What makes boners

Teenagers and young adults are more likely to get random erections, though they can occur in adult men too. Random erections that occur only in the morning are normal in many men, regardless of age. Occasionally having trouble getting or keeping an erection is not cause for concern either. However, if you notice a lot of changes in erection frequency or ability, it could be a sign of erectile dysfunction ED or another underlying medical issue.

A review reiterated that testosterone plays a significant role in sexual function. Another review from specifically looked at the role of testosterone in erections and found that there is also a connection.

While testosterone may play a role in causing random erections, erections are a result of many things happening in the body at once. A typical erection occurs when men become sexually aroused. As a result of that arousal, hormones, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels all work together to create an erection.

It begins when nerve signals in the brain stimulate penis muscles to relax. That allows blood to flow into the penis, filling it until an erection is achieved. Then the vessels close off to maintain the erection. After arousal, the veins to the penis reopen and let blood leave.

Nocturnal penile tumescence, which is sometimes called morning wood, may be caused by hormonal changes during the night or physical stimulation from contact with the bed sheets. A healthy male will typically experience 3 to 5 erections while asleep, each lasting 25 to 35 minutes. Levels of hormones also fluctuate throughout the day, particularly testosterone, and this can cause random erections.

In , a review of studies concluded that testosterone is essential in the formation of an erection. Ten years later, a separate review also suggested that this hormone plays a significant role in sexual functioning. It is normal for a person to be occasionally unable to produce or maintain an erection when sexually stimulated. This can be caused by fatigue or alcohol consumption. Or, there may be no clear reason. Physical and psychological factors cause ED, and recognizing which are responsible can help to determine the best treatment.

If someone experiences random erections and frequent inability to produce and maintain an erection when stimulated, the condition is likely caused by psychological factors. Physical causes may include problems with the nerves or blood flow, and medications such as sildenafil Viagra , can help to increase blood flow to the penis.

However, random erections are a possible side effect of these medications. These chambers extend from the head of your penis deep into the pelvis. The insides of these chambers are made of spongy tissue and have the ability to gain blood volume and grow in size. This provides the blood flow needed to keep your tissue healthy. Figure 1. The magic happens when you become aroused. In response to physical or mental stimulation, your brain sends signals to trigger a hormonal response that allows those same arteries to open completely.

Figure 2. Open arteries allow more blood to enter the corpora cavernosa. 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.

If you're concerned, talk to your doctor, who can answer your questions and probably put your mind at ease. Because erections usually aren't controllable, there's not much you can do to avoid getting them.

Unless the penis is stimulated enough to ejaculate, time is the only thing that will help them go away.