Let's Talk Sex (Page 15)

A study may have found a new reason for women to hit the gym more often. Researchers from Indiana University found 40% of women have experienced exercise-induced pleasure or orgasm. The study consisted of two groups, 124 women who stated they experienced an exercise-induced orgasm and 246 women who stated they experienced non-orgasmic, but still sexual, pleasure while exercising. Most women’s sexual pleasure, and...

Since the beginning of time, people have searched for the most perfect aphrodisiac, some magical substance that will enhance libido and take erotic passion to new heights. Sadly, nothing has been proven to be truly effective, except for one tiny psychological trick I’m about to explain. A true aphrodisiac must stimulate sexual desire, not just because of some biological event. And anyone who manufactures a...

Taking the pill may affect a woman's relationship in unexpected ways, according to academic research. The study, which consisted of nearly 2,000 participants, found women who are on the pill are less sexually satisfied but are happier overall in their relationships. Lead author Craig Roberts, of the University of Stirling in the U.K., found women who were on the pill when they met their partner reported greater...

Sexting is common among the general population, but sexting may occur at even higher rates among teens, according to a new study. Looking at data pulled from 1,034 10th-grade students in an urban school district in Texas, the study found more than 31% of 10th-graders have received a sext and 21% have sent a sext. Among the study’s respondents, researchers found black males and females sexted more often than...

Even if the chemistry you are feeling on a first date is out of this world, it’s probably best to hold off on sleeping with someone (no matter how awesome he may be). Although some relationships do last, whether or not you sleep with someone on the first date, Dating with Dignity has a few smart reasons not to do it. 1. A test. Waiting to sleep with someone is kind of a loose "test" to see if you have the...

There’s a time and a place for sex, especially if you want to keep a relationship for longer than a couple weeks. So, unless you can check off the following three criteria, prematurely hopping into bed with your partner may ruin your chances of finding committed love. 1. It’s been at least 30 days. This means 30 days of consistent contact (text and email do not count). There should be face time (not the...

Differences in income can play a big role in both the sex life and general well-being of couples. According to research from Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, men who earned less than their wives were more likely to use erectile dysfunction medication than men who earned more than their wives, even when the amount was small. "Men who earned less than their wives were more likely to use...

So you're dating this woman. She's hot. You haven't screwed up yet. You're actually on date number three. And you're thinking that everything is going great in your new relationship. Then the urban rumors come into play. Your friends start getting into your ear. They tell you it’s the magical date number three, and it's time to seal the deal. Meanwhile, you don't even want to tell your friends you haven't really...

When do you crave love and sex the most? A new study tracking Google keyword searches discovered people are most likely to seek intimacy in the early winter (around Christmas) and during the early summer. The study examined trends in keyword searches over the course of five years, from January 2006 to March 2011, and noticed searches for keywords related to both love (“Match.com”) and sex (“xxx,” “call girl”)...

How does condom and lubricant use impact sexual satisfaction? A study set out to answer just that question. The study, produced by the Center for Sexual Health Promotion, found American men and women, ages of 18 to 59, found sex to be highly enjoyable and arousing regardless of whether condoms and/or lubricant were used. Researchers looked at data coming out of the 2009 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior...

Reader Question: What should I answer to the guy who just wants to have sex on the first date...in case I like him and don’t want to rush? -Rose (Thailand) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Dear Rose, You should tell him clearly you are attracted to him but you do not want to have sex with him because you’d rather build a strong friendship first. Tell him people who have sex within 30 days of meeting have about a 90...

While it sounds like a good idea, you might want to think twice the next time you and your partner split your household chores down the middle. According to an interesting study, couples where men did none of the “women’s work” reported 1.6 times more sexual encounters than couples where men took on the bulk of the cooking and cleaning chores. Coming out of the University of Washington, the study suggests an...

How does the way you lost your virginity impact your future relationships? According to a study, called "Gone but Not Forgotten," which was published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, the first time you have sex reverberates through all of your later sexual encounters The study consisted of 331 undergraduate students who were asked about the first time they had sex and their current feelings regarding...

A study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior found the slimmer a woman’s waist, the lower the chances her partner will experience impotence. Whether belly fat contributes to lowered female libido or whether men simply find thin female waists highly attractive, the study found a slender female midsection correlated directly with more frequent sex, stronger male sexual performance and more powerful feelings of...

To say the date was “hot” is an understatement. Entranced by the delicious whiff of compatible pheromones hovering over the candlelit table, the man and woman barely spoke. They did giggle in embarrassment and avert their eyes from time to time to break free from their longing eye lock. As the date progressed, they both felt goose bumps and flutters of exciting bio-chemicals in their stomachs. This is what...

A study aimed to peel back the curtain on the sexual relationships of university students in China — a topic that has generally been avoided in the past. Out of 1,403 students, 12.6 percent reported having premarital sex, 10.8 percent reported having oral sex, and 2.7 percent reported experiencing homosexual sex. Around half of all students reported they masturbated and a similar percentage of respondents reported...

Here's the good news: Sex is healthy for you. Research has shown sex two times per week lowers stress and improves mood. Of course, unsafe sex or sex with a partner who is emotionally hurtful isn't so good for you, but most happy, healthy couples report their sex life is very important to them and contributes to their bond. Now here's the bad news: Long-term monogamous sex takes a bit of work and creativity to be...

Reader Question: I am a 25-year-old male dating a 29-year-old woman. I've never had a relationship in my life and am very new to intimacy. I really like this woman, but I fear that when it comes time for intimacy, especially sexual relations, she will be disappointed and this will end things. Do you have any advice on how I approach the situation? -Zach (Indiana) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Zach, To quote a...

How can a woman tell if a man will give her a big family? Just count how many brothers he has. Research indicates men who have a lot of brothers are more fertile than other men, as determined by sperm motility. A man’s sperm “motility” roughly refers to the speed of his sperm. The faster a man’s sperm, the more fertile he is and the easier time he will have conceiving a child. While it takes high fertility levels...

Women who have sex early in a relationship may set themselves up for greater relationship dissatisfaction down the line, says one study. Cornell professor Sharon Sassley reviewed data coming out of the 2006 Marital and Relationship Survey, a report that looked at approximately 600 couples who were either living together or married. The couples had low-to-moderate income and all had children who were still...

If the words, "Did you get to second base?" have little to do with the major leagues and more to do with fond memories of high school dates, then you are old enough to know about sexual baseball. Back then, sex unfolded over weeks or months as young partners explored sexual boundaries and their own trust in a potential lover. Here's how it worked. For readers too young to remember, here's how sexual baseball...

What signals do women send by the colors they wear? According to research published by Andrew Elliot (University of Rochester), when a woman wears red, she sends out a clear signal she’s more interested in sex than if she wears a neutral tone. As part of his investigation, Elliot showed heterosexual and bisexual men a picture of a woman and asked them to rate her attractiveness. Half the men saw the woman...

Depression and teen sex has been a correlation for a long time now, but a new study suggests all sex isn’t bad for a teen’s emotional state — only casual sex. The study, coming out of Cornell, is one of the first to look at the context surrounding teenage sex lives instead of painting them all with the same broad strokes. Jane Mendle, the study’s lead researcher, found teens who were having sex within...

A new study suggests many people believe a man is entitled to sex with a woman whom he is dating and has spent money on. The study comes out of Makerere University, and its researchers performed a series of deep interviews and discussions with 61 people in an effort to understand the ways both men and women view consent, especially unspoken consent, in the context of male and female interactions. Fifty-five...

Psychologists have long considered studying the eyes as a way of gauging attraction, and a new study has found a man's gaze can reflect his underlying sexual motivation. Researcher Ken Guo, a psychologist at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom, decided to delve further into the visual nature of attraction. People’s eyes automatically dilate during arousal or when looking at someone they find...

This is it. Finally you’re hitting the road with that gorgeous lesbian you’ve been dating. Or maybe you’ve finally convinced that lesbian you met online who lives far away to meet you to celebrate New Year’s Eve. It’s time to pack and pack right. Packing takes on a couple of connotations here. We need to pack our luggage to travel, and depending on your queer persuasion, you could be packing something special in...

Reader Question: My wife just passed early this year. We had a wild sex life. She would dress me in her clothes and lingerie. She would also tie me up, whip me and do me from behind. How weird is that, and do a lot of girls like doing it? How would I bring that up in a relationship? -Dustin (Utah) Dr. Wendy Walsh: Dustin, I’m so sorry to hear about your wife’s passing. It sounds like you are suffering a...

According to a new study, the sex you’re having, or not having, might be the most important factor when it comes to your overall level of happiness with your life. The study was performed by Carsten Grimm, with the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, who utilized what he referred to as “experience sampling” to derive a clear picture of what activities had the greatest positive and negative impact on people’s...

Why do women fake orgasms? Is it to quickly end dissatisfying sexual experiences, or could faking an orgasm serve a higher purpose? A recent study from Columbia University indicates women who fake orgasms do so as a larger pattern of behavior related to mate retention. The study looked at the behavior patterns of 453 heterosexual women (average age of 22) who were in long-term relationships (average duration of...

A recent study suggested having sex within the first few weeks of a relationship can cause harm to the relationship over the long term. The study was produced by Brigham Young University (a private university owned and operated by the LDS Church) and looked at general relationship satisfaction, communication levels and the stability of the pairing. Surveying 11,000 unmarried individuals in serious relationships,...