- Half of Spaniards say they have sex up to 3 times a week and 10% even do it daily.
- 70% of Spaniards confess that the purpose of sexual intercourse is not orgasm: if it is not achieved, nothing happens.
- Excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution, the 4 phases of orgasm. The moment of climax is felt in the body, but it is generated in the mind.
- Sex has no age, nor does the intensity and duration of the sensations experienced depend on gender. It all depends on the individual
February 14 has become the most romantic day of the year, and one of the most celebrated dates in the world. But, coincidentally or not, in addition to being Valentine’s Day, it is also the European Day of Sexual Health. Having quality relationships and experiencing new sensations is something more and more sought after. But if we also add the multiple benefits that sex has for the body and mind, we see the importance of practicing it with a certain frequency. More than half of Spaniards say they have sex up to 3 times a week and 10% even do it daily, compared to the remaining 35% who do it every 15 days or more, even forgetting the last time they had sex, according to data from the latest Top Doctors study.
Different studies have shown that sexual relations and, above all, experiencing orgasms, are beneficial to health. “Sex helps to improve the immune system by increasing the number of antibodies and, at the same time, to prevent the onset of diseases such as prostate cancer or cardiac pathologies. It also has important advantages for the mind by reducing stress, relieving pain or helping to sleep better,” says Dr. Aleix Comas, sexologist at the Barcelona Institute of Psychology and Sexology, a member center of Top Doctors®, an online platform to find and contact the best medical specialists in private health, audited and certified by the most rigorous selection process of doctors in the world.
7 out of 10 people consider that reaching orgasm is not the most important thing to achieve.
During the whole act an intimacy and a special bond with the body and mind is created, which can make even reaching orgasm secondary. In fact, 7 out of 10 people consider that, although reaching climax is the culmination of something perfect, if it is not reached, nothing happens, being able to enjoy everything that the act implies, compared to the remaining 30% who consider that reaching orgasm is undoubtedly the ultimate goal of having sex. In addition, for those surveyed, anything goes when it comes to enjoyment, and half of them say they resort to erotic toys to enhance the sensations of sex, as well as masturbation, the latter being a common practice for 80% of Spaniards.
Excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution, the 4 phases of orgasm
When we have sexual intercourse and reach orgasm, certain reactions occur in the body that make us think that it is a physical issue. However, it is in the mind where this sexual response is generated. “The mind decides where we place our attention and how we interpret what we experience, while activating the systems necessary for us to reach climax. We see it in the body, but we originate it in the mind,” says Mr. Comas. Likewise, the sexologist identifies 4 phases. “Arousal is the sexual response that occurs during the first phase of orgasm, which generates lubrication. After this first stage, the initial arousal increases and we reach the plateau phase which is the longest lasting of the whole act. If we move on, we reach the orgasm or climax phase, in which the maximum physical activity and sensation of pleasure is experienced, but it only lasts a few seconds. Finally, the resolution phase is when we return to our physical and psychological normality.”
Sex has no age, and there are no gender differences.
Much has been said about the differences between the sensations experienced during sexual intercourse between men and women. However, experts assure that the duration or intensity of the sensations are individual and are related to personal skills, experience, as well as physical and psychological relational factors, and have nothing to do with the gender of the person. “The intensity of orgasm depends on the degree of arousal, motivation, as well as the state of the body and mind of the individual,” explains Dr. Ana Rosa Jurado, a sexologist at Magna Clinic Marbella, a Top Doctors member center. Although sexual response can vary over the years, there is no concept of an age limit for sex, it depends on the person.