Sexual Response Cycle Senior Health: Family Living

Sexual Response Cycle: 5 Stages

STAGE 1: Desire (Libido) This stage, in which a man or woman begins to want or “desire” sexual intimacy or gratification, may last anywhere from a moment to years. Body responds to a variety of senses: sight, touch, smell, taste, movement, fantasy, etc.

Stage 2: Excitement (Arousal) Body’s initial response to feelings of sexual desire, may last from minutes to several hours. Younger people require less stimuli to reach excitement stage Compared to men, women generally take longer to reach excitement stage May be lost and regained several times Desire communicated through body and verbal language (“Flirting”)

Body Response During Excitement/Arousal MEN AND WOMEN: Heart Rate and Body Temp Increase Nipples become erect Genital and pelvic blood vessels become engorged Muscles contract

Body Response to Excitement/Arousal WOMEN Vagina lengthens and widens Clitoris swells and enlarges Breasts increase in size Labia swell and separate Vagina becomes lubricated (KEY INDICATOR OF SEXUAL EXCITEMENT)

Body Response During Excitement/Arousal MEN Penis becomes erect (KEY INDICATOR OF SEXUAL EXCITEMENT) Testes rise closer to body

Stage 3: Plauteau Highest point of sexual excitement, generally lasts between 30 seconds and three minutes

Body Response During Plateau MEN & WOMEN Breathing rate, heart rate, and blood pressure further increase Muscle tension increases There is a sense of impending orgasm.

Body Response During Plateau WOMEN The clitoris withdraws Vagina becomes further lubricated The areolae around the nipples become larger The labia continue to swell The “orgasmic platform” develops (that is, the lower vagina swells, narrows, and tightens).

Body Response During Plateau MEN The ridge of the glans penis becomes more prominent The Cowper’s glands secrete preejaculatory fluid The testes rise closer to the body.

Stage 4: Orgasm Peak of the plateau stage, point at which sexual tension is released, generally lasts for less than 1 minute

Body Response During Orgasm MEN & WOMEN Heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure reach their highest peak Loss of muscle control (spasms)

Body Response During Orgasm WOMEN The uterus, vagina, anus, and muscles of the pelvic floor contract five to 12 times at 0.8- second intervals.

Body Response During Orgasm Ejaculation (contractions of the ejaculatory duct in the prostate gland cause semen to be ejected through the urethra and penis) occurs The urethra, anus, and muscles of the pelvic floor contract three to six times at 0.8- second intervals.

Stage 5: Resolution The period at which the body returns to pre-excitement stage. Varies from person-to-person

Body Response During Resolution MEN & WOMEN Heart rate and blood pressure dip below normal, returning to normal soon afterward; The whole body (including the palms of hands and soles of feet) sweats Loss of muscle tension Increased relaxation Drowsiness.

Body Response During Resolution WOMEN Blood vessels dilate to drain the pelvic tissues and decrease engorgement The breasts and areolae decrease in size Nipples lose their erection Clitoris resumes its pre-arousal position and shrinks slightly The labia return to normal size and position The vagina relaxes The cervix opens to help semen travel up into the uterus (closing 20–30 minutes after orgasm) The uterus lowers into the upper vagina (location of semen after male orgasm during penile-vaginal intercourse).

Body Response During Resolution MEN REFRACTORY PERIOD: Period during which an erection cannot be achieved (the duration of this period varies among individuals and increases with age) WOMEN HAVE NO REFRACTORY PERIOD- They either enter the resolution stage, return to excitement, or return to plateau stage directly following resolution Nipples lose their erection The penis lightens in color and becomes softer and smaller Scrotum relaxes, and the testes drop farther away from the body

“When Harry Met Sally” bsf2x-aeE bsf2x-aeE