Here's Exactly What Happens In Your Brain When You Sext, According To Science
Although some may consider sexting a little *taboo,* the physical benefits of sexy texting are nothing to be shy about. If you're quick to talk sexy over the phone, you may already know how sexting makes you feel, but unpacking what happens in your brain when you sext may allow you to feel like a literal neurosurgeon — a sexy one, at that. Studies have shown that turning up the heat in your inbox comes with some IRL rewards. Some spicy data from a 2018 article in journal, Computers in Human Behavior found that people who like to get frisky over the phone may have better IRL sex lives. So, how does sexting impact the brain?
Like your paycheck finally depositing into your account, receiving a sexy text or image can be an instant mental stimulation. Hearing what your boo wants to do with you or seeing their smoking bod can ring a major wakeup bell to hormones and neurochemicals in your brain, like dopamine, which regulates how people interpret pleasure and reward. Dopamine, also connected to addiction, is linked to wanting more or chasing the things that make you feel good. Sexting then, can have a sort of can't-stop quality, that will make you feel totally hot and unable to put your phone down.
For women and AFAB people, sexy texting also ignites the hormone oxytocin or "the cuddle hormone," which brings feelings of closeness and connection. This combination of pleasure, and the hormone stimulation in your brain from sexting, can be super hot and make sexters feel totally amazing. Sexting can also come with a surge of passion and drama. Not knowing how your boo is going to respond, and awaiting their reply can build up anticipation and push your IRL sex over the edge. If your sexy texting is in fact text-based (rather than swapping sexy snaps), sexting may be a way to get intimate without feeling extra vulnerable of self conscious. Remaining clothed and literally behind a screen can give a level of comfort and safety in your brain that can let you really open up.
Sexting can create a sort of safe-space where you don't need to worry about what your belly looks like in a certain position or awkwardness that could come from trying a new move (spoiler alert: You always look amazing, and sometimes the awkwardness can be part of the fun and sexy on it's own). Perhaps that's why 74 percent of Americans reported sexy texting with their boos, according to a 2017 study by The Kinsey Institute. Sexting can give you some literal time to think of the perfect sultry reply without feeling the pressure of getting hot in the moment. Having a phone between you and your partner enables you to really say what you want to say, and can make sure you're laying your best (and sexiest) cards on the table.
From rushes of dopamine and oxytocin to building anticipation and an increase of comfort — sexting has some real AF effects on your brain. If you're super into the way sexting makes you feel, there's some literal science to back you up. From sultry pictures or frisky messages — when it comes to sexy texting and your brain, it may be mind over matter.
