When a penis gets hard, it’s because the heart is pumping blood into the penis’s spongy tissue, called the corpus cavernosum — but it’s not coming back out as quickly.
“During erection, the blood flow stops because of the veins compressing,” says Gigi E, a certified sex educator.
“Keeping the blood in the penis makes the penis hard. This is a complex process that comes from signals in the brain sent to the tissues.”
When the brain receives a signal from something that you find arousing, Engle says, the peripheral nervous system is stimulated. This releases nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate, or cGMP, which dilates a person’s blood vessels and relaxes smooth muscles.
“All of this culminates together to cause erection,” Engle says. “The blood vessels are squashed and the blood doesn’t flow out. (This process is key in how Viagra works — a cGMP inhibitor).”
What to Do If You Lose an Erection
It is suggested by one specialist that one uses the “4-7-8 breathing technique.”
“This is a technique used by therapists to help calm the nervous system,” he says. “Breathe in for four seconds, hold the breath for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds.”
If something like that doesn’t work, it is also suggested you “laugh about it, relax and re-engage.”
“Criticizing yourself or your partner will only make it worse and more likely to occur again,” he explains.
“Preparation could be use of psychological techniques to limit anxiety, or could be use of ED medications to support erectile function and sexual confidence,” he added.
Penis rings, as well, can help mitigate erection loss.
