Heather Jeffcoat, DPT
Having an orgasm can be one of the most satisfying and gratifying experiences for the human body. Plus, there's really no "wrong" way to achieve the Big O — as long as everyone involved has given their enthusiastic consent, of course. You do you!
Where things really start to get interesting is when you get all hot and nerdy about anatomy, as some pretty fascinating things happen within when you have an orgasm. Whether you're well-versed in the language of la petite mort or are here because you want to learn more about this pleasurable experience, you're bound to learn something new. Yes, the human body really is capable of some amazing things — including this unique physical sensation.
Your pelvic floor muscles will wake up when you have an orgasm
You may not have given much thought to your pelvic floor — especially if you're a male or if you're young and relatively fit. But if you're a bit older, or you've given birth to a baby, chances are the health of your pelvic floor is definitely on your radar, as noted by the BBC.
A healthy pelvic floor can actually play a huge role in your orgasms, according to Heather Jeffcoat, a physical therapist and pelvic health expert.
Your pelvic floor muscles contract when you have an orgasm," she explained to Health Digest. "Stronger pelvic floor muscles are correlated with forceful expulsion of vaginal fluid during orgasm." She added that those muscles also impact the length and intensity of your orgasm.
That's not just good news for women, as Jeffcoat says there's another benefit your pelvic floor provides when you have an orgasm.
The pelvic floor is involved in enhancing sexual pleasure for both partners through muscle activation and vaginal ballooning," she continued. Yes, it can also feel pretty nice for the male partner in a heterosexual relationship.
When you have an orgasm, your toes may curl
Clearly your brain does a lot of heavy lifting when you have an orgasm, as it's in charge of distributing all of the hormones and chemicals that flood your system. But in addition to that, the way your brain is structured can trigger other reactions in your body, physical therapist and pelvic health expert Dr. Heather Jeffcoat revealed to Health Digest. "
Our brain is not organized from the top down, nor is their a clear line where one body region begins and one ends in the brain," she explained. "Your toes curl because the genital area is next to the toes in the brain." Isn't that wild?
So, what exactly is going on in your noggin to bring about this strange particular movement?
There is overlap of the nerves, which in turn creates an overflow of muscle function, thus toes curling during the pelvic floor muscle contractions that occur during an orgasm," Jeffcoat continued.
Sometimes, the human body can be endlessly fascinating! If you are still curious about what happens to your body when you have an orgasm, continue reading the full article here.