It is normal for a man to have five to six erections during sleep, especially during rapid eye movement (REM). Their absence may indicate a problem with nerve function or blood supply in the penis. There are two methods for measuring changes in penile rigidity and circumference during nocturnal erection: snap gauge and strain gauge. A significant proportion of men who have no sexual dysfunction nonetheless do not have regular nocturnal erections.
- Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT)
This penile tumescence monitor is placed at the base and near the corona of the penis. It is connected to a monitor that records a continuous graph depicting the force and duration of erections that occur during sleep. The monitor is strapped to the leg. The nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) test is conducted on several nights to obtain an accurate indication of erections that normally occur during the alpha phase of sleep.
A number of devices have been developed to determine if an erection occurs during sleep. This snap gauge is fastened around the penis but opens when an erection occurs.
