The Anatomy of Pleasure
We've all had the "birds and bees" talk by now, right? Sperm meets egg, fetus is created, 9 months later a baby is born. Of course, it's not as simple as that but you get the picture. What we don't talk about nearly enough is that your genitals and sexual organs aren't just about reproductive health. They're also designed (some more than others) to make you feel good.
When you have a good knowledge of which parts of your body are meant to make you feel good, it's easier to understand what turns you on (and off). And that is powerful. Getting to know your body can help you have a healthy sex life (solo or partnered). Without further ado, let's talk about pleasure and anatomy!
Mind Over Matter
Before we get into the physical parts of your body that contribute to pleasure, let's talk about your biggest sexual organ — your brain. Inside your brain (besides every song lyric you've ever heard) is a section called the hypothalamus. This control center regulates and distributes hormones that contribute to your sex drive and sexual desire like serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin. Your brain also processes pleasure and pain, and communicates with your nervous system to decide what feels good and what doesn't.
Most women, especially, need mental stimulation and emotional connection (also processed by your brain) before they feel sexually aroused. Men, on the other hand, are typically more visually and physically stimulated. Either way, a little mental foreplay always helps to set the mood.
Erogenous Zones
Your genitals are a well-known pleasure zone but getting turned on can be a full body experience by understanding which parts of your body are primed for sex vibes. AKA erogenous zones. That is, non-genital parts of your body that have a high concentration of nerve endings that send signals to your brain alerting it of pleasant sensations.
So, what are your erogenous zones? Everyone is different but, generally speaking, your neck, lips, breasts, and inner thighs can all be used to make you feel tingly below the belt. You can experiment by touching yourself in these places or having a partner do that. Try light touch, more firm pressure, or kissing, licking, and (gentle) biting to see what feels best for you.
Once you understand which parts of your body feel good, you can incorporate them into foreplay.
Clitor-what?
Ok, so let's get down to some basic pleasure facts, shall we? The clitoris is the only part of your body that is designed for one reason and one reason only — to feel good. Clitoral stimulation allows you to learn multiple techniques when you’re masturbating alone and during sex.
Located right under your mons pubis (where the majority of your pubic hair is) lies your clitoral hood (or glans). Underneath that is the tip of your clitoris. It's a few inches above the opening of your vagina and right in between where your labia meet at the top.
A lot of people go on thinking that this little love nub is all there is to it but that's just not true. Only a quarter of the clitoris is showing and the rest extends back into your body making a wishbone shape that is about 3 inches long.
This part of your vulva is the key to pleasure, at least for the majority of women. According to a study done by Cosmo, 38% of women say that they don't get enough clitoral stimulation needed to orgasm. That's because it's a lot harder for most women to orgasm from intercourse alone, without some clitoris action.
More fun facts about the clitoris (and vagina):
- There are 8000 nerve ending in clitoris (the penis only has 4000)
- 50 to 75% of women who have orgasms need to have their clitoris touched
- The clitoris varies in shapes and sizes
- Clitoris is the Greek word for key (makes sense!)
- A vagina can grow to up to two times its normal size when aroused
- Most of the nerve ending in vagina are located in 1/3 from the vaginal entrance
The G-Spot - Vagina Pleasure Spot
Obviously, your clitoris is the anatomical key to your sexual pleasure and your erogenous zones are there to lend a helping hand. The other major part of your anatomy that assists in feeling good is your G-spot.
If you were to insert a finger a few inches into your vagina and make a "come here" motion with it, you'd be able to find your G-spot. It's 2 to 3 inches from your vaginal opening on the front wall of your vagina. That being said, many women can't come from intercourse or vaginal stimulation alone (that's why the clitoris is so important).
Though some people have been debating on whether the G-spot exists, it does. Just not all women find it pleasurable, which is totally normal.
Your clitoris, G-spot, erogenous zones, and brain are only a part of what can make you feel good. Your whole vagina is full of nerve endings that, when stimulated, can feel really good. The same is true for the rest of your body. Just because something isn't labeled as an erogenous zone doesn't mean it's not one for you. What's most important here is that you take time to get to know your body and figure out what feels good for you personally.
If you have found our blog about the anatomy of pleasure useful check out our pleasure range.
14 comments
YES LADIES PLEASE PLEASE STOP REMOVING ALL OF YOUR PUBIC HAIR, it’s beautiful sexy and serves many purposes, it’s smooth and silky to the touch, reduces friction during intercourse if you want to have long comfortable sessions, smells incredible, and you are a woman not a little girl, it also feels great for you when teased properly during foreplay,
And to add to my last comment I think the pleasure stimulation and all that good stuff is connected with emotions. Cuz if I like the guy like really like the guy doesn’t matter where or what he touches that will light a fire in my body. And every touch is like throwing gas on the fire. turns me on and gets me going you know what I mean. So yeah we have the zones and the clit and penetration but the more you like a guy the more intense his touch is. And the better it feels and the easier it is to orgasm. In my experience anyway.
I feel that pleasure is best when I’m into somebody. And I need the foreplay cuz like the more I turn him on the more turned on I get and then the sex will is great. So for me without intimacy whether it’s penetration or the clit it ain’t going to be as pleasurable as it should.
I DIED laughing 😃 😀 😄 😁 🤣 😂 😃 😀 😄 😁 🤣 😂 😃 😀 😄
So what is the fascination with penis size if most of the stimulation for sexual pleasure for a woman is on the outside and the rest of the stimulation for a woman is 2 to 3 inches within the vagina, would not a shorter, fatter penis be the most preferred as to something you might find hanging from a donkey. Thanks much for your article. It was very interesting so I guess the old saying it’s not the side of the boat it’s the motion of the ocean is quite apropos. I am 71 years old and my wife is 63 and we have been married for decades and we still have a great sex life. One of the reasons for that is her. While I am a little above average size not much mind you, she is the one with her hand on the rudder and not afraid to steer me in the right direction and tell me to back off to where she wants it. So ladies take charge in the bedroom, most men want to be good lovers and for 98% of us that means you have to be a good teacher..
I’ve been starting to believe that I’d love an orgasm from penetration and that it’s what’s supposed to be happening, but there’s not enough time and girthy pressure to contact these spots and that theres no chance with the small amount of time penetrative sex, I mean good repetitive, fully going sex, happens. Wondering if biologically things used to be this way, at least lasting longer than what currently is typical. Seems unfair overall if we’ve lost being able to enjoy that way instead of deliberate, concentrated ways to “help” along with toys and foreplay. We’re we designed to use tongues and fingers or what??
So what is the the thing that feel the very best and I’m not just talking about sex I’m talking about it all in general like does eating a person out feel the best or sex or fingering now obviously I know it’s different for everyone I just want to know what the majority says
How absolutely pathetic to read a great article and leave low IQ comments. Read more, go back to school. Learn some etiquette.
So I don’t get turned on when the nub of my clitoris is touched it actually hurts but if u go right above it I have the best orgasms. The hard thing is my husband is just not understanding this and doesn’t do it right even if I show him we’re to rub how do I explain this better?
I cannot orgasm as easily from clitoral stimulation than I can from penetration alone. I need to feel the head of the dick to orgasm!
I also hate circumcision.
I like a cock warm,wet & velvety compared to the dry scar tissue of a genitally mutilated dick.
The penis was made so perfectly for female pleasure hands down!
I fully share and support John’s comment about pubic hair: there’s a bunch o’ reasons why Mama Nature put them there. And another one is that the vulva just doesn’t taste the same without them: pussy tastes better furry.
Hi, Lily! We’re so glad to hear you liked this post and found it helpful! :)
-Team Lunette
Hey I’m new and this article really helped me see how to pleasure myself and others thank you for educating me.
Ladies , as a Male , I beg you to grow back your pussy hair. Trim of just a little so your hair plays ’ peek a boo ’ when wearing bikini bottoms or pretty panties.
Please don’t shave it all off. You look like a 7yo girl. Look like a Woman !
