Sexual Response Cycle

Sex, it seems to be a word that most of our country would like to keep unspoken. However, it’s part of human nature, and hiding it only seems cowardly. The more people know about sex, the healthier we can be. For example, before given this assignment, I had never really thought about a body’s sexual response cycle. The sexual response for males and females are different yet similar and is divided into four groups: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. However, this cycle is characterized by vasocongestion and myotonia. Vasocongestion is the engorgement of blood vessels with blood, which swells the genitals and breasts during sexual arousal. Myotonia means muscle tension. Both of these have big parts to play in male and female sexual response cycles.

The first stage is the excitement stage. This stage is characterized by erection in the male, vaginal lubrication in the female, myotonia, and heart rates increase in both sexes. Males can have an erection within three to eight seconds of this stage beginning as well as the scrotal skin thickening and the testes becoming elevated and enlarged. Female vaginal lubrication begins within ten to thirty seconds of when sexual stimulation begins. This process swells the clitoris as well as flattens and spreads the vaginal lips. Also, the vagina expands, breasts become enlarged, and the blood vessels near the surface become more prominent. For both sexes, the skin can take on a rosy color, which is more likely to happen to females, as well as the nipples in both sexes become erect. Then of course heart rates and blood pressures increase.

Next is the second stage, the plateau stage, is where the level of sexual arousal remains stable. Due to vasocongestion, the head of the penis tends to increase in circumference and takes on a purple hue. The testes are elevated into an ejaculation position and can reach up to one and a half times bigger than their unaroused size. For females, vasocongestion causes the outer part of the vagina to swell, leading to the contracting of the vaginal opening to prepare for grasping the penis. As for the inner part of the vagina, it also expands further. Then the clitoris gets shorter and goes beneath the clitoral hood. In this stage, for both sexes, breathing becomes more rapid like panting. Also, the heart rate increases from 100 to 160 beats per minute as blood pressures continue to rise.

Going in to the third stage, the orgasm stage, things get a lot more heated and a lot more intense. This stage is characterized by pelvic contractions and is accompanied by intense pleasure. In this phase, the male has two stages of muscular contractions. The first stage is when semen collects at the base of the penis. However, the internal sphincter stops urine and sperm from mixing together. Then, in the second stage, muscle contractions propel the ejaculate out of the body. There seems to be a relation between the sensations of pleasure to the strength of the contractions and the amount of seminal fluid that is present. Usually the first three to four contractions are the most intense and occur at 0.8 second intervals or five contractions every four seconds. Following this, the male experience another two to four contractions take place at a slower pace. Of course rates and patterns vary between each guy. The orgasm for the female has between three to fifteen contractions of the pelvic muscles that surround the vaginal barrel. At first contractions occur at 0.8 second intervals like males, and they also produce release of sexual tension like males. These contractions are followed by weaker, slower contractions as well. Reflexes of this stage include erection, vaginal lubrication, and orgasm. They all are automatic responses to the body’s adequate sexual stimulations. When it comes to circumstances that both sexes share, there is the blood pressures and heart rates that reach their peaks, with heart beats reaching up to 180 beats per minute. Also, respiration can increase up to forty breaths per minute.

Last but not least, is the resolution stage. This final stage is when the body gradually returns to an unaroused state. For males, after ejaculation, blood is released from engorged areas, so the erection disappears, and the testes return to their normal size. As for women, blood is also released from