Sex is pleasurable for those who take part in it. But have you ever wondered, “Who feels more pleasure, male or female?”
Sex on Their Minds
It is a deep-seated belief that men think about sex more than women do. Most men who are under the age of 60 admit that they think about sex at least once a day. On the other hand, only one-fourth of the surveyed women said the same thing. Still, thinking about sex more often does not automatically mean feeling more pleasure during the act of making love. Since we understand that women can have multiple orgasms, is it possible that they feel more pleasure despite the lower sex drive?
The Sexual Response Cycle
To answer the question, who feels more pleasure, male or female, we need to understand the sexual response cycle. The sexual response cycle is the sequence of changes a person experiences as they become aroused while participating in a sexually-stimulating activity. The changes – or phases – are both physical and emotional. Additionally, sexual activity does not necessarily have to always be sexual intercourse. It could also be masturbation.
You can say that the sexual response cycle talks about the “checkpoints” one goes through while they are sexually aroused. However, note that the entire experience still varies from person to person.
Experts suggest that while the sexual response cycle is “typical,” you should not be preoccupied with achieving each checkpoint at the common time and duration. The best way to enjoy any sexual activity is to let the natural process happen in your own time.
The Phases
To answer the question, who feels more pleasure, male or female, let’s discuss the phases.
The sexual response cycle has many models, but perhaps, the most popular one is the Masters and Johnson’s Model. It has four phases: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution.
Excitement
Some call the excitement phase as the “desire phase.” Whether you are participating in a partnered sexual activity, or a solo one, the characteristics of this phase remain the same.
This phase is marked by the following signs and symptoms:
- Heightened muscle tension or myotonia
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate
- Accelerated breathing
- Flushed skin; you can notice this by seeing blotchiness on the back and chest
- Tout nipples
- Increased blood flow or vasocongestion in the genitals. This results in penile erection for men and swollen labia minora (inner lips) and clitoris for women.
- Enlarged female breast
- For women, there will be vaginal lubrication as well as swelling and separation of the labia majora or outer lips.
- For men, swollen testes and tightened scrotum
So, who feels more pleasure, male or female? At this excitement phase, it is hard to tell. Comparative graphs between men and women seem to suggest that they almost have the same feelings of desire and sexual stimulation.
One good point to indicate is that the mentioned characteristics above happen differently to people. For instance, the penile erection may happen anywhere from the first few seconds to 10 minutes later.
Plateau
The second phase of the sexual response cycle is the plateau or sometimes called, arousal. Briefly, you can say that this is the phase before orgasm.
In this phase of arousal, both genders experience the same level of arousal. However, some graphs show that men might actually achieve a higher level of the plateau.
The characteristics of the second phase are:
- Heightened physical characteristics experienced from the excitement phase
- For women, highly-sensitive clitoris. Because of this, it might retract into the clitoral hood as a way of avoiding direct stimulation. When touched, it could even be slightly painful.
- A women’s vaginal walls may turn dark purple due to an increase in blood flow
- The testes may retract into the scrotum
Just as with the excitement phase, nothing is definite in the plateau stage. In truth, there is no telling when someone will transition from desire to arousal. The physical and emotional characteristics just continue to happen at a more intense level.
Some people believe that when you prolong the plateau stage, you will have a more intense orgasm.
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Orgasm
Now, when asking the question, who feels more pleasure, male or female, many people think of orgasm or climas. Among the four phases, orgasm has the shortest duration. Also called the climax, it typically lasts for only a few seconds. This phase is characterized by:
- Sex flush which looks like a rash all over the body
- Involuntary muscle contraction, including feet muscle spasm
- Increased heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate
- Forceful and quick release of sexual tension
- For women, the vaginal muscles contract as well as the uterus
- Men experience repeated contractions at the base of the penis, ultimately resulting in ejaculation
Knowing all these, what do you think? Who feels more pleasure, male or female? Experts say “orgasm does not differ by biological sex.” Although women can undoubtedly have longer orgasms, it seems like the intensity is the same.
You may see some comparison charts indicating that men reach a slightly higher level of a climax than women. However, the difference is very slight; it could be unnoticeable. Even subjective responses from interviews offer similar descriptions from both the male and female parties. Words like “waves of pleasure” are heard from men and women alike.
If we look into the question, who feels more pleasure, male or female, in light of experiencing multiple orgasms, the women sure would be the winner. According to experts, a woman can orgasm again within minutes of the first climax.
Resolution
The resolution, the fourth phase of the sexual response cycle, is the time when the body goes back to the normal, pre-aroused state. A person often feels a sense of well-being at this stage; they may also feel tired or fatigued.
With continued stimulation, women can go back to the orgasmic stage within minutes after the resolution phase. This is why they are capable of multiple orgasms. Men, on the other hand, need more time to recover before they can orgasm again. We often call this “recovery time” as the refractory period.
The refractory period among men varies. Some just need a few minutes to recover, while others can take days! This, of course, depends on several factors, like the frequency of sexual activity and age.
Key Takeaways
Who feels more pleasure, male or female? Sexual pleasure does not rely on orgasm alone and many things factor into a pleasurable experience. Experts suggest relaxing and enjoying the whole experience. Finally, they emphasize that when you are free of worry, you can achieve climax with more ease.
Learn more about Sexual Wellness here.
