Your Brain on Orgasm and the Hormones Running the Show

Remember the 1987 PSA with the frying pan? This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions? Turns out the egg had a point, just not the one they intended. Your brain on orgasm lights up a lot like a brain on a very good high, minus the cautionary tale and the cast iron.

Behind every O is a chemical chain reaction powered by orgasm hormones. Orgasm hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, prolactin and cortisol rise and fall in a tight sequence that explains the chase, the peak, the cuddle and the sudden urge to nap. Here's what happens to your brain during orgasm, broken down by the orgasm hormones involved, with real science behind every claim.

Scientists have actually watched orgasm hormones at work. In a 2003 study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers scanned men's brains with PET imaging during ejaculation. The ventral tegmental area, the brain's main dopamine hub and reward center, lit up hard. The researchers compared the pattern to the rush seen with heroin. At the same time, as orgasm hormones flooded in, activity in the amygdala, the part of your brain that handles fear and alertness, dropped off.

Translation? At the moment of orgasm, your reward system cranks to eleven while your threat detector clocks out. That's why the world seems to disappear for a few seconds while your orgasm hormones take over. Orgasm hormones are the messengers that set all of this up and clean up afterward.

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Dopamine is the first of the orgasm hormones to show up, and it gets called the pleasure chemical, but that's not quite right. Neuroscientists like Kent Berridge at the University of Michigan have shown that dopamine is really about wanting, the motivation and anticipation that pull you toward a reward. It's the flirty text, the slow build, the moment you realize tonight might be the night.

That's the key to dopamine and orgasm. Dopamine climbs during arousal and peaks around climax, which is why the chase can feel almost as good as the finish. It's also why novelty is such a turn on for your orgasm hormones. New partners, new positions and new scenarios give your dopamine system something fresh to chase. Of all the orgasm hormones, dopamine is the hype man.

If dopamine is the hype man, oxytocin is the slow dance at the end of the night. Oxytocin is one of the most studied orgasm hormones. Researchers at Stanford found back in 1987 that plasma oxytocin rises during sexual arousal and peaks around orgasm in both men and women. In men, oxytocin also helps power the muscle contractions of ejaculation.

Oxytocin after sex is what makes you want to stay close, trade inside jokes and maybe ignore your phone for once. It's tied to trust, bonding and that warm, safe feeling. Skin to skin contact keeps oxytocin and other orgasm hormones flowing, which is one reason cuddling afterward feels so good. Among orgasm hormones, it's the one doing the most for your relationship.

Cortisol is the buzzkill among orgasm hormones. It's your main stress hormone, built for running from bears, not for romance. Arousal depends on your parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and relax side. Stress flips you into fight or flight, which sends blood toward your muscles and away from your groin. That's why a brutal week at work can throw your orgasm hormones off, tank your libido and make erections less reliable.

The good news runs both ways. In a 2008 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, cortisol actually dropped in response to sexual arousal for most participants. Arousal and the orgasm hormones that follow help switch your body back into relaxation mode. So while cortisol is one of the orgasm hormones working against you, sex is one of the better ways to show it the door.

Endorphins round out the orgasm hormones lineup. They're your body's natural painkillers, and they likely add to that floaty, everything is fine feeling after climax. The research on endorphins and orgasm is thinner than the hype, but the post O glow is real. Serotonin is the steadier character. It helps regulate mood and plays a big role in controlling ejaculation, which is why some antidepressants that boost serotonin can delay orgasm.

It's the oldest joke in the book, and the science backs it up. So why do men get sleepy after sex? Prolactin, oxytocin and that drop in stress hormones all push you toward relaxation at once. Your orgasm hormones are working as a team here. Add in physical effort and the fact that most sex happens late at night, and your body takes the hint. In a 2019 survey published in Frontiers in Public Health, most adults said they slept better after sex with an orgasm.

For the record, it's not just guys. People of every gender report post sex drowsiness. Men just get roasted for it more, even though everyone's orgasm hormones pull the same lever. Your orgasm hormones are basically tucking you in.

Is an orgasm an orgasm? Your brain and your orgasm hormones say no. A 2006 study in Biological Psychology found that the prolactin surge after intercourse was about 400 percent greater than after masturbation. Researchers think that bigger surge may signal more satisfaction, which could explain why partnered sex often feels more complete. Touch, scent and connection also give oxytocin and other orgasm hormones a bigger boost with a partner.

That doesn't make solo sex second place in the orgasm hormones department. Masturbation still delivers stress relief, better sleep and real health perks. More on that in The Health Benefits of Masturbation for Men. Both versions trigger the same orgasm hormones, just in different amounts. And if you're curious what happens when the orgasms stop altogether, read What Happens When You Stop Having Sex.

Your orgasm isn't just a moment. It's a full production starring your orgasm hormones. Dopamine builds the anticipation, oxytocin brings the closeness, prolactin calls the intermission, and cortisol gets kicked to the curb. Knowing how orgasm hormones work takes the mystery out of the cuddle urge, the nap and the wait before round two.

Treat your brain and your orgasm hormones right with good sleep, less stress and more connection, and it'll keep returning the favor.

• Holstege G, et al. Brain activation during human male ejaculation. Journal of Neuroscience, 2003.

• Berridge KC, Robinson TE. Parsing reward. Trends in Neurosciences, 2003.

• Carmichael MS, et al. Plasma oxytocin increases in the human sexual response. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1987.

• Krüger TH, Haake P, et al. Orgasm induced prolactin secretion, feedback control of sexual drive? Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2002.

• Haake P, et al. Absence of orgasm induced prolactin secretion in a healthy multi orgasmic male subject. International Journal of Impotence Research, 2002.

• Brody S, Krüger TH. The post orgasmic prolactin increase following intercourse is greater than following masturbation and suggests greater satiety. Biological Psychology, 2006.

• Hamilton LD, Rellini AH, Meston CM. Cortisol, sexual arousal, and affect in response to sexual stimuli. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2008.

• Lastella M, et al. Sex and sleep, perceptions of sex as a sleep promoting behavior in the general adult population. Frontiers in Public Health, 2019.