Erections are a normal part of the way the male body works, mainly during puberty.

What Is an Erection?

An erection is when the penis gets hard because sponge-like tissue in it fills with blood. Erections tend to make the penis get bigger and stand away from the body.

Erections can go away on their own or after ejaculation (the release of semen through the small hole at the tip of the penis).

Ejaculating at night during sleep is called a nocturnal emission or “wet dream.” You can have several erections each night during sleep.

What Causes Erections?

The hormones (chemical messengers) that trigger puberty cause a lot of changes in the body. One of these is erections.

Many erections are caused by sexual arousal, like watching a sexy show or having a fantasy. But a lot of erections seem to happen for no real reason.

If you've had an erection at an odd time — like in the middle of a boring lesson — there's nothing wrong with you. Your body is acting normally for someone your age.

Am I Getting Too Many Erections?

Everyone is different, so there’s not a "normal" number of erections. Some people have many of them each day. Others don’t have any.

The hormones that cause erections change with age, how far you are into puberty, how active you are, and even the amount of sleep you get. Unless your erections bother you or are painful, don't worry about how many you have. But if you're concerned, talk with your doctor.

Can I Avoid Getting Erections?

You can't really control erections, so there's not much you can do to avoid getting them. Sometimes erections can happen when you least expect them or you really don’t want one. If you're around other people, try thinking about something else. To hide it, try to shift your position, readjust your clothes to cover it, or excuse yourself to go to the bathroom if needed.

As your hormones settle down and you go through puberty, you should get fewer unexpected erections and wet dreams.