There’s nothing more awkward than having sex with someone in stark silence. When your partner isn’t saying a peep or giving you any indication of whether or not they’re enjoying themself, it’s pretty hard to figure out if it’s all good or they’d rather be doing anything else but you. Vocalizing how we’re feeling when we’re being intimate is necessary and it’s also really hot. But why exactly do you moan during sex? Turns out, there is a scientific explanation.
The answer here is pretty simple. When something that feels nice is happening to your body, your brain releases dopamine. That’s one of those feel-good hormones that let you know things are going pretty well. Dopamine triggers the reward center in the brain, and you may moan during sex as a natural reaction to that flood of hormones.
Chances are, when you’re having genuinely good sex, you don’t think twice about moaning when your partner hits a particularly good spot or when they get you to orgasm. In other words, it’s a subconscious thing that happens on a chemical level, which is pretty cool.
However, on a more conscious level, moaning is a good way to communicate with your partner that they’re doing a good job. Hearing you make these sounds lets them know that they’re on the right track and that they should do what they’re doing a bit more because you really like it.
Not only that, but a 2012 study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that moaning during sex makes the whole thing feel a whole lot more intimate. This is because making the sound sends physical vibrations through your body, which only makes the whole thing feel better.
That being said, you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself if you’re not someone who moans much (or at all) while getting it on. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you or that you’re not doing it right. Everyone is different and you may have other ways of expressing your pleasure during sex. Try not to overthink it or be too hard on yourself, or you’re pretty much guaranteed not to get off.
