Throw out all those magazines that offer you advice on how to reach an orgasm, for if you are a woman, you can actually think yourself into an orgasm.
Scientists have long been intrigued by the claims of some women who insist that they can 'think themselves to orgasm' even when they are completely alone, with no physical touch involved.
And now, they have confirmed that for women, at least, it's all in the mind. A few years ago, boffins began working with brain imaging scanners to show what is actually happening in a woman's brain at the moment of orgasm.
"The pleasure centres of the brain associated with orgasm light up in women who think themselves to orgasm in exactly the same way as in women who orgasm through more conventional means," the Daily Mail quoted Dr Barry Komisaruk, co-author of The Science Of Orgasm, as saying.
"The same centres don't light up when a woman mimics orgasm - only if it's the real thing," he added.
Interestingly, the women he examined may all have thought themselves into a state of bliss, but they all did it in different ways- "Some women used a combination of breathing exercises and fantasy. While others used their imagination and pelvic floor exercises," he said.
The fantasies were as unique as the women. "Some imagined erotic scenarios. But others imagined very romantic scenes such as a lover whispering to them. Others pictured more abstract sensual experiences, such as walking along a beach or imagining waves of energy moving through their body," added Komisaruk.
{{/usCountry}}The fantasies were as unique as the women. "Some imagined erotic scenarios. But others imagined very romantic scenes such as a lover whispering to them. Others pictured more abstract sensual experiences, such as walking along a beach or imagining waves of energy moving through their body," added Komisaruk.
{{/usCountry}}He claimed that this kind of research is important because although orgasm 'is intensely pleasurable,' understanding it better is about much more than just pleasure.
"The female orgasm is a remarkable phenomena that has been shown to double heart rates, reduce sensitivity to pain, increase blood flow to the brain and increase feelings of joy, happiness and love," he said.
"Understanding what happens in our brains when we orgasm, could help us to develop better anti -depressants and better pain management drugs as well as increasing sexual satisfaction," he added.