What is an orgasm and what types are there?
“An orgasm is a sudden, uncontrollable release of sexual tension, accompanied by rhythmic contractions of the muscles of the genitals. It cannot be confused with anything: if you are not sure whether you had an orgasm, then you did not.
This process occurs in the cerebral cortex, and everything else is just a way to achieve it. Usually, women experience orgasm as a result of stimulation of the clitoris. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a “button”, but a large organ, the internal part of which covers the urethra, vagina, and sometimes even reaches the anus. It is the location of the clitoris that affects the possibility of achieving orgasm during a particular type of sex, for example, during vaginal penetration, its legs can be stimulated. The vagina itself is not that sensitive, so it is normal not to have an orgasm from vaginal sex.” Sexologist Emily Nagoski writes about this in her book “How a Woman Wants”: “Despite the tireless attempts of women’s magazines and even some researchers to identify and classify different types of female orgasms—orgasm from G-spot stimulation, mixed, vaginal, intrauterine, and all the rest—there is only one orgasm. It is simply a sudden release of sexual tension, achieved in various ways. From the point of view of anatomy, physiology, and even evolution, it makes no sense to talk about different types of orgasm depending on the stimulation of different parts of the body.”
How often do women have orgasms?
According to an analysis of 33 scientific studies, only 25% of women regularly experience orgasm as a result of penis-vaginal contact, regardless of the duration of sex, penis size, or the warmth of the relationship between the partners. This is due to the closer location of the clitoris to the entrance to the vagina - that is, it is a result of the peculiarities of the anatomy of a particular woman. The situation is approximately the same with multiple orgasms: according to statistics, 42% of women have experienced them at least once in their lives. At the same time, 92.4% of women are able to achieve orgasm from masturbation, and about 5% have never achieved it, under any circumstances.
As a result of the study, in which more than 52 thousand people took part, it was found that orgasm occurs regularly in 65% of heterosexual women and 95% of heterosexual men. The researchers pointed to a direct relationship between the presence of orgasms in women and the frequency of oral caresses and manual stimulation of the genitals in their address.
To achieve orgasm during sex with a partner, a woman needs an average of 14 minutes, a man - 5.4 minutes. At the same time, a woman's orgasm lasts 13-51 seconds, and a man's - 10-30.
What happens to the brain during orgasm?
As a result of touching different erogenous zones, signals are sent to the brain. At the stage of excitement, dopamine is actively released in response - a neurotransmitter associated with the anticipation of pleasure. The main group of neurotransmitters in the plateau phase are endorphins associated with positive emotions. During orgasm, oxytocin joins them - it is responsible for the formation of closeness and attachment. Using MRI, scientists saw that at the peak moment, about 30 systems located in different parts of the brain are activated. "There is no orgasm center. It is everywhere," said American neurobiologist, author of the book "The Science of Orgasm" Barry Komisaruk.
What influences achieving orgasm and the pleasure it brings?
According to research, clitoral stimulation during penetrative sex helps women experience orgasm more often. At the same time, according to Emily Nagoski, the quality of orgasm is primarily influenced by the context, not the technique. Moreover, the specialist claims that it is not always associated with pleasure. As an example, she cites situations when women experience orgasms during exercise, in sleep, or even during rape. She states: “This is essentially just a reflex that says nothing about pleasure or consent. <…> The quality of orgasm is a function not of the orgasm itself, but of the context in which it occurs.” Explaining the secret to getting pleasant sensations, she writes: “Science tells us that shame, condemnation, frustration, and fear weaken orgasmic sensations, while acceptance, goodwill, confidence, and joy enhance them.”
A woman can achieve the greatest pleasure if she feels good physically and emotionally: she has slept well, is well-fed, and is safe. There is even data showing that people were 30% more likely to achieve orgasm if they were wearing socks — it turned out that the subjects were simply cold. The author of the study, Gert Holstege, explained it this way: in order to calm the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, the areas of the brain responsible for signals of anxiety, fear, and danger, you need to be in a pleasant environment in which you feel comfortable and protected.
But an obsessive desire to experience an orgasm can also cause unnecessary stress, which will prevent you from achieving your goal. Therefore, sexologist Valeria Shmakova recommends: “You don’t need to treat an orgasm as an end in itself; it would be strange to make so many body movements for the sake of these seconds. After all, sex is pleasure and one of the ways adults communicate.”
