-- Malik

The Brothas Response:

Good question. A lot of men (and women) don't realize the frequency of this natural process. Here are the facts about these rigid visitors:

The erections you refer to are actually night time (nocturnal) erections which happen while you're asleep. Men begin having them in early childhood and they continue throughout adult life. They appear during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep -- the stage of sleep where dreaming occurs.

However, these involuntary erections have nothing to do with dreams or sexual excitement. They occur when neurological stimulators cause blood to flow into the penis. This ensures that oxygen is properly delivered to the penis and helps keep penile tissue healthy.

Men don't normally notice these erections, but may occasionally encounter them upon waking. About 4 or 5 of these hard episodes happen every night, and yes -- all men have them. Men who are unable to have an erection because of a psychological problem still have erections during the night.

Many men say that "morning" or nocturnal erections are noticeably harder than those during the day. This is normal, and a natural result of nocturnal erections.

The frequency of night time erections vary with age and only medical conditions such as sleep disorders or severe depression will keep some men from having them. In these cases, a urologist should be consulted.

All other men should be rock hard during those sleeping hours !

Signed,