Orgasm: The Science Behind Pleasure
If you ask people what an orgasm actually is, you will usually get answers like: “Orgasm is the peak of pleasure.”, “An electrifying tingling sensation that runs through the entire body” or other adjectives like: “Ecstatic, overwhelming, satisfying, explosive, fulfilling, sensual, invigorating, weightless.”, are used.
In our society, orgasm is often seen as an essential part or, better yet, the essence of the sexual experience. It is often referred to as THE peak of pleasure. But how exactly does this “climax” actually occur? What happens in the body and why do so many people describe it in similar ways?
Let's unravel the mystery surrounding this fascinating topic. Here you will find out everything that has to work together in the body so that an orgasm can occur and it feels fulfilling and satisfying.
1. Hormones
Sexual arousal (which can arise from special thoughts, stimulation of the sexual organ or other erogenous zones) leads to a release of neurotransmitters and certain hormones in the body.
Each of the hormones is responsible for a different component and when they are released together, they cause an increased feeling of pleasure.
Dopamine, for example, is known as one of the “happiness hormones” and is often called the “reward hormone”. When it comes to orgasm, it is responsible for making sexual stimulation feel pleasant and rewarding. Increased release of dopamine in the brain can increase the desire for sexual activity. Serotonin, also often referred to as one of the “happiness hormones,” plays an important role in regulating mood and emotions. When this hormone is released, relaxation spreads throughout the body and promotes a feeling of general well-being. The hormone released by physical touch is called oxytocin. This hormone is also known as: “bonding hormone”. It plays an important role in building social bonds and relationships. It helps build trust and promotes a feeling of closeness and affection. However, these hormones are not only responsible for pleasant emotions, but also trigger several other body reactions.
2. Blood circulation
Erotic stimuli such as: sensual touch, erotic fantasies, visual stimuli or smells activate the sympathetic nervous system. These stimuli send signals to the brain that put the body into an aroused state.
Among other things, the release of the hormones mentioned above leads to increased blood flow in the body during sexual arousal. This is because the sympathetic nervous system is activated during sexual arousal, resulting in an increase in blood flow. This, in turn, causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure and dilation of blood vessels, especially in the genitals. This means that the erectile tissue in the penis or clitoris fills with blood and an erection occurs, making you even more sensitive.
3. Muscles:
As soon as sexual excitement begins, a certain amount of tension arises in the body. How high this tension is, however, varies greatly. The tension increases as arousal increases and during orgasm a series of muscle contractions occur in the body, particularly in the pelvic floor muscles, genitals and lower back.
The muscle contractions during orgasm are caused by the release of sex hormones and neurotransmitters in the body, which trigger the excitation and contraction of the muscles. The hormone oxytocin is particularly responsible for this. It increases muscle contractions, thereby creating a more intense feeling of satisfaction. Orgasm always has something to do with body tension and relaxation. However, how, where and how strong each person experiences these muscle contractions depends on various factors, such as the type of sexual stimulation, the level of sexual arousal and sexual preferences.
4. Breathing
When you are excited and especially when you have an orgasm, your breathing rhythm also changes. It may become more irregular, faster or flatter. Some people have difficulty breathing when excited. This means that they repeatedly hold their breath and only inhale briefly. When orgasm occurs, some people also hold their breath before exhaling deeply. For many, this increases the feeling of relief and satisfaction after orgasm. For others, however, deep, regular breathing leads to a more intense sensation of orgasm.
Do you want to know how you can orgasm better or how you can experience even more intense orgasms? You can specifically influence some of the components mentioned above and thereby control the experience of orgasm. By specifically tensing or relaxing certain parts of the body, for example, or by changing your breathing, you can achieve a more intense or longer feeling of orgasm.
However, the prerequisite for such experiments is that you know how to reach orgasm without changing anything. Step 1 would be to pay attention to how your breathing changes when you masturbate or even when you have sex. How do you move your body during this and which parts of your body do you perhaps tense or let loose?
If you can answer these questions, please continue reading here. Where I will go into this topic again in more detail.
In conclusion, it is not surprising that almost everyone describes orgasm as fulfilling and invigorating. Here I have listed just a few of the many changes in the body that happen before and during an orgasm. Which muscles do you tense particularly strongly during orgasm? How do you breathe when you are highly aroused? How do you feel after an orgasm?
