Yes! 20 things you may not know about orgasms

Today we’re putting the “O” in information. (Um, there are two o’s in “information”—even better!)

1. After an orgasm, prolactin is released. It’s a hormone that gives you deeper, more peaceful sleep.

2. Women who have orgasms on a regular basis tend to have shorter, less painful periods.

3. 47% of women have their first “O” through self-exploration. The average age for this is 18.

4. 20 seconds. That’s how long the average orgasm lasts for women. (For men it’s 5 to 22 seconds.)

5. Taking matters into your own hands and bringing yourself to the brink without going over the edge—a little while before you have sex—has been known to help some women have an “O” with their partner.

6. 60% of women have faked an orgasm at least once. But guess what? Men fake them too.

7. Women in relationships have more orgasms than women who prefer hookups.

8. Ahh, but women who experience self-doubt in a relationship have fewer orgasms.

9. A good orgasm can cure a headache faster than aspirin. They say it can boost our pain threshold up to 107% when we peak and that pain-blocking effect can last for up to 10 minutes.

10. Girl on top and man from behind are two positions known for increasing a woman’s chance of an “O”.

11. Coital Alignment Technique. Those three words could change your sex life. Why? Because some experts say it provides the most pleasure for women. (As in the position with the most orgasm potential.)

12. Having an “O” produces four times our usual amount of the “love molecule” oxytocin. (Find out why that is super awesome.)

13. 20% of women can orgasm from a good make-out session. #KissMore

14. Has your “O” given you spine-tingling shivers? That’s because arousal stimulates the pudendal nerve, which connects the clitoris to the brain.

15. The average woman needs 20 minutes to reach orgasm. (Most men can get there in 4 minutes.)

16. Orgasms only burn 2 to 3 calories. (But all the bedroom acrobatics leading up to it can burn a lot more.)

17. The sexual experts say kegels increase your chance of having orgasms. Here’s how to do them.

18. Birthgasms. Yep, that’s a thing. Turns out that some women have an “O” during childbirth.

19. Orgasms can supposedly cure hiccups.

20. “O” Cosmo. The mag lists 13 ways to increase your chance of having an orgasm…guaranteed, they say.

Want more orgasm facts? Here’s Mary Roach, the author of Bonk, giving a great TED talk on the big “O”.

Now, please remember that sex and orgasms are lovely, but that doesn’t mean they’re easy. If you’re getting to know what you like—and in search of what makes you orgasmic—please try to relax and enjoy the journey. (Relaxing and not worrying about it too much will actually increase your odds of having one. So will these other tips.)

And don’t forget the birth control.

XOXO,
Bedsider

P.S. Find birth control anywhere. Our listing of places and providers now feature even more useful details.