What is an orgasm? An orgasm is an emotional and physical experience that occurs during a “sexual response cycle.” Before an orgasm, your body becomes increasingly excited. Breathing, heart rate and blood pressure increases. The pupils of the eyes dilate; the lips of the mouth darken, the nipples become erect, the clitoris swells, becomes hard and exposed, (much like the aroused penis). With increased excitement, the skin becomes flushed and it begins to sweat. In women the labia, clitoris, vagina and pelvic organs enlarge in very much the same way as the aroused penis enlarges. Sometimes there is a plateau of excitement which is held for several minutes before you are about to orgasm.

Orgasm is the point at which all the tension is suddenly released in a series of involuntary and pleasurable muscular contractions that may be felt in the vagina and/or uterus (some women do experience orgasms without contractions).

The orgasm happens when excitement seems to go over the edge ~ a climax or crescendo is reached which may last several seconds or longer. During orgasm the body stiffens and the muscles contract.
Involuntary muscle contractions and spasms may occur in various parts of the body, including your legs, stomach, arms, and back. The muscles of the vagina relax and contract rapidly, as do the muscles of the uterus. The glands of the vagina (Bartholin’s glands) discharge a watery secretion, which acts to lubricate the vagina.

The main physical changes that occur during a sexual experience are a result of vasocongestion. This is the accumulation of blood in various parts of the body. Muscular tension increases and other changes occur throughout your body also.

According to this article from Forbes there are many benefits of orgasm and sex. You have an improved sense of smell, reduced risk of heart disease, weight loss (sex is exercise after all), reduced depression, pain relief, a better immune system, better teeth, a happy prostate, and better bladder control.
In a study in 2001 a study found that having sex three or more times a week, men reduced their risk of heart attack or stroke by half. You can burn up to 200 calories which is about as much as running on the treadmill for about 15 minutes.

You can read more about it here.

It’s no secret that many women have multiple orgasms. Masters and Johnson documented this occurrence more than 25 years ago. But, do they serve a purpose besides from a pleasurable one? Theories suggest that muscular contractions associated with orgasms pull sperm from the vagina to the cervix, where the sperm can then swim their way to the fallopian tubes to reach the egg. Researchers believe that if a woman climaxes up until 45 minutes after her lover ejaculates, she will retain significantly more sperm than she does after non-orgasmic sex.

We will talk more about multiple orgasms later.

The power of smell is undeniable, as the multi-billion dollar perfume industry testifies. But, is it possible that humans are influenced by airborne chemicals undetectable as odors, called pheromones? It appears so. Scientific studies have actually shown that people who used synthesized pheromone had sex more often.

Pheromones are hormones that we naturally secrete that send out signals to the opposite sex (or the same sex) that trigger power sexual response.

Pheromones are odorless, airborne chemical signals that are released by an individual into the environment. These chemicals affect the physiology or behavior of other members of the same species. Although pheromones have been shown to exist in virtually all species of insects and mammals, they also control the behavior of humans, acting as sexual attractants. The secretion of pheromones by humans is believed to dramatically increase both desirability and sexual attractiveness in both men and women.

There are two places on the body that produce the most pheromones. The underarm and pubic areas. Now these are also the areas that we try to cover up odor constantly. Yet underarm and pubic hair is specifically designed to hold odor! The follicle of the hair is shaped like an oval, so that makes the hair curly and more porus than hair on our heads. So it absorbs sweat and pheromones because pheromones arrive via our sweat. In addition to holding pheromones the hair also holds sweat odor.

There are women out there who will admit to loving the smell of their man after working in the yard for a few hours. Its not the odor they’re attracted to, its the pheromones. Sweat actually starts to smell bad when it comes in contact with bacteria and dead skin cells and the longer its there, the more bad the smell becomes. Shaving is one way we can cut down on this odor.

The difference between a clitoral and vaginal orgasm is where you are being stimulated to achieve orgasm, not where you feel the orgasm. The clitoris has a central role in elevating feelings of sexual tension. During sexual excitement, the clitoris swells and changes position. The blood vessels through the whole pelvic area also swell, causing engorgement and creating a feeling of fullness and sexual sensitivity. Your inner vaginal lips swell and change shape. Your vagina balloons upward and your uterus shifts position in your pelvis.

For some women, the outer third of their vagina and the cervix are also very sensitive or even more sensitive than the clitoris. When stimulated during intercourse or other vaginal penetration, these women do have intense orgasms. This would be what is referred to as a vaginal orgasm without clitoral stimulation.

In reality, orgasms are a very individual experience and there is no one correct pattern of sexual response. Whatever feels good to you, makes you feel alive and happy, and connected with your partner is what matters.