuating testosterone levels, and can happen frequently throughout the day and night, especially while you are sleeping.
Some guys experience many erections each day, whereas others may not experience any. Hormones fluctuate with age, sexual maturity, level of activity, and even the amount of sleep a guy gets. Unless your erections are causing you discomfort or pain, don't worry about how many you get.
How many times does a man get erect in a day? The average man has 11 erections each day, as well as many more when they are asleep. On average, a healthy man has three to five erections during a full night's sleep.
A penile erection can normally last anywhere from a few minutes to about half an hour. On average, men have five erections a night while they're sleeping, each lasting about 25 to 35 minutes (Youn, 2017).
When you have trouble achieving or maintaining an erection with a partner, it can be embarrassing – especially if it is happening for the first time. When something like this happens, it is easy to close yourself off and wallow in your worry and self-pity.
How can you maintain an erection? Healthy lifestyle habits can help your erections feel healthier and last longer. Eating well, exercising, abstaining from smoking or drinking alcohol, getting enough sleep, communicating with your partner, and reducing stress can all play a role in improving your sexual responsiveness.
"Men have plenty of self-control -- just as much as women," says Eastwick. "However, if men fail to use self-control, their sexual impulses can be quite strong. This is often the situation when cheating occurs."
Losing an erection or being unable to become erect often results from nerves, anxiety, or using alcohol or other drugs. Sometimes men worry about performance, and sometimes they're anxious about whether or not having intercourse is the right decision, or whether they're with the right partner.
You can experience erectile dysfunction in your 20s; it is normal and common. Many things could be causing your ED, including lifestyle factors, medications, or psychological stress. Overall, there is no need to worry, as there are many changes you can make and medications you can take to help manage your ED.
About a quarter of men said that erection problems started between age 50 and 59, and 40% said they started between age 60 and 69. Having chronic diseases and other risk factors matter with respect to ED, too.
“A lot of guys describe erections as feeling full and sensitive in a really pleasurable way if they happen at the right time,” Friedrichs says. “But an erection can start to feel pretty uncomfortable if it turns up at an unexpected time — say, like in the middle of math class.” Now that's a bit more awkward.
"Teenage boys can have a refractory period of a few minutes; a 30-year-old man is typically unable to have a second orgasm for half an hour or more; and for many men 50 years and older, one orgasm per day may be all they can achieve."
Viagra doesn't stop your erection going down after you ejaculate, so you'll likely lose your erection after you do. If you are having trouble orgasming too early then you may need separate treatment for premature ejaculation. You can get more than one erection while on Viagra.
“Dopamine and testosterone levels drop, and prolactin [a hormone produced by your pituitary gland] rises.” Elevated prolactin levels post-ejaculation could play a role in your inability to get it up again.
Generally, Viagra lasts around four hours. So it's important you don't take Viagra too long before you want to have sex, for example don't take Viagra in the morning if you expect to have sex at night.
Try talking dirty, telling him what you want to do next or what about him really turns you on. If he is really spinning, maybe just hold him and reassure him that you're both OK. If he needs some space, let him have it, but don't let him avoid the topic forever.
Male arousal can come from thoughts, fantasies or touch. Or, in science speak, this arousal is often referred to as reflexogenic (touch, sexual stimulation) and psychogenic (thoughts, fantasies).
Physical causes of overall sexual dysfunction may be: Low testosterone levels. Prescription drugs (antidepressants, high blood pressure medicine). Blood vessel disorders such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and high blood pressure.
"Even the perineum and anus, the nipples and other erogenous zones around the body." Mr Tilley says kissing, caressing, genital play and oral stimulation can all be experienced as pleasurable whether there is an erection or not.
What happens if a woman takes Viagra? Just as Viagra helps improve blood flow for an erection, it may improve blood flow in the female reproductive parts. When this happens, it may cause more sensitivity and stimulation, causing the person taking it to become more aroused.
Is There a Way To Tell if a Man is Taking Viagra? Wondering if your man is taking a pill to keep up his energy in bed? You could check his medicine cabinet, send an email to his doctor asking what prescription drugs he's on, or have his blood tested.