Has your sex life stalled lately? If so, it might be time to spice things up with a bit of sensory sex. And err, don't panic: you don't necessarily need a blindfold to get involved with this one (although you absolutely can, if you want).
GLAMOUR chatted to Megwyn White, Certified Clinical Sexologist and Director of Education at sexual wellness brand Satisfyer, to find out exactly what sensory sex is, and how it can improve sexual intimacy and pleasure.
Megwyn starts by explaining that our bodies are actually wired for pleasure (who knew?) and that “sensory sex and orgasms have a wide-ranging effect that supports our bodies overall wellbeing,” including, “improving the radiance and glow of skin, strengthening muscles, and naturally engaging our nervous system to heighten the effects of pleasure.”
She adds that, “Sensory sex can also improve mental wellbeing by reducing stress levels, supporting creativity, and lifting our mood naturally.”
Here's everything you need to know about sensory sex (and how to try it at home):
What is sensory sex?
According to Megwyn, "Sensory sex is the act of engaging as many senses as you can to help in heightening sexual pleasure and to help deepen intimacy with your partner.
"These senses come in all shapes and forms, from visual to auditory to tactile. By putting the focus on pleasurable sensations throughout your body, sensory sex can help you let go of the pressures that come with an exclusive focus on the genitals, as well as heightening your arousal by engaging multiple pleasure pathways.
Sensory sex can help you let go of the pressures that come with an exclusive focus on the genitals.
“When we explore our sexual desires, we can tap into a spring of pleasure that can unlock dormant potential. Just remember to stay curious when it comes to sensory sex. Your senses are part of your overall sensual intelligence and will develop as you utilise them.”
These Lovehoney discount codes will get you 15% off date night goodies in time for Valentine's DayGallery8 PhotosHow can you incorporate sensory sex into self-sex or sex with a partner?
"There are many forms of sensory sex that people can enjoy by combining certain senses to enhance intimacy and pleasure, whether that’s in self-sex or sex with a partner."
Here are Megwyn's top tips for each sense:
HEARINGSounds not only make us feel sexy, they can help to guide eroticism and movements, add an aural texture to the moment: there is nothing like our lover’s voice speaking words of desire, or the sounds of arousal building, especially at the peak of climax.
Our ability to hear sounds can be dampened by stress. Creating a sonic environment where you can truly relax helps to open up your ability to hear and attune to the most subtle of sounds – like the soft whisper of your lover’s voice and breath to the rhythm, and tone of music that gets you in the mood.
Music ignites the same parts of the brain as food, drugs, and sexual pleasure. When you pair your favourite sensual playlist with sex, it helps your mind and body surrender into the subtle nuances of pleasure fused with rhythm, tone, and emotion that only music can evoke. And...it’s not only the ear that hears. The rest of the body also has the capacity to detect sounds through “feeling” them, which is why immersive sound spaces like concerts can feel so intense.
Tips to incorporate sound:
- Try humming gently while giving oral pleasures to your partner, or even while you kiss, or try making gentle sounds as you explore erogenous zones like the neck, breasts, inner thighs, or belly.
- Let your own sounds of pleasure out. These sounds are not only incredibly arousing but also can offer feedback to your partner on what feels good. They can be gentle hums, coos, or rousing open-mouthed sounds of peaking climax.
- Play with your words. Create names for different parts of the body and for different sexual acts. Tell your partner how much you desire them, enjoy the way they taste, or tease them with your words.
Our eyes are incredibly sensual and will often respond to mood or arousal by dilating. Simply looking at your lover’s body and their sensual curves can be incredibly hot. Supporting sex with visual details can help increase anticipation, add to the atmosphere, and help highlight the body in the best possible ways.
Tips to incorporate sight:
- Incorporate multiple soft light sources with coloured bulbs. This can help add warmth to the room, creating a mysterious and magical ambiance.
- Try a strip-tease and tantalise your partner with each layer you remove.
- Play an erotic movie or porn while you explore mutual masturbation.
- Keep candles nearby. They naturally dance and add movement to the space, not to mention they’re incredibly romantic and are sexy to blow out.
- Take moments to gaze into each other’s eyes. Studies show that gazing itself helps to encourage trust through a process called pupil mimicry.
- Using a blindfold selectively can help to heighten this sense and others.
Smells are one of the most highly erotic senses we have. Our sense of smell is tied to the limbic system, an area of the brain which governs our emotions, long-term memory, and sexual impulses.
Incorporating sexy scents can literally take us back to specific memories and are utilised in the selection of our mates. Scents help to calm our mind and body and help in creating new sensual memories and invite a more primal side to emerge.
Tips to incorporate smell:
- Use scents of desire, like vanilla, sandalwood, or Ylang Ylang.
- Find out what your lover’s favourite perfume or cologne is and be sure to wear it.
- Utilise massage oils or massage candles.
- Make a point to invite in the smells of your partner as you explore them sensually. Bringing greater attention to the specific smell can be arousing itself.
Taste is of course incredibly erotic. Whether it’s tasting your lover’s fluids through a kiss, sipping wine, delighting in chocolate, or any sensual food. Taste signals to our brain that we can relax, enjoy and connect with our pleasure.
Getting comfortable with the natural taste and flavours of the body can enliven sex, and help increase erotic confidence between you and your partner.
Taste at a primal level also sends hormonal signals. A kiss for instance is not just a kiss, it's ripe with hormones that send signals to your partner on your genetic and reproductive viability. Sexual fluids also vary from partner to partner. Getting comfortable with the natural taste and flavours of the body can enliven sex, and help increase erotic confidence between you and your partner.
Tips to incorporate taste:
- Bring more attention and appreciation to the taste of your partner’s body, kiss, and sensual fluids.
- Incorporate sweet fruit, honey, warm chocolate, or whipped cream. Sweet, natural foods are incredibly erotic and can also help brighten your mood, and add unique flavour to your play.
- Incorporate flavoured lubes, or candy knickers.
- Exchange wine through the mouth and let the flavours linger as your tongues and taste buds collide.
Our skin is the largest organ in the body and it communicates a wide variety of information about the sensual experience. We have a range of touch receptors in our skin that can detect everything from hot and cold, to different textures, vibrations, and wetness.
Tips to incorporate touch:
- Play with the quality of touch. Slow touch can be especially intense, and firmer pressure can also be wonderful.
- Try tracing your partner’s body with ice, and teasing their most sensitive parts. Glass dildos can also be cooled or warmed, just be mindful to test the temperature on the inside of your wrist before touching your partner.
- Incorporate an Air Pulse stimulator into the mix. It can be amazing to activate blood flow to the clitoris, and can even be used to stimulate nipples or the scrotum.
- Invite soft touch with feathers, velvet, fur, or felt. It can feel amazing on the skin and a wonderfully romantic way to explore foreplay.
- Take a warm bath and use salts and oils to soothe the skin. Exploring a sensual massage in the bath can be a great way to get your mojo going.
For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.
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