The Pleasures of Sex

A little mindfulness, imagination, exclusivity and the rest of the "treehouse principles" may help you make positive changes to your relationship and sex life.

Penis size doesn't matter to everyone, sexually or intellectually. But there's enough curiosity about it to support numerous studies on the topic and the thousands of questions I've received. Here's what we found in one of the largest studies on men's penis length and circumference—including an intriguing link to oral sex.

Some people have a greater need for space, others have a need for togetherness. Balancing your needs with a partner's needs is a fundamental task of a healthy relationship.

If you've ever found yourself eating more or less in response to a breakup, look no further than gut-brain communication.

Sex

The G Spot, Science & the Need for Brakes

Debby Herbenick Ph.D., M.P.H. on April 30, 2012

Last week a study was released that purported to have identified the G-Spot. But did this study – based on a single 83 year old woman’s cadaver - “discover” the G-Spot? Or has it simply demonstrated that science could use some brakes?

Last week a study was released that purported to have identified the G-Spot. But did this study – based on a single 83 year old woman’s cadaver - “discover” the G-Spot? Or has it simply demonstrated that science could use some brakes?

Orgasm

Exercise-Induced Orgasms: You Asked, I'm Answering!

Debby Herbenick Ph.D., M.P.H. on March 20, 2012

The 8 most common questions I've received about Exercise-Induced Orgasm (what some call "coregasms") and Exercise-Induced Sexual Pleasure—and my responses.

The 8 most common questions I've received about Exercise-Induced Orgasm (what some call "coregasms") and Exercise-Induced Sexual Pleasure—and my responses.

Orgasm

The Little Explored Secret of Women's Orgasms While They Exe

Debby Herbenick Ph.D., M.P.H. on March 19, 2012

Exploring the coregasm: Why do some women experience orgasms during exercise and others do not? Which exercises do these orgasms happen with? And perhaps most important: What does this teach us about women's orgasm overall?

Exploring the coregasm: Why do some women experience orgasms during exercise and others do not? Which exercises do these orgasms happen with? And perhaps most important: What does this teach us about women's orgasm overall?

A little mindfulness, imagination, exclusivity and the rest of the "treehouse principles" may help you make positive changes to your relationship and sex life.

A man's quest to get his girlfriend to shave her pubic hair leads to bigger questions about the intersections of pubic hair.

A personal exploration into the power of touch.

The body and mind play together in multi-faceted ways, which affects how we experience sex.

Relationships

What We Can Learn About Sex From Britney Spears

Debby Herbenick Ph.D., M.P.H. on November 10, 2010

From Hit Me Baby One More Time to her love affair gone wrong with Justin to her marriage to and divorce from K-Fed, Britney ranks among the top Celebrity Sexperts of contemporary times. Here’s what I think we can learn from her:

From Hit Me Baby One More Time to her love affair gone wrong with Justin to her marriage to and divorce from K-Fed, Britney ranks among the top Celebrity Sexperts of contemporary times. Here’s what I think we can learn from her:

Sex

For Better Sex, Learn to Forget

Debby Herbenick Ph.D., M.P.H. on October 28, 2010

An exploration of how sex could be different if we could learn to "forget" our past and our failures and instead, open ourselves to pleasure and wonder. 

An exploration of how sex could be different if we could learn to "forget" our past and our failures and instead, open ourselves to pleasure and wonder. 

 A fun game to play with others while waiting for a bus, riding a train or sitting around after dinner is the superpower game - as in, if you could have one superpower, what would it be? Often, people say they'd like to fly, to have x-ray vision or to be invisible. These are all well and good for people who want to be super at fighting crime, but what do they do for sex and love aside from having sex in mid-air (flying), spoiling the surprise (x-ray vision) or being a voyeur in someone else's bedroom (invisibility).This got me thinking about what superpowers might make for better sex - and what we can learn from them. 

New results from our large national sex study show that nearly 1 in 3 women ages 18 to 59 experience difficulty with pain during sex.

Relationships

Sex: The Pleasure, Surprise and Responsibility of Seeing Your Partner's Other Side

Debby Herbenick Ph.D., M.P.H. on August 22, 2010

There are a thousands reasons why sex can be a wonderful source of pleasure. One of them is because it gives you a chance to see a private, special side to another person that few other people in the world may ever get to see.

There are a thousands reasons why sex can be a wonderful source of pleasure. One of them is because it gives you a chance to see a private, special side to another person that few other people in the world may ever get to see.

Relationships

What We Can Learn About Sex From Tiger Woods

Debby Herbenick Ph.D., M.P.H. on June 20, 2010

Clearly, Tiger and his family have been through quite an ordeal and this post isn't to minimize or mock their very painful experiences. Rather it's to ask, what can we learn from the fiasco that was his sex life uncovered?

Clearly, Tiger and his family have been through quite an ordeal and this post isn't to minimize or mock their very painful experiences. Rather it's to ask, what can we learn from the fiasco that was his sex life uncovered?

Breasts are often left out of couples' sexual play, but they can be an important part of full body intimacy and pleasure.

In their quest for more pleasurable sex, people often focus too much on the genitals. Here's how an unexpected body part, your feet, can lead to better sex.

Some years ago, my heart broke very badly after a relationship that, even as it was beginning, I knew probably could not last. I could say that I wish that it was the only time that my heart had ever broken, but I'd be lying. It's not that I enjoy heartbreak...