The Science of Orgasms: How Adult Toys Can Enhance Pleasure

Ask anyone what their first orgasm felt like and they would describe it as a life-altering moment where their soul left their body for a while. But the potential of reaching orgasm changes depending on who you’re with. During hetero sex, only 65% of women orgasm, while it’s 95% for men. 

By understanding the science of orgasms, you can get closer to bridging the orgasm gap. After all, it’s nothing a little understanding of biology, techniques, and adult toys can’t solve. Let’s figure out what orgasm is and why it makes every sexual encounter better. 

The Science of Orgasms

An orgasm is kind of like proof you had a good time sexually. It’s when arousal peaks and your body has to let it out to calm down from the intensity of it.

You feel the orgasm in your entire body, especially your genitals. Typically, it’s by stimulating your genitals and other sensitive body parts, you reach orgasm in the first place.  

Barring physical signs, neuroscientist Barry Komisaruk and sex researcher  Beverly Whipple, took the time to understand how orgasm affects the brain. For one, sexual stimulation activates the areas in our brain responsible for processing touch. 

This is followed by the activation of regions involved in processing memory, emotions, involuntary body movements, and judgment and problem-solving. By the time you orgasm, 30 areas in your brain are active. 

Basically, you experience orgasms all over your brain and body. 

In fact, because it’s a brain activity, there are people who can orgasm with their thoughts, without requiring any kind of physical touch. 

The Sexual Response Cycle Of Orgasms

As exciting as life is for people who can orgasm with their thoughts, most people have to reach the point through physical stimulation. It takes either their or someone else’s touch or adult toys to take them through the four sexual response cycles of orgasm. 

Let’s find out what the phases are and how your body reacts during each phase. 

1. Excitement Phase

Certain hormones like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin start to increase in your body during the excitement phase. Your skin starts to flush and your pupils dilate. Your genitals become sensitive with blood rushing to it, responding to every touch. 

For vulva owners, this shows up in the form of a swollen clitoris almost intruding out of the labia. You will start to self-lubricate. 

For penis owners, this means the forming of an erection with swollen balls. 

2. Plateau

During the plateau phase, your heart rate and blood pressure increase while your breathing becomes labored. Everything becomes more intensified. Your muscles will tighten and contract. 

Your vagina swells even more and if you’re a penis owner, it becomes fully erect. They might leak some of the semen fluid as well. 

3. The Big Finale - Orgasm

The actual orgasm is a series of contractions you will feel throughout your entire body. Your vagina, clitoris, and uterus will contract too, typically lasting anywhere from 20 to 60 seconds. 

If you have a penis, your orgasm lasts about 18 to 22 seconds with your pelvic floor, seminal gland, and prostate gland contracting. Due to the contraction of the pelvic floor muscle, ejaculation happens 

4. Post-Orgasm

This is the relief after your body goes through an intense workout. Your body will return to its base hormonal and heart rhythmic level. 

For women, this happens fast, allowing them to enjoy multiple orgasms. For men, the recovery period is a little longer. 

Difference Between Male and Female Orgasm

When it comes to male orgasm, most people assume ejaculation marks it. But ejaculation is more of a discharge of semen from the body. It’s different from orgasm, which is physiologically more of a contraction and relaxation of the body. 

However, in most men, ejaculation and orgasm happen simultaneously. It’s why most people confuse them to be the same event.

In comparison, female orgasm is more physically obvious, even if no fluid comes out of the body. Female orgasms also last longer. 

Once a person with a vagina orgasms, they can still remain sexually excited and continue to have several orgasms in a row. But for a person with a penis, they can’t orgasm a second time right after. They have to wait it out or they feel too sensitive all over. 

Types of Orgasms

Different regions in your body are capable of different types of orgasms. While there are over 12 types, we have narrowed it down to 5 for you to understand. 

• Clitoral Orgasm: Clitoral orgasm leaves a tingly feeling all over your body and brain. You feel it on the surface rather than bone deep. 
• Vaginal Orgasm: Vaginal orgasms are felt intensely by every part of the body, with the vagina often contracting during it. More so if the G-spot is stimulated. 
• Blended Orgasm: Blended orgasms are a result of vaginal and clitoral stimulation. The reaction from the body is more explosive, with people often experiencing tremors and convulsions. 

How Adult Toys Work 

Adult toys are designed to bring you maximum sexual pleasure. In fact, the goal with adult toys is almost always orgasm, especially the more advanced they get technologically. 

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular adult toy mechanisms and how they play a role in orgasm. 

1. Vibrators

Vibrators come in different forms, from clitoral and G-spot vibrators to finger vibes, rose vibrators, and bullet vibes. But, the main task of each type of vibrator is to send tingling or rumbling vibrations to either the clitoris or the G-spot. 

Some, like rabbit-style vibrators, target both the clit and G-spot at once. It all works towards giving you intense clitoral, vaginal, or blended orgasms. 

Most vibrators allow you to play with the speed and rhythm, so you can edge yourself or reach orgasm faster. Vibrators alone can take you through the entire sexual response cycle. 

For your first vibrator, a clitoral vibe like the Tracy's Dog OG Pro 2 or a bullet vibe like the Je Joue Mimi Soft might be the best option. Vibrators for external use are easier to get into for first-time users. 

2. Dildos

Dildos are objects designed after the shape of a penis. You will find realistic dildos in the market with a visible head, balls, and veins. You can just as easily find dildos with vague phallus shapes with no realism in it. 

G-spot dildos, specifically, have an interesting shape. The head is curved so it targets your G-spot when you insert it. Some come with additional vibration features, like the Tracy's Dog G-Spot Dildo Vibrator. 

In contrast, some people don’t necessarily use a dildo for orgasm. It plays more of a role in the excitement and plateau phase. Of course, for some, it’s enough to orgasm. Others even like the contraction they feel when their vagina is wrapped around a dildo. 

Similar to G-spot dildos, we also have P-spot dildos like the Tantus ProTouch. There are the double-ended dildos you can insert into both vagina and the anus, which can work double time to give you a unique kind of orgasm as well. The Blush B Yours 18" Double Dildo is a pretty straightforward one to experiment with. 

3. Male Masturbators

Similar to vibrators, male masturbators have a definitive goal of getting you to orgasm. The basics of this involves inserting your penis into a stroker or sleeve. 

Sleeves like the Tenga Egg Standard pack require manual stimulation. The sleeves have all sorts of ridges and patterns but you have to move the sleeve up and down or sideways to get yourself going. 

Meanwhile, strokers like the Hot Octopuss Pulse Solo and Tenga Flip Zero make complete use of sex toy technology. These have vibrations, different textures, and sucking or blowing motions. 

These masturbators have the most efficient settings to get someone with a penis to orgasm and ejaculate. 

4. Anal Toys

Anal toys, naturally, lead to anal orgasm. From all accounts, anal orgasms tend to be stronger in men than women. 

So, you will find plenty of toys such as butt plugs, anal beads, and everyone’s favorite - the prostate massagers.

Prostate massagers direct all attention to the prostate, with different vibration and pattern levels. For beginners, the Aneros Helix Syn V  is a good one to start with. 

You will also find prostate massager and cock ring combos, like the Pipedream Products Anal Fantasy Ass-Gasm. It can make for a blended orgasm where the penis and the anus is stimulated simultaneously. 

5. Cock Rings

Cock rings are a curious kind of adult toy. The mechanism here is this: You wear it over your penis and your testicles in some cases. It restricts the blood flow to your penis by preventing the blood from leaving. 

When you take it off, you have a high chance of an orgasm. You’ve kept on the cock ring long enough for you to get super hard. In fact, the orgasm might be pretty intense due to the edging. 

There are even vibrating cock rings like the Fun Factory NOS and Je Joue Mio. So, you experience tingling vibrations even as your blood flow is restricted. It can make for some interesting play with your partner. 

Final Thoughts

Sexual encounters don’t necessarily have to end in an orgasm for it to be pleasurable. Some people find the intimacy of the moment more desirable. But if you do reach it, it’s the cherry on top, no? 

Adult toys have the added advantage of aiding us in reaching those mind blowing orgasms by having the design and technology maximized for it. They aren’t for solo use either. For some, the fact it’s their partner using the toy on them can be exciting. 

If you have trouble reaching orgasm and have been planning on checking out adult toys for a while, give the XOXTOYS collection a quick look. You might find what you’re looking for as you browse.