That breathtaking, euphoric peak of sexual pleasure is more than just a fleeting moment of bliss. An orgasm is a complex neurological and physiological event that engages your entire body, from your brain to your toes, sometimes with surprising side effects.
The Neurological Fireworks Display
According to gynaecologist Dr Sachchidananda Maiti, an orgasm is akin to a "full-body fireworks show". For most women, the process begins with the roughly 8,000 nerve endings in the clitoris. These connect to the pudendal nerve, which sends powerful pleasure signals directly to the brain.
During stimulation, these signals activate the brain's limbic system, the centre for emotion and euphoria. At the point of climax, there is a significant surge of dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins, creating that intense rush of pleasure and deep relaxation.
Dr Maiti explains that the brain during orgasm exhibits a burst of electrical activity across various regions, resembling a seizure on scans. This flood of neurochemicals lights up similar reward pathways to certain drugs, leading to the familiar "post-orgasmic daze" that can last from seconds to several minutes.
Physical Reactions: From Heart to Muscles
The body undergoes dramatic physical changes. Your heart rate can skyrocket from a resting state to between 140 and 180 beats per minute, mimicking intense exercise. Blood pressure rises, vessels dilate, and skin often flushes with the famed post-climax glow.
Simultaneously, rhythmic contractions of the pelvic floor muscles occur roughly 0.8 seconds apart. These spasms, triggered via the sacral nerve, aid in tension release and reproductive functions. However, the workout isn't confined to the pelvis.
"Your legs, arms, and even your face can spasm too," Dr Maiti notes. These involuntary movements can include eyes rolling back, jaw tensing, or cheek twitching. Some people experience full-body shudders due to intense nerve activation and muscle fatigue.
Surprising and Uncommon Side Effects
Beyond the well-known sensations, orgasms can trigger some rare and peculiar reactions. In very uncommon cases, individuals may experience transient global amnesia (TGA), briefly forgetting details due to a sudden drop in blood pressure reducing brain flow.
For men, testicles can appear to shrink post-orgasm. This is a temporary effect caused by muscle tightening and blood flow redirecting to the penile veins, following a period where they may have swelled by up to 50% during arousal.
Two other curious responses are post-orgasmic sneezing and crying. Sneezing can occur because the orgasm response and sneeze reflex both involve the autonomic nervous system, sometimes leading to crossed signals. Crying is linked to the surge in oxytocin and prolactin, hormones that regulate emotion, creating an overwhelming sense of release, joy, or even sadness.
Whether originating from clitoral stimulation or penetration, which activates deeper internal structures, the fundamental brain activity and muscle contractions remain similar. Dr Maiti concludes that while the journey to climax differs, the destination triggers a profound and unified full-body experience.
