The Psychological Secret To Female Orgasm

Did you know there are at least three different types of vaginal orgasm?

These include a “wave”, a “volcano,” and an “avalanche” (wave seems to be the most common).

But before we get to classifying the big Os, it’s probably a good idea to work out how to get them in the first place.

Though sex experts stress that fixating on climax can make sex less enjoyable overall, the “gender orgasm gap” remains undeniable. Some research found that within heterosexual couples, men report orgasm in 95% of sexual encounters, while heterosexual women say they only “finish” about 65% of the time.

There’s even a gendered masturbation gap.

A 2024 study, conducted by the University of Essex’s psychology lecturer Dr Megan Klabunde and psychology undergraduate student Emily Dixon, may have found why some women orgasm more than others, however.

Their study suggested it could be down to “interoception”.

Interoception is a way of understanding your own body’s internal senses. These include being attuned to your heartbeat, hunger levels, bladder fullness, and more.

The Cleveland Clinic says that rather than being a predetermined ability, interoception is “a learned skill that you develop as you grow” – though it can be impaired by certain conditions.

The 2024 study, published in the journal Brain Sciences, asked 360 women to fill in questionnaires about their sexual satisfaction and interoception levels.

Participants were 20% more likely to orgasm through masturbation than partnered sex, and these climaxes were deemed more satisfying, too.

Women who self-reported more frequent and satisfying orgasms were also consistently likelier to describe higher levels of attunement with their body.

“Our study empirically demonstrates that women need to get out of their heads and into their bodies in order to have more frequent and satisfying orgasms,” Dr Klabunde said.

“Orgasms are more frequent and satisfying when a woman is able to focus on how her body is feeling… This study is important because most research looking at orgasms in women have focused on their dysfunction,” rather than focusing on what does work.

Dr Klabunde added, “The ability for women to focus their attention on their internal bodily sensations, and trust these sensations, was… associated with increased orgasm satisfaction. Therefore, it is important for women and their partners to trust the woman’s internal bodily experiences during sexual encounters.

“This is critical for fostering orgasmic satisfaction for both solo but also especially for partnered sexual contexts.”

The Cleveland Clinic added that specialised therapy and practicing mindfulness can help, too.

They ended, “Have patience with yourself as you learn new techniques. This learned skill takes time to develop and doesn’t come naturally to everyone”.