Sexual Enjoyment and the Brain

How psychology can improve your intimate experiences

Enjoying intimate time with your partner doesn’t just come from the smooth moves you’ve come to love. As you bond with your partner, your brain lays the foundation for an intense mental, emotional and physical connection.

It’s all about the DO

While it isn't always given credit, your brain is your greatest sexual organ. When you have an intimate experience with your partner, your brain secretes pleasure and emotional bond-enhancing hormones and neurotransmitters. Dopamine and oxytocin, also known as DO, are two of these substances. According to the veteran neuroscientist, Dr. Daniel Amen, these reactions activate areas, "...deep within the brain, triggering feelings of pleasure, motivation, and reward."

It’s a hormone thing

Your brain controls the release of hormones throughout the day. Those warm, fuzzy feelings you get around your partner are reinforced during an intimate time and program your brain to begin releasing DO before you even get cuddly. That helps you and your partner bond, too.

Intensify the experience

There are several ways you can increase the intimacy between you and your partner, while simultaneously increasing your sensual pleasure. Because your brain stores memories from your past experiences with your partner, even the thought of your partner can send DO flooding through your system, arousing you without your partner even being in the room. Sending flirtatious texts back and forth throughout the day is one way to intensify your romantic time. Another way is to spend time exploring one another. The longer you’re aroused, the more pleasure you will feel and the deeper the bond you create with your partner.

Getting creative

Intimacy and pleasure come from so much more than just physical touch. It’s in the way you communicate and play with your partner. You can incorporate aphrodisiacs, such as vanilla, chocolate, honey and cinnamon to enhance your senses. However, if you're feeling a little more adventurous, you might want to explore the use of warming lubricants, like K-Y® Warming® jelly. Experimenting and being creative with your partner allows you to open your body to all of the pleasure your brain has created for you.

References

• Brain during sex: What happens in our heads during pleasure
• 25 Foods that are Natural Aphrodisiacs
• Understand What Sex Does to Your Brain
• The Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Female Sexuality

About the Author

Polly Anna has been writing articles about relationships, intimacy, sexual wellness, and interpersonal well-being since 2012. Her articles have appeared in "Kindred Spirit" magazine, "Wake-Up World News," "Spiritual Awakening" magazine, and more. Polly Anna holds a Master of Science in psychology and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing, with a Bachelor's in theater.