female sexual motivation

Chapter 34 Sex is like a panacea (1)
The benefits of sex
The menstrual cycle is similar to that of the moon or the sun, but the evil it unleashes is irreversible... Menstruating women are very poisonous, and men who come into contact with it will lose their lives.

— Pliny the Elder (AD 23-79)

Now, we've discussed women's main sexual motivations: to love and be loved, to deepen the relationship, to feel sweet love, and to enjoy sex in bed.We describe how women use sex for their own ends - to gain wealth, get revenge, attract or keep a partner.We also analyzed the reasons why women have unwanted sex: their own sense of responsibility or being pressured, cheated, or beaten by the other party.In addition, we also mentioned other sexual motivations of women: building self-confidence, gaining experience, getting rid of virginity, seeking novelty and stimulation.In fact, sex has many benefits to women's mental health and physical health.

better than painkillers
Almost everyone has heard (or said—under special circumstances, of course) the well-worn excuse: "Not tonight, honey, I have a headache." Headache.Head and neck muscles tense during making out, blood pressure rises during orgasm, and blood vessels in the brain dilate, all of which can exacerbate headaches known scientifically as "sex headaches."But some of the women interviewed said sex helped relieve headaches:

I have migraines, but the attacks are infrequent and long in between and mild.I found that every time I had sex, especially when I had an orgasm, the headache went away.

—Heterosexual female, 42 years old

One woman interviewed recounted a doctor's suggestion of having sex to relieve migraines:

Neurologists say orgasms can help relieve migraines.Sometimes it does work.When I take my migraine meds and painkillers, I feel light-hearted, what I call a "dry me" state.The head may be a dull pain, but the orgasm can relieve the pain.I'd love to have sex with my partner, but I've been using a vibrator.Orgasms help prevent headaches from recurring.

—Heterosexual female, 43 years old

As far back as the 17s, Thomas Willis, the father of modern neurology, suggested that when his patient Lady Catherine had a splitting headache, her libido often increased.

Why can sexual intercourse both induce and relieve headaches?The principle is as follows: the body secretes a large amount of oxytocin, and the increase of oxytocin leads to the increase of endorphin, which is a kind of endogenous peptide substance with similar morphine effect.People often say "runner's pleasure" means that when the amount of exercise exceeds a certain stage, endorphins will be secreted in the body, resulting in a relaxed and happy feeling.Endorphins also have a strong analgesic effect.Women's bodies secrete a small amount of endorphins every day, otherwise minor injuries and illnesses will become unbearable. (Morphine and heroin addicts are accustomed to taking large doses of exogenous peptides, which leads to the gradual degradation or even loss of the body's normal endorphin production mechanism.)
Research from the Headache Clinic at Southern Illinois University has shown that endorphins, which are released in the brain during sex, can relieve headaches, and for some women, they are very effective.According to the study, nearly half of the 58 women with migraines reported relief from their headaches after orgasm, and only three women reported their headaches worsened after sex.Best of all, this treatment not only works within minutes, but it's completely free!Compare it with triptan, the most effective drug for migraines.The best way to quickly relieve pain is to inject triptan, but it takes 15 minutes to take effect, and some people even feel headache relief after 1 hour, and it costs 70 dollars for an injection. (Eighty percent of people with migraines are taking triptans.)
Some researchers believe that there is a "headache trigger" somewhere in the brain, and an orgasm can "turn it off."This would explain why orgasms can permanently cure headaches for no more than a few hours if endorphins were the only factor.According to Beverly Whipple, a researcher at Rutgers University, stimulating the G-spot (a nickel-sized area of ​​vaginal vestibular tissue) can increase pain thresholds by an astonishing 40 percent.During orgasm, a woman's ability to withstand pain can increase to 75%.

So, not only does sex relieve headaches, it also relieves a wide variety of other aches and pains, including joint pain, whiplash, muscle wasting, back pain, and more:

Almost 10 years ago, I hurt my back and couldn't move it.I take strong pain relievers for the pain.I read an article the other day that certain chemicals that are released in the brain during orgasm stop the pain.I thought, "Why not give it a try?" My husband offered to help me verify this claim.I couldn't move so the whole thing was on my husband and I just lay there.It works!I kid you not.Orgasms are as helpful as painkillers.

——Female, age and sexual orientation unknown
Treat dysmenorrhea
Sex life can treat dysmenorrhea.In premenopausal women, the endometrium secretes prostaglandins every month.Prostaglandins cause the contraction of uterine smooth muscle. When the menstrual cycle begins, it can help the discharge of menstrual blood, but at the same time it can also cause dysmenorrhea.Sexual life can affect the effect of prostaglandins on the body, so some interviewed women talked about how they relieve dysmenorrhea by having sex:
Pleasant sex is the best way to treat dysmenorrhea.There have been many times when I went to bed to relieve menstrual cramps.

—Heterosexual female, 47 years old

During a woman's orgasm, the uterus contracts to relieve the pain by using up the excess (some say "dreadful") prostaglandins that trigger the pain.Another benefit of having menstrual sex is shortened menstrual cycles.Some women said that their menstruation suddenly stopped within a day after intercourse, and they were worried that "whether the menstrual blood is blocked and will not be discharged until the next month."On the contrary, the increased uterine contractions during orgasm can help the menstrual blood to exit the body quickly, thus ending the period early.In the mid-20s, sexologists William Master and Virginia Johnson directly observed changes in the body of women during orgasm in the laboratory in order to document the physiological changes during orgasm.With the help of a mirror, they can see the squeezed menstrual blood that shoots out of the cervical canal at the end of orgasm.

Sex life can also reduce the incidence of endometriosis.Endometriosis refers to a gynecological disease formed by the endometrium with growth function, which grows and reproduces in places other than the covering surface of the uterus and the muscle layer of the uterine body (such as ovaries and fallopian tubes).Patients with endometriosis typically have dyspareunia or dyspareunia, pelvic disease, and infertility.Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine found that women who had regular sex or who masturbated during their periods were 1.5 times less likely to develop endometriosis than those who had no sex during their periods. (Curiously, using tampons during your period can also help reduce your risk of endometriosis.)
In a way, sex is like a vaginal cleaner.The endometrial tissue in menstrual blood sometimes flows back to the pelvic area. This phenomenon is called "menstrual blood reflux", which can easily cause endometriosis, and having sex can force the residual menstrual blood out of the vagina, thereby Reduce the probability of disease.During orgasm, as the uterus contracts, residual menstrual blood is forced out of the uterus, thereby reducing the prevalence of endometriosis.Separately, the Yale School of Medicine study found that women who used tampons during their period were twice as likely to develop endometriosis than women who used tampons.This suggests that tampons are more effective at removing menstrual blood that remains in the body.

All in all, menstrual sex life can relieve dysmenorrhea, shorten menstrual cycle, and reduce the probability of endometriosis.Apparently, the Roman historian Pliny was unaware of this scientific knowledge.He once described the consequences of exposure to menstrual blood: "Touching it, the fresh wine will become sour, the fields will become barren, the blade of the steel knife will be dull, and the luster of the ivory will be dull; as long as the dog tastes the menstrual blood, it will immediately go crazy, and even the little ant They dare not approach corn kernels stained with menstrual blood."

Refreshing
Sex can take the stress off, and admit it, a lot of times men don't care why, they're happy to be there anyway.

—Heterosexual female, 22 years old

We all know that when we're angry or anxious, we can't enjoy the good things around us.Indeed, when you are full of sorrow, how can you have the leisure to appreciate the beauty around you.In the same way, if you go to bed with a full stomach, you will certainly not be able to concentrate on feeling your partner's passionate touch, and you will not be able to respond enthusiastically.Master and Jonson called this situation "watching", because they were not fully engaged, but more like a spectator.Obviously, if you've been swearing at your hateful boss or thinking about how to organize your work the next day, then you definitely have no time to take into account the external stimulation of your body, so it is impossible to arouse or reach an orgasm.So when they have something on their minds, women can't enjoy sex or have sex.

When under stress, the human body undergoes a series of changes that can sometimes arouse women's desires.Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in the body, increases heart rate, increases blood pressure, perspires, incontinence, slows metabolism, and the liver secretes glucose to release energy.Sympathetic nerves secrete norepinephrine, a hormone similar in molecular structure to amphetamine.All of these changes in the body under stress are designed to allow us to adapt to the environment and make quick "fight or flight" decisions.The sympathetic nervous system works only for a split second—when we either fight or run for our lives.If the sympathetic nervous system is constantly activated, then we will be constantly on high tension and will be mentally and physically broken.

When you're sweating, shaking, and your heart is racing, you can't relax or focus on your work.Therefore, if the sympathetic nervous system is active for too long, the cardiovascular, immune system, and nervous system will be disordered.People who are overly nervous need to take beta blockers or antidepressants like clonazepam and alprazolam to relieve tension.Several of the women interviewed spoke of how sex relieves tension:
Due to the high pressure of work, sometimes I feel that life is difficult and I really want to vent.At this time, it makes me feel refreshed when I come home from get off work and make a fuss in bed.

—Heterosexual female, 44 years old

Rather, I went to bed to cool off.Sometimes, I get really cranky with him and start throwing tantrums.It's mostly because I'm bored.So, I make out with him, because it's better than fighting, and I still have something to do.

—Heterosexual female, 27 years old

Occasionally when I'm out of breath, I need to let off excess energy.I have found that having sex is a great way to let off steam. Sex has turned my mood from negative to positive and calm.Other physical activities, such as exercise, sometimes have the same effect.

—Heterosexual female, 23 years old

Many of the women interviewed spoke of how sex cleared their heads and made them more productive:
Sometimes it's frustrating to do the questions.When I have a problem I can't solve, I take a break and go have sex with my boyfriend.When I look at that question again, I can easily find the solution to the problem, because I relax my brain.

—Heterosexual female, 19 years old

Sometimes, sex can also regulate the tension after a fight:

We are childhood sweethearts... I think any conflict can be resolved in bed.This is indeed the case, although it is temporarily resolved...

—Heterosexual female, 25 years old

Having sex during or after a fight can help resolve conflicts between two people.Because sex can release the anger that has accumulated in the heart, let us restore our calm state of mind, and drive away the bad mood that caused the quarrel.Although sex life cannot solve the fundamental problem, it can at least make women deal with the problem more rationally and clearly:

And good sex is more passionate than usual.However, nothing can be solved, and the noise is still the same... However, when you are passionate on the bed, you seem to have vented all your complaints and anger, and your mood will be a hundred times better than before.

—Heterosexual female, 24 years old

If the emotional foundation is good, reconciliation sex will remind two people of the past.Plus, reconciling sex can rekindle the flames of love between two people.

Hypnosis
Long-term depression can take a toll on the body in all kinds of ways.Sleep problems afflict 2000 million Americans—twice as many women as men.More people suffer from insomnia from time to time, because when excited or depressed, people tend to drink a lot of coffee or alcohol.Advice for people with irregular sleep: don't drink coffee, smoke, drink alcohol; don't eat too much at dinner; go to bed only when you are sleeping; exercise regularly;

Answers from many of the women interviewed prove that sex helps sleep:

When I was about to graduate from graduate school, I was under a lot of pressure and often suffered from insomnia.In order to control insomnia, I started running and studied hard, and later found that the pleasure of orgasm can completely relax my brain, and the endorphins secreted in my body can make me fall asleep peacefully.I don't have that many sexual partners who come and go, so I often hypnotize myself with electric devices, so I don't have to rely on others and feel no guilt.

—Heterosexual female, 29 years old

If you accept this suggestion, here's a reminder: Too much sex will make your heart beat wildly, not only can't you sleep, but it will make you more energetic.Therefore, it is better to have "wild" sex during the day, and "lingering" sex at night.

The endorphins secreted in the body during orgasm help to relax the body and mind, so people generally want to sleep after making love.Most important, though, is a hormone called prolactin -- a hormone that's closely related to sleep.During sleep, prolactin in the body increases.Experiments have shown that animals injected with prolactin tend to fall asleep.Prolactin also gives a sense of satisfaction.So, prolactin may be what causes men to go into the refractory phase after ejaculation.Prolactin has no such effect on women, so women often complain that men fall asleep after sex.

Interestingly, studies have found that intercourse produces 400% more prolactin than masturbation.From an evolutionary perspective, this makes sense: If intercourse satisfies women more than masturbation, then women are more likely to choose sex with a partner, which creates an opportunity to reproduce.Prolactin has a hypnotic effect, and the woman's lying down position helps the sperm move quickly to the egg.

stress is an aphrodisiac

Sex life can drive away anxiety, but anxiety can also add "stuff" to sex life.Some of the women interviewed talked about being more "enthusiastic" when they felt anxious:
The more stressed I am, the more irritable I feel, the more libido I have...

—Heterosexual female, 20 years old

Oh how I love my husband.We have been married for 64 years and have not been apart for a day in all these years.We had a lot of fun together, of course we fought, but it was more fun to make up!

—Heterosexual female, 86 years old

The researchers used the "vaginal photoplethysmography" described in Chapter 2 to examine the effect of anxiety on libido.In the experiment, a group of women watched a light-hearted travel documentary and then watched a pornographic film in which couples engaged in foreplay, oral sex and sexual intercourse.Another group of women watched a film designed to activate the sympathetic nervous system before watching pornography.It was found that women in the second group had greater vaginal dilation after watching the pornographic film, even though the first film they watched did not contain any pornographic content.Therefore, the most convincing explanation is that women are more likely to be sexually aroused after the sympathetic nervous system is activated.

(End of this chapter)