Another scientifically proven orgasm enhancer? If your partner is funny.
3. Orgasms May Affect Your Chances of Getting Pregnant — But Not That Much.
There’s a lot of debate about why the female orgasm evolved. One theory says that it actually serves to suck sperm up toward the womb, where it can fertilize an egg.
To test this theory, a study in Socioaffective Neuroscience & Psychology had women put a sperm-like substance into their vaginas and then masturbate. Those who orgasmed retained 4.1 mL of the fluid, while those who didn’t kept 3.3 mL. This suggests that orgasm could indeed promote pregnancy.
However, the difference was small, and other research has found no correlation between how often women orgasm during intercourse and how many children they have. So, others think the female orgasm is more likely an evolutionary byproduct of the male orgasm or serves another purpose, like toning the pelvic floor, selecting for attentive partners, or simply promoting interest in sex. Others still believe it exists because we evolved from mammals that needed to orgasm to ovulate.
4. Orgasms May Change Your Perception of Pain.
If you’ve had an orgasm, you’ve probably noticed that for that brief moment, you don’t have a care in the world. You might have even noticed that you can tolerate more intense touch when you experience sexual pleasure.
Now, there’s science to back this up. For a Rutgers University study, women masturbated and had their partners stimulate them in fMRI machines. They found an activation of the dorsal raphe nucleus, which releases serotonin, an analgesic neurotransmitter.
This could explain why women in another study were less likely to notice their fingers being squeezed during masturbation. (Read Masturbation: How Much Is Too Much?)
They also saw an increase in activity in brain regions involved in movement, sensory perception, memory and emotions — but they didn’t see the brain “switch off” like other researchers have claimed.
5. Orgasms Are Great For Your Health.
If you need an excuse to have more orgasms (which you shouldn’t), look no further than the health benefits. Orgasms can provide stress relief, help you sleep, improve your heart health, reduce headaches, fight off the flu and cold, and possibly even improve your partner’s mood.
So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and whip out your favorite vibrator (or partner). (Read How to Use a Vibrator.)
Your body will thank you for it.