Women with heightened interoceptive awareness have more frequent and satisfying orgasms, study finds

New research published in Brain Sciences suggests that women who are more attuned to their bodily sensations may experience more frequent and satisfying orgasms. The study found that different aspects of interoceptive awareness—the ability to perceive internal bodily signals—are linked to orgasm frequency and satisfaction, both during solitary and partnered sexual activities. Women who reported a heightened ability to notice internal sensations were more likely to experience orgasms frequently, while those who could regulate their attention to bodily cues experienced more satisfying orgasms when alone.

The female orgasm remains an underexplored area of research, despite its well-documented links to overall well-being and relationship satisfaction. Much of the existing research focuses on dysfunction, with relatively little attention given to the factors that contribute to normal or optimal orgasmic experiences. Interoception, the perception of internal bodily states such as heartbeat, hunger, or breathing, has been proposed as a key factor in sexual function. However, few studies have directly examined the relationship between interoception and orgasm.

Previous research has shown that interoception plays a role in sexual arousal, but whether it also influences orgasm frequency and satisfaction has remained unclear. The new study sought to fill that gap by exploring how different dimensions of interoceptive awareness predict orgasm experiences in women.

“I am an expert and researcher on interoception; however, I typically study interoception in children and how it develops within their brains and contributes to their mental health,” said study author Megan Klabunde, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Essex.

“I have been familiar with the prior literature, which suggests from a neuroanatomical perspective that orgasm is an aspect of interoception. Still, there was a significant gap in the literature, as it had not been directly studied before our research. I was talking about the understudied link between interoception and orgasm with a colleague who is also interested in interoception (collaborator Giulia Poerio), and we thought that this would be a fun and meaningful project that could be jointly executed by our students (who need to do research projects).”

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“Therefore, we reached out to Gerulf Rieger, a sex researcher within our department, and he also felt that the topic would be interesting and meaningful to look at jointly. Therefore, the three of us started collaborating on orgasm and interoception projects by supervising students who were interested in researching this topic. My excellent undergraduate student, Emily Dixon, wanted to specifically study women since orgasm research in women is so sparse. Therefore, our collaborative team carefully guided and supervised Emily as she did a fantastic job collecting data for her dissertation project. ”

The study included 360 women who were primarily recruited through social media, particularly feminist groups. Participants completed an online questionnaire that assessed both their interoceptive awareness and their orgasm experiences. The researchers used the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), a widely used measure that captures different aspects of body awareness, such as noticing internal sensations, regulating attention to bodily signals, and trusting one’s body. Orgasm frequency and satisfaction were measured using an adapted version of the Female Orgasm Scale, which asked participants to report how often they experienced orgasm and how satisfied they were with their orgasms in both solitary and partnered settings.

The researchers analyzed the data to determine which aspects of interoceptive awareness were most strongly related to orgasm frequency and satisfaction. They also compared differences between solitary and partnered sexual experiences to understand whether interoception played a similar role in both contexts.

The findings showed that different aspects of interoceptive awareness were linked to distinct aspects of orgasm frequency and satisfaction. The ability to notice internal bodily sensations was a significant predictor of orgasm frequency across both solitary and partnered contexts. This suggests that women who are more aware of subtle bodily cues—such as physiological changes during sexual arousal—may be better able to reach orgasm consistently.

“These findings may be helpful for a substantial portion of the population — women and their sexual partners,” Klabunde told PsyPost. “That is what makes this research so significant. It could potentially facilitate better orgasms for so many people, potentially greatly benefiting their overall well-being and the well-being of their relationships.”

The ability to regulate attention to bodily sensations was particularly important for solitary orgasms. Women who reported a strong capacity to focus on their bodily experiences during masturbation had both higher orgasm frequency and greater satisfaction with their orgasms. However, this ability was not significantly related to orgasm frequency or satisfaction in partnered contexts. The researchers speculate that this may be because maintaining attention on bodily sensations is more challenging during sex with a partner, where cognitive distractions or concerns about performance may interfere.

A sense of trust in one’s body was a key predictor of orgasm satisfaction in both solitary and partnered settings. Women who reported feeling safe and comfortable in their bodies were more likely to describe their orgasms as satisfying. This finding suggests that a positive relationship with one’s body may enhance overall sexual enjoyment and pleasure.

“Interoception – the sense of the internal condition of the body – plays a critical role in orgasm frequency and satisfaction for women,” Klabunde said. “For more frequent orgasms, women need to notice and focus their attention on their internal sensations. For satisfaction, trusting one’s body and internal sensations is essential for satisfying orgasms in women, especially for partnered sexual interactions.”

Interestingly, the study also found that women reported higher orgasm frequency and satisfaction during solitary sexual activity compared to partnered sex. “We were surprised that women have much higher frequency and satisfaction for solo vs partnered sexual encounters,” Klabunde said.

This aligns with previous research on the “orgasm gap,” which has found that women generally experience orgasms more consistently during masturbation than during sex with male partners. The researchers suggest that this discrepancy may be due in part to differences in attention and focus during solitary versus partnered sexual experiences.

As with any study, there are some limitations to consider. The sample was primarily recruited from feminist social media groups, which may not fully represent the broader population of women. Women in these groups may have different attitudes toward sexuality and body awareness that could influence their responses. Future research could include a more diverse sample to ensure the findings apply more broadly.

Additionally, the study relied on self-reported measures of interoception and orgasm experiences, which may be subject to biases or inaccuracies. Future research could incorporate objective measures of interoception, such as heart rate monitoring or neuroimaging techniques, to better understand the physiological mechanisms underlying the observed relationships.

“It would be great to continue to look at the connection between orgasm and interoception,” Klabunde said. “In addition to looking at self-reported interoception, it would be great to use objective measures of interoception in the future.”

Another important area for future research is the role of social and relational factors in orgasm experiences. While this study focused on individual differences in body awareness, external factors such as partner communication, relationship dynamics, and sexual scripts may also play a role in orgasm frequency and satisfaction. Understanding how these factors interact with interoceptive awareness could provide a more comprehensive picture of what contributes to fulfilling sexual experiences for women.

“Our study suggests the importance of trust and safety for facilitating satisfactory orgasms in women,” Klabunde explained. “Thus, the sexual partners of women should be mindful of promoting an environment of safety, trust and respect during their sexual encounters with women to foster a sexual environment for women where they can feel comfortable trusting their bodies, their own internal sensations and experiences.”

The study, “Interoceptive Awareness and Female Orgasm Frequency and Satisfaction” was authored by by Emily Dixon, Giulia L. Poerio, Gerulf Rieger, and Megan Klabunde.