What is sexual arousal?

Arousal is when you feel sexual arousal (you are hot). When you feel arousal, your body has physical and emotional changes. For example, your penis or clitoris may become erect (hard), tender, and swollen, and your vulva or vagina may feel moist, as can the tip of your penis.

You can excite sexually encouraging you to mix yourself or with a partner. Also, when you have sexual fantasies or thoughts, or when you read, watch, or listen to erotic materials (such as porn). Arousal can also happen when you touch, or someone touches, some parts of your body that are very sensitive (also called erogenous zones). However, not all people feel sexually aroused when touched, says sexologist in Delhi.

When you feel excited, you may have many physical reactions, or you may not have any. Some of the changes you can have in your body when you feel arousal include:

• your blood pressure, heart rate (heartbeat), breathing and temperature rise
• your nipples, vaginal lips, and clitoris fill with blood and become more sensitive
• your penis gets harder and stops (this is also called having an erection)
• your vagina is lubricated (gets wet) and expands

What is sexual desire?

Your sexual desire (sometimes called “libido”) is when you feel like having sex, or when your mind or body gets excited when you think of doing something sexual, like masturbate, have sexual thoughts or fantasies, or have sex with a couple.

How do I know if my sexual desire is normal?

Sexual desire is different for all people. The number of times people feel like having sex is a very personal thing. There is no “normal” amount of sexual desire. Sexual desire and interest in sex are different for each person and can change over time.

Your sexual desire can change due to things like stress, taking certain medications, and other physical, emotional, and lifestyle factors. Some people feel like having sex every day or more than once a day. While other people almost never or never want to have sex. Also, some people need to have a strong emotional connection with someone to be interested in having sex (this is sometimes called demisexual). There are other people who do not need, or even do not want, to have an emotional connection with those who have sex. People who are not sexually attracted to anyone may identify as asexual.

If you have low sexual desire and this worries you or makes you feel bad, you may have something called hypoactive sexual desire disorder. There are many things you can do to help increase your sexual desire if you want.

What are erogenous zones?

Some parts of the body have many nerve endings (places where the nerves that run through our body end), which make you feel excited or sexually stimulated when you or someone touches them. Those are your erogenous zones. The most erogenous zones for most people are the genital areas: the vulva, clitoris, vaginal lips, vagina, anus, perineum, penis, scrotum, and prostate. Other common erogenous zones are the breasts and nipples, neck, lips, mouth, tongue, back, fingers and toes, hands, feet, ears, buttocks, and thighs. Usually the most sensitive is the penis and clitoris, which explains sexologist doctor in Delhi.

Any part of your body can be sexual because just as all people are different, erogenous zones are also different. What feels good for you, may not feel good for your partner, so to know what he likes, you can ask him!

What is the sexual response cycle?

The sexual response cycle is how your body reacts to sexual stimulation. This can happen with a partner, with yourself, or even while you sleep! You do not always go through all stages of the sexual response cycle; you may stop at any time.

The first stage is feeling desire or having thoughts that excite you sexually. This can make you aroused (hot), which is when your body prepares to have sex. Your heart rate (heartbeat) speeds up, your muscles tense, and blood flows to your genitals (penis or vagina).

The next is the plateau stage when you feel a lot of excitement and maintain that feeling by masturbating or having sex.

The plateau stage ends with an orgasm, when the tension you built up is released with various spasms or muscle contractions that feel great. Your body releases endorphins, that is, hormones that make you feel happy and relaxed.

The resolution stage occurs at the end of the sexual response cycle, whether or not you have had an orgasm. Resolution means that your body returns to the state it was in before it excited you.