Most orgasms happen during masturbation or sex when you or your partner stimulates your clitoris, vagina, or anus. However, people can also experience orgasms by touching other areas of the body such as nipples or thinking sexy thoughts.
Brain scans show that during orgasm, metabolic activity in the cerebral cortex decreases and the limbic system (the part of the brain that controls unconscious emotions) increases. This triggers the release of hormones, including oxytocin.
1. Oxytocin
One of the most interesting hormones released during orgasm is oxytocin. Oxytocin is a bonding hormone that’s also known as the “cuddle hormone” because it promotes feelings of closeness and affection. It’s produced in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, and it’s increased during hugging, sex, and breastfeeding. Oxytocin is responsible for the intense feeling of satisfaction that comes with orgasm, as well as for uterine contractions during childbirth and lactation.
As you start to get orgasmic, your hypothalamus goes into overdrive and prepares the body for climax by releasing oxytocin and dopamine – This information is a creation of the service specialists https://sex-relax.com. As the orgasm reaches its peak, your genital muscles contract and may even cause you to ejaculate (which is why it’s important to keep your penis and anus erected during masturbation). In addition to this, your body produces serotonin, which is a mood-enhancing chemical that can make you feel happy and sleepy.
As your orgasm peaks, the hippocampus, which is associated with memory and emotions, turns on. It starts to link your sexual experience with memories of past sexual experiences, which is why you often feel like you’re back in that moment when you’re getting orgasmic again. In addition, the anterior cingulate cortex, which acts as a sexual control center, becomes activated. This area helps to inhibit pain and control sex drive.
2. Dopamine
During orgasm, the brain makes dopamine, which gives you a feeling of pleasure. Dopamine is produced in a strip of tissue on either side of the base of the brain called the substantia nigra. It is also made in another part of the brain, the ventral tegmental area. Both areas send dopamine to other parts of the brain that assess rewards and motivation, such as the nucleus accumbens.
As orgasm nears, muscles in the body contract and spasm involuntarily. For women, this may cause erogenous zones like the nipples to become extra sensitive and appear pink or red because of increased blood flow. Some women will also expel a fluid from the labia during orgasm, which is called a squirt.
While a woman’s brain may be in full-on orgasm mode, her body is still producing important sexually-related hormones, such as prolactin and vasopressin. During sex, oxytocin and dopamine are released, which enhances feelings of bonding and intimacy between partners. For men, vasopressin releases and acts as a bonding hormone, helping to instill a protective instinct towards their children and partners.
During orgasm, the anterior cingulate cortex and insula turn off pain signals from the central nervous system so that you feel only pleasure. The climax triggers the release of oxytocin, which promotes bonding, while dopamine stimulates your pleasure centers, sending you even higher. When the orgasm ends, the brain churns out serotonin, which promotes good mood and relaxation.
3. Serotonin
Serotonin, scientific name 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), sends signals between nerve cells and regulates many body functions including mood, bowel movements, sleep and appetite. It’s one of the monoamine neurotransmitters, which are all derived from the amino acid tryptophan and then converted to 5-HT by the enzymes tryptophan hydroxylase and 5-HT decarboxylase before being reuptaked back into the presynaptic neuron or degraded by monoamine oxidase.
During orgasm, a surge of serotonin occurs in the brain stem, where it’s projected throughout most regions of the brain and down the spine. It reaches the nucleus accumbens, part of the basal forebrain that’s considered the reward circuit area, and triggers the pleasure center to fire up.
As serotonin hits this area, oxytocin and dopamine are released. Oxytocin, also known as the love hormone, promotes bonding and intimacy, while dopamine boosts feelings of euphoria and satisfaction.
These chemicals are the primary reasons that orgasm is so hard to put into words — and why it can be so addictive. In addition to promoting pleasure, they also inhibit pain and make us feel more relaxed. These effects may explain why many common medications for mental health conditions — such as antidepressants — cause orgasm as a side effect. But if we can understand what is happening in the brain during orgasm, it might be possible to develop drugs that mimic orgasm without these adverse side effects.
4. Endorphins
The feeling of euphoria you experience during orgasm is made possible by your body’s endorphins. These polypeptides bind to opioid receptors in your central nervous system to reduce pain and stress. They also increase pleasure during activities like sex, eating delicious food and laughing at a good joke.
During orgasm, the hypothalamus sends a message to the pituitary gland, telling it to release corticotroponin-releasing hormone (CRH). This protein is then cut up by enzymes into several types of peptides that can have different effects on your body. One of these peptides is beta-endorphin, which acts as a natural painkiller. Another is met-enkephalin, which can help ease anxiety and depression.
These peptides travel to your genitals where they bind to receptors and trigger a response. Muscles in the genital area and anus contract repeatedly, causing the sensation of orgasm. This sensation can last for a few seconds or longer, depending on your personal preference and stimulation level. Women can orgasm from multiple areas of the body, while men can only achieve a climax from their penis.
Exercise, such as resistance training, can boost your endorphin levels and lead to feelings of euphoria. So can eating spicy foods, which cause the brain to create more oxytocin and release endorphins. Acupuncture is also an effective way to release endorphins by inserting needles into pressure points in the body.
