Urologists have advised men who no longer experience regular morning erections to take the change seriously and seek medical evaluation, warning it may signal underlying health concerns such as erectile dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, or cardiovascular problems.
Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, the specialists said men experiencing persistent absence of morning erections should undergo a full medical assessment, including hormone tests, semen analysis, and lifestyle checks, to identify possible causes and determine appropriate treatment.
Morning erections also known as nocturnal penile tumescence—are considered a common and natural occurrence in most men and are typically linked to increased blood flow and hormonal changes during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
Absence may signal deeper health issues
A consultant urologist, Dr. Emmanuel Eze, said the body’s ability to have consistent morning erections may reflect broader sexual and reproductive health.
He explained that men usually experience these erections three to five times per night, often without sexual arousal, and described them as part of the body’s normal functioning.
According to him, a persistent absence could indicate conditions such as low testosterone, erectile dysfunction, or poor vascular health, which may also affect fertility in some cases.
“While occasional changes in morning erections are normal as men age, a persistent lack of them could point to potential health problems such as erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, or even more serious conditions like heart disease,” Eze said.
He added that reduced blood flow or nerve function could affect erectile performance, noting that erectile dysfunction is sometimes an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease.
Link to fertility concerns
Eze further noted that erectile function plays a role in fertility because it supports consistent sexual activity and sperm delivery, even though lack of morning erections alone does not automatically mean a man is infertile.
He advised men noticing the change to consult a urologist for proper evaluation rather than self-diagnosing.
Another expert urges caution in interpretation
However, a Senior Registrar in Urology at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Akpo Edewor, cautioned that the absence of morning erections should not be treated as a definitive measure of sexual health.
He said factors such as stress, sleep patterns, and waking time can affect whether a man notices morning erections, adding that erectile health is better assessed by the ability to achieve an erection in response to sexual stimulation.
“Morning erections should not be viewed as the definitive measure of sexual health,” Edewor said, noting that erectile dysfunction is a broader condition influenced by factors such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and certain medications.
Call for medical evaluation
Both experts agreed that men experiencing persistent erectile concerns should seek professional guidance, as early medical assessment can help identify hidden health issues and allow for timely treatment through lifestyle changes, therapy, or medication where necessary.
