Have you ever wished you could watch yourself become aroused?
I’m not talking about setting up a video camera for your own pleasure production. I’m talking about seeing yourself through the eyes of a sex researcher and watching your every sexual response. It might sound silly, especially if you're afraid you won't like what you see.
But there is something interesting about observing yourself in raw human form and then responding beyond your control.
Every time I read a new, intriguing sex fact about women, I wish I could somehow confirm it with myself. If I had been a research participant in “that” study, would investigators have found that "fact" true of me?
As strange as sounds, I wish I could be both the subject and sex investigator –- or at least a fly on the wall –- measuring or seeing my body react as science says it will.
I would love to confirm if any of the following is true for me . . .
Do My Pupils Signal Arousal?
A female's pupil dilation is an indicator of strong sexual arousal and interest. This has been proven in research by Whipple, Ogden and Komisaruk involving vaginal self-stimulation, which leads to orgasm. While the function of this reaction is not understood, researchers know that pupil dilation is due to oxytocin acting as a neurotransmitter in the spinal cord. Regardless, wider pupils can be read as a sign that she’s turned on.
How Active Are My Nocturnal Orgasms?
When it comes to "wet dreams," people tend to think only males experience these sleeptime pleasures. Actually, females can go through their own sexual response cycle while asleep by becoming sexually aroused and reaching climax without genital stimulation. I know I've hit the "Big O" a couple of times in my sleep. But that's all I can recall. So just how excited did I get?
Like the male, thanks to the brain, and likely some pretty red-hot dreams, a woman’s body gets revved up in her sleep. Her heart rate doubles, her breaths per minute go from 12 to 22, and her vaginal blood flow increases. I don’t know about you, but I think it would be wild to watch myself respond so dramatically to what is, in most cases, unbeknownst bliss.
Is Semen Really That Good?
Forget antidepressants –- semen can make you happy! In 2002, researchers at the State University of New York found women whose partners did not use condoms scored lower on tests for depression than those who did use condoms. Investigators speculate that hormones from his semen are absorbed into the body through the vagina for a possible mood-elevating effect.
Which Foods Determine My Scent?
When it comes to oral fixations, many lovers worry about how they taste and smell. Given all of the crude jokes out there about women's genitals in particular, females tend to be extremely sensitive about how their wares may entice or suppress a partner's appetite. In squelching these concerns, it is important for lovers to know that the smell and taste of a woman's genitals is dependent upon diet, the pH of her vaginal secretions, and where she's at in her menstrual cycle.
To enhance her "feastability," a woman has the most control over the foods she consumes. Eating strong foods, like asparagus or garlic, tends to increase scent, and typically not for the better. On the other hand, foods like lemons, oranges and grapefruits may result in a sweet scent.
Am I Symmetrical During Ovulation?
If you were to slice yourself in half, you’d probably notice you're not perfectly symmetrical. One eye might be droopier than the other. One breast may be smaller than the other. One testicle may be larger than the other. Yet humans are attracted to symmetry. So it's absolutely fascinating that a female's hands, breasts, and ears become more symmetrical when she ovulates. Like the male, she also becomes more "lopsided" with age.
Can Breast-Feeding Result in Arousal?
I have yet to give birth and breast-feed, so I won't be able to confirm this one for a while. It certainly gives me something to look forward to. When a new mother's nipple is suckled or stimulated, oxytocin is released into the bloodstream. This action not only produces milk ejection, but uterine contractions.
Thus, many mothers end up feeling a bit turned on when breast-feeding. To a certain extent, it’s as though Mother Nature is encouraging this form of nourishment. Breast-feeding also ultimately triggers the release of prolactin, a hormone that decreases sexual desire in lactating females.
What Is My Waist-Hip Ratio?
I have an hour-glass shape, but I don't know what my waist-hip ratio is exactly –- and if it will benefit efforts to conceive when I am ready. Universally, the most attractive waist-hip proportion for a woman is a waist circumference that is 70 percent that of the hips. And there may be an evolutionary desire for this human figure.
Women who vary greatly from this have a harder time conceiving and have more miscarriages. Women who are "egg-shaped," "pear-shaped," or "stick-shaped" tend to suffer from chronic diseases, like diabetes, problems with circulation and certain cancers. They're also more prone to personality disorders.
Sexpert Q & A: I want to have more "morning sex," but my girlfriend says bad breath is a concern. Any ideas? Click here to read Yvonne's answer.
Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, "Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots."
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