AND HAPPY EASTER, MY STARS.
To lift you out of that two-and-a-half-week family-dinner slump, we’ve put together a few sex facts to serve as little palate cleansers...
1. The sperm marathon
While the speed of ejaculation can reach around 45 km/h, the journey is a real obstacle course. To reach the egg, a sperm cell must travel a distance equivalent to several kilometres on a human scale. Fewer than 1% make it past the cervix.
2. The heart in full sprint
During orgasm, your heart rate can climb to 140 or 180 beats per minute. That’s equivalent to intense physical exertion, like a sustained sprint or a quick dash up the stairs.
3. A natural painkiller
Orgasm releases a huge dose of endorphins and oxytocin. These hormones dramatically raise your pain threshold. Studies suggest that an orgasm can be more effective than a conventional painkiller at relieving a migraine or period pain.
4. The fertile window
The survival of sperm in the uterus and fallopian tubes is impressive: they can remain fertile for up to 5, or even 7 days. That’s why sex during menstruation can lead to pregnancy in some short cycles.
5. Heartbeats in sync
During a passionate kiss or sex, partners’ heartbeats tend to synchronise. It’s a fascinating biological phenomenon linked to empathy and physical closeness.
6. Seminal fluid: a complex cocktail
Semen contains more than just reproductive cells. It’s a mix of vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, fructose (for energy) and proteins. It’s a veritable biochemical cocktail, though the quantities are tiny.
7. Sense of smell: the invisible ally
Humans can detect hormonal changes through smell. Some research has shown that a person’s skin scent is perceived as more attractive by potential partners when they’re at their most fertile — entirely unconsciously.
8. The clitoris: the hidden part of the iceberg
What we can see of the clitoris is just the glans (the external part). In fact, the whole organ measures between 8 and 12 centimetres long. It extends inside the body and has roots that fill with blood during arousal.
9. The energy burn
Sex lasting an average length of time (around 25 minutes, including foreplay) burns about 4 calories per minute for people who produce sperm and 3 calories for those who don’t. It’s moderate physical activity, comparable to a brisk walk.
10. The brain in "letting go" mode
During orgasm, the brain temporarily switches off areas associated with fear and anxiety. The lateral orbitofrontal cortex goes "on pause", which helps explain the deep relaxation and sense of switching off that many people feel afterwards.
So which one’s your favourite?
See you soon for more gems of all kinds <3
PS: MERRY CHRISTMAS, by the way.
Léa ☁️
I've been playing with words on all sorts of subjects for 10 years, and recently turned to sexology after training with Mathilde Magnien. I'm fascinated by how relationships work, and here we'll chat about it openly, inclusively and with a bit of humour too.
Léa ☁️
I've been playing with words on all sorts of topics for 10 years, and recently turned to sexuality after training with Mathilde Magnien. I'm fascinated by how relationships work, and here we'll chat openly, inclusively and with a bit of humour too.
