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The Sexual Response Cycle
 There
are five main stages to the sexual response cycle:
- Desire (also called
libido). This stage, in which a man or woman begins to want or
"desire" sexual intimacy or gratification, may last anywhere
from a moment to many years.
- Excitement (also
called arousal). This stage, which is characterized by the body’s
initial response to feelings of sexual desire, may last from minutes
to several hours.
- Plateau. This stage,
the highest point of sexual excitement, generally lasts between 30 seconds
and three minutes.
- Orgasm. This stage,
the peak of the plateau stage and the point at which sexual tension
is released, generally lasts for less than a minute.
- Resolution. The
duration of this stage—the period during which the body returns
to its preexcitement state—varies greatly and generally increases
with age.
 View
a chart comparing
the stages for men and women
 STAGE
1: Desire
Our minds and bodies can respond
sexually to a variety of stimuli—including sight,
sound, smell, touch, taste, movement, fantasy, and memory. These stimuli
can create sexual desire—a strong wanting for sexual
stimulation (either by oneself or with another person) or sexual intimacy
that may cause one to seek sexual satisfaction. Societal and cultural
values influence the range of stimuli that provoke sexual desire, and
ideals about the stimuli considered “sexual” or “attractive”
can vary greatly between cultures and among subsets of a single culture.
In addition, each individual reacts to sets of stimuli that are idiosyncratic—based
on his or her own thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Indications of
Desire. Desire is a prelude to sexual excitement and sexual activity—it
occurs in the mind rather than the body and may not progress to sexual
excitement without further physical or mental stimulation. Desire may
be communicated between potential sexual partners either verbally or through
body language and behavior (for example, through “flirting”).
This communication, which is shaped by sociocultural factors, may be subtle
and easily misread. In different cultures, behaviors meant to communicate
desire may vary greatly along gender lines; for example, in some cultures,
women are expected not to express overt, verbal communication of their
sexual desire, whereas such communication from men is expected.
STAGE 2:
Excitement (arousal)
Excitement is the body’s
physical response to desire. (A person who manifests the physical indications
of excitement is termed to be “aroused” or “excited.”)
The progression from desire to excitement depends on a wide variety of
factors—it may be brought on by sensory stimulation, thoughts, fantasy,
or even the suggestion that desire may be reciprocated. For some persons
(particularly for some adolescents), the excitement stage may be achieved
with very little physical or mental stimulation, whereas for others, significant
intimacy, physical stimulation, or fantasy may be required. It generally
takes longer for women to achieve full arousal than for men to do so.
Excitement may lead to intimacy and sexual activity, but this is not inevitable:
for both sexes, initial physical excitement may be lost and regained many
times without progression to the next stage.
Indications of Excitement.
Excitement can be communicated between partners verbally, through body
language, through behavior, or through any of the following body changes:
- For both sexes:
Heart rate and blood pressure increase, body muscles tense, sexual flush
occurs, nipples become erect, genital and pelvic blood vessels become
engorged, and involuntary and voluntary muscles contract.
- For women: The vagina
lengthens and widens, the clitoris swells and enlarges, breasts increase
in size, the labia swell and separate, the vagina becomes lubricated,
and the uterus rises slightly. Vaginal lubrication is the key indicator
of sexual excitement.
- For men: The penis
becomes erect, the scrotum thickens, and the testes rise closer to the
body. Erection of the penis is the key indicator of sexual excitement.
STAGE 3:
Plateau
If physical or mental stimulation
(especially stroking and rubbing of erogenous zones or sexual intercourse)
continues during full arousal, the plateau stage may be achieved. This
stage, the highest moment of sexual excitement before orgasm, may be achieved,
lost, and regained several times without the occurrence of orgasm.
Indications of the Plateau
Stage. The plateau stage can be communicated between partners verbally,
through body language, through behavior, or through any of the following
physiological changes:
- For both sexes: Breathing
rate, heart rate, and blood pressure further increase, sexual flush
deepens, and muscle tension increases. There is a sense of impending
orgasm.
- For women: The clitoris
withdraws, the Bartholin’s glands lubricate, the areolae around
the nipples become larger, the labia continue to swell, the uterus tips
to stand high in the abdomen, and the “orgasmic platform”
develops (that is, the lower vagina swells, narrows, and tightens).
- For men: The ridge
of the glans penis becomes more prominent, the Cowper’s glands
secrete preejaculatory fluid, and the testes rise closer to the body.
STAGE 4:
Orgasm
Orgasm occurs at the peak of
the plateau phase. At the moment of orgasm, the sexual tension that has
been building throughout the body is released, and the body releases chemicals
called endorphins, which cause a sense of well-being. Orgasm can
be achieved through mental stimulation and fantasy alone, but more commonly
is a result of direct physical stimulation or sexual intercourse (although
many women report difficulty in achieving orgasm through vaginal intercourse
alone). Women are capable of multiple orgasms (moving immediately
from orgasm back into the plateau stage and to orgasm again), whereas
men must pass through the resolution stage before another orgasm can be
achieved.
Indications of Orgasm.
The intensity of orgasm can vary among individuals and can vary for
an individual from one sexual experience to another. Orgasm may involve
intense spasm and loss of awareness, or it may be signaled by as little
as a sigh or subtle relaxation. Orgasm can be communicated between partners
verbally, through body language, through behavior, or through any of the
following physiological changes:
- For both sexes: Heart
rate, breathing, and blood pressure reach their highest peak, sexual
flush spreads over the body, and there is a loss of muscle control (spasms).
- For women: The uterus,
vagina, anus, and muscles of the pelvic floor contract five to 12 times
at 0.8-second intervals.
- For men: Ejaculation
(contractions of the ejaculatory duct in the prostate gland cause semen
to be ejected through the urethra and penis) occurs, and the urethra,
anus, and muscles of the pelvic floor contract three to six times at
0.8-second intervals.
STAGE 5:
Resolution
Resolution is the period following
orgasm, during which muscles relax and the body begins to return to its
preexcitement state. Immediately following orgasm, men experience a refractory
period, during which erection cannot be achieved (the duration
of this period varies among individuals and increases with age). Women
experience no refractory period—they can either enter the resolution
stage or return to the excitement or plateau stage immediately following
orgasm.
Indications of Resolution.
Resolution can be communicated between partners verbally, through
body language, through behavior, or through any of the following body
changes:
- For both sexes: Heart
rate and blood pressure dip below normal, returning to normal soon afterward;
the whole body (including the palms of hands and soles of feet) sweats;
there is a loss of muscle tension, increased relaxation, and drowsiness.
- For women: Blood
vessels dilate to drain the pelvic tissues and decrease engorgement;
the breasts and areolae decrease in size; nipples lose their erection;
the clitoris resumes its prearousal position and shrinks slightly; the
labia return to normal size and position; the vagina relaxes; the cervix
opens to help semen travel up into the uterus (closing 20–30 minutes
after orgasm); and the uterus lowers into the upper vagina (location
of semen after male orgasm during penile-vaginal intercourse).
- For men: Nipples
lose their erection; the penis lightens in color and becomes softer
and smaller; the scrotum relaxes, and the testes drop farther away from
the body. Depending on a number of factors (including age), the refractory
period in men may last anywhere from five minutes to 24 hours or more.
© 2007 EngenderHealth
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