The Anatomy of Pleasure: Why Sex Feels Pleasurable
The genital area plays an important role in the process of sexual intercourse. However, pleasure during sex affects many other parts of the body. The brain plays an important role in this regard.
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It is in this organ that hormones that support sexual pleasure are produced. They are also responsible for interpreting certain sensations as pleasant. One 2016 study found that the brain is actually the most important “sex organ.” Scientists have found that orgasm is a state of heightened sensation. It”s like a trance.
Stages of sexual intercourse
In the 1960s, researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson identified four different stages of sexual arousal. Each of them affects the body in a certain way.
- Excitement. During this phase, pleasant sensations are perceived from the surfaces of various parts of the body. The tissues of the genital organs (eg, penis, vagina, clitoris) fill with blood. This increases the sensitivity of the nerves in these areas of the body. Increased blood flow also helps produce vaginal lubrication.
- Plateau. During this phase, arousal continues to increase. The vagina, penis and clitoris become even more sensitive. During the plateau phase, arousal levels may fluctuate. It decreases, increases, and then decreases again.
The pelvic muscles in both men and women contract during orgasm. In representatives of the stronger sex, these sensations extend to the rectum, penis and pelvis. Women experience contractions of the muscles of the vagina, uterus and rectum. Several climax spasms cover the entire body.
- The final stage. After achieving orgasm, the body relaxes and returns to its original state that preceded arousal. Most men do not experience a second orgasm immediately after ejaculation. Some women actually have this ability.
Read also: I don’t feel pleasure from sex — what should I do?
Research has shown that women who do not enjoy intimacy with men have special beliefs about themselves and sex. Simply put, phobias and.
At the last stage, most women and men enter the so-called refractory phase. During this period, the person does not respond to sexual stimulation.
For what reason does sex feel good? Hormonal “cocktail” of sexual intercourse
For physical intimacy to be pleasant, the human brain must consider the sensations received during this period as such. Nerve endings in the sexual sensation zone send signals to the brain. The brain then converts them and produces various sexual sensations.
At the same time, communication between the brain and body occurs through special substances called neurotransmitters. Some of them list:
What women experience during sex
- Prolactin. Its level increases immediately after climax.
- Dopamine. A hormone associated with motivation and reward, it increases sexual desire.
- Oxytocin. Known as the “love hormone”. The body produces it immediately after orgasm.
Why is sex not always pleasant?
However, intimacy does not always bring pleasure. About 75% of women say that at some point in their lives intimacy has been uncomfortable and painful.
For women, causes of pain during sex include
- Vulvar pain. This is a chronic condition that causes severe pain during and after sex.
- Vaginal infections (including thrush).
- Muscle damage (for example, after childbirth).
- Hormonal changes leading to vaginal dryness and pain.
- In men, pain may occur for the following reasons:
- Abnormalities in the structure of the penis (for example, foreskin).
- Infection.
- Prostate diseases.
- Some causes are common to both sexes.
- Rape story.
- Boredom with a partner.
- Sexual activity that does not meet a person”s needs.
- Venereal diseases.
If sex brings pain rather than pleasure for a long time, be sure to consult a doctor. The sooner the cause is identified, the greater the chance of maintaining health.
