Women Need More Sex Than Men - Here’s Why
Society says women aren’t as sexually driven as men, that they don’t need as much action in the bedroom as their male counterparts. Science, on the other hand, says women actually need more sex than men. And the stats back it up. The majority of women - approximately 62% - are not satisfied with their sex life. What’s more, women are twice as likely than men to describe their sex life as “boring.”
Neuroscience research shows that women have a more physiological need for sex than men. It all comes down to chemicals. The female brain needs twice as many feel-good chemicals to get the same positive effect as men. Sex can help, and you can see the details here.
When it comes to sex, men are generally more physical whereas women are more emotional. Men tend to be satisfied with a physical release, while women want to feel closer to their partner. But that doesn’t mean that women don’t crave a release as well. The following are just a few of the physical benefits of having an orgasm:
- Lower blood pressure
- Burn calories
- Relieve pain
- Helps you sleep
- Regulate the menstrual cycle
- Boost energy
- Increase happiness/ease depression
While all of these benefits are awesome, happiness seems to be the real key to why women need sex twice as much as men. Let’s dive deeper.
Serotonin and Happiness
Serotonin, also knowns as the “happy chemical,” is found in your brain and a few other parts of your body. Its main purpose is to act as a neurotransmitter, relaying signals between nerve cells and neurons. It also affects the levels of dopamine within the brain. Without serotonin, we would not experience feelings of happiness and wellbeing.
High levels of serotonin can make us feel happy and loved. Low levels may make us feel dissatisfied. Serotonin is increased externally via certain motivators, such as praise and physical affection. Feeling happy and content in a relationship may all come down to how much a woman’s partner stimulates her serotonin production.
How Sex Increases Serotonin
As mentioned, physical affection stimulates serotonin production. Massage has been found to increase serotonin levels by as much as 30%, according to a study on massage and pregnant women. Exercise also increases serotonin levels.
The touch and physical activity associated with sex would be enough to boost serotonin levels on their own, but there’s a bigger payoff. Having an orgasm during sex causes the body to dump serotonin and dopamine, the effects of which can last for days!
Why Women Need Twice as Much Serotonin
Both men and women experience the release of chemicals during orgasm. However, women may need twice the amount of feel-good chemicals in their brain to feel the same satisfaction as men. Why?
Women possess half the amount of serotonin receptors as men, meaning that each receptor must be hit twice for them to reap the same benefits as men. From this, one could conclude that women need twice as much reassurance, affection, praise and sex than men in relationships to experience the same level of contentedness.
If you wish to increase the level of happiness you experience in your relationship, look for serotonin-inducing activities that you can do together. Sex is a great place to start, but there is more you can do. Touch, massage, conversation and even sharing a simple meal together can all increase serotonin production and bring you both closer.
~ Here’s to Your Health and Wellness
