The body’s reaction during sex
During sex men and women go through various phases of arousal. The phases are not exactly the same for everyone and they can be different each time.
- desire;
- arousal;
- orgasmOrgasmThe height of sexual arousal. It is an intensely pleasant feeling. All your…Read more;
- calming down.
Graph showing the different phases of arousal of the body: 1. desire, 2. arousal, 3. orgasm, 4. calming down
Desire
First you feel sexual desireSexual desireThe feeling that you would like to have sex. Someone can feel sexual…Read more. You feel like having sexSexAll acts that can sexually arouse you. Sex is more than sexual intercourse.…Read more.
Sexual arousalSexual arousalA pleasant feeling that creates the desire for sex. The arousal increases during…Read more
If your body is stimulated, then you can get excited:
- the penisPenisMale sexual organ. The penis is used for sex (ejaculation) or to urinate.Read more hardens, gets bigger and rises up: this is an erectionErectionA hard penis. A man gets an erection when he is sexually aroused…Read more (men);
- the vaginaVaginaPart of the inner sexual organs of a woman. The vagina connects the…Read more gets wetter (women);
- the labiaLabiaSkin that protects the vagina, clitoris and urinary meatus. Women have 2 pairs…Read more and clitorisClitorisVery sensitive organ of which the top is visible just above the opening…Read more swell (women);
- the nipples harden;
- the heart beats faster.
When you are stimulated further, the arousal in your body grows.
Sexual arousal depends not only on what happens in your body, but also on what you feel and think. You can also have tender feelings towards your partnerPartnerPerson you are in a relationship with.Read more or have sexual fantasies in your head.
Orgasm
The orgasm is the dischargeDischargeFluid leaving the body, for example: from the vagina, penis, anus. Sometimes you…Read more of sexual energy in your body:
- the pelvic floor muscles contract;
- Men often ejaculate when they have an orgasm. SemenSemenThick white fluid that comes out of a man's penis when he ejaculates.…Read more dribbles or squirts out of the penis.
- Some women have a thin vaginal dischargeVaginal dischargeColourless or white fluid from the vagina. This is normal. The fluid prevents…Read more during an orgasm, similar to ejaculationEjaculationWhen a man has an orgasm and semen shoots out of or drips…Read more.
Men and women do not always have an orgasm.
Calming down
After orgasm, the arousal slowly goes away and your body calms down.