15 Things You Didn't Know About Orgasms

Ever since mankind’s arms became long enough to touch themselves, we’ve been on the constant hunt for bigger and better orgasms. But how much do you actually know about the big ‘O’? Sammi Cole, in-house expert at Lovehoney, the Sexual Happiness People, tells us more.

1. You can have orgasms without direct genital stimulation.

There have been tons of documented cases of people who are able to climax without their genitals being touched. From sleep orgasms, to orgasms brought on by stroking eyebrows or knees, to just thinking about an orgasm, the physical response can be brought on by just about anything!

2. There are at least 12 different kinds of female orgasms. 

Sexpert Carlen Costa believes that she has identified a dozen different kinds of female orgasm, including G-spot, clitoral, nipple, kissing, anal, cervical, and mental orgasm. Wowsas.

3. Your pain threshold can more than double at the moment of climax.

In 2 studies of 10 women, it was found that at the moment of orgasm, their pain thresholds increased by 74.6% and 106.7% respectively. It also acts as a natural form of pain relief. Hey, it’s more fun than taking ibuprofen.

4. Orgasms get easier (and better) the older you get. 

According to research scientist, Debby Herbernick, 61% of women aged 18-24 experienced orgasms the last time they had sex, compared to 65% of those in their thirties, and 70% of women in their forties and fifties.

5. Sexologists can ‘read’ a woman’s orgasm history by studying her walk.

They believe that the same physiology that helps to determine the way you walk could also affect your likelihood of experiencing a vaginal orgasm. In a study, those with longer strides and greater swivelling of the hips were found to most commonly have an orgasm from internal stimulation.

6. During male orgasm, the same area of the brain is stimulated as the part which responds to a heroin rush. 

The cerebellum also shows heightened activity during listening to pleasurable music, sexual arousal, and financial reward.

7. It is possible for men to also have multiple orgasms. 

Though it often takes training, a man can have more than one orgasm in one session of sexual stimulation, as the male orgasm and ejaculation are actually two separate reactions. The earliest recorded instance of this dates back almost 5,000 years.

8. An orgasm affects almost every system in your body. 

Though it’s felt primarily in the brain, an orgasm also increases your heart rate and breathing, tenses the muscles in your stomach and thighs, and, of course, causes a rhythmic contraction of your genitals.

9. The first report of female orgasm comes from Aristotle, around 2,500 years ago. 

He speaks of a fluid that comes from a woman’s uterus that, “far exceeds” the ejaculate of the man.

10. It’s possible for a dead body to experience an orgasm. 

According to Mary Roach, the author of Bonk, spinal reflexes can be used to trigger a climax response in people who are declared medically dead, but who are being kept artificially ‘alive’ for organ transplant.

11.  When a person (particularly a woman) experiences climax, the parts of the brain that process fear ‘shut down. 

The amygdala and hippocampus, which play a big part in our fears and anxieties, decrease in activity.

12.  Men who ejaculate more than five times a week are less likely to develop prostate cancer. 

An Australian study in 2003 found that regular ejaculation flushes out the cancer-causing toxins from the bladder and urethra, decreasing the likelihood of a tumour forming in the prostate gland by up to a third. 

13.   Men can experience a ‘dry orgasm’ in which semen travels to the bladder instead of down the urethra. 

Also known as a retrograde orgasm, this unusual phenomenon isn’t harmful but can cause infertility if left untreated, and can be caused by nerve damage, medications, or surgery.

14.  A woman’s orgasm lasts for around 18 seconds, whereas a man’s lasts for an average of 22 seconds. 

The length of an orgasm varies massively, but generally, tends to be longer in men

15.  Regular orgasms can help you look up to seven years younger.

A study carried out by Dr David Weeks found that people who looked younger than their actual age claimed to have sex more than 50% more often than those who looked their age or older.

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