Did you know that July 31st is National Orgasm Day? National Orgasm day is a national day that celebrates all things orgasms! Besides having orgasms, a large part of this day is meant to raise awareness and break down stigmas surrounding orgasms! 

Some ways to celebrate National Orgasm Day are to masturbate, have partnered sex, advocate for pleasure-based sex education, raise awareness for the multiple health benefits orgasms have, talk about the "orgasm gap", and learn more about orgasms!

Here at Honey Play Box, we want to help you celebrate National Orgasm Day by talking about all things orgasms!

What are orgasms? 

Planned parenthood defines an orgasm as, "the peak of sexual arousal when all the muscles that were tightened during sexual arousal relax." Basically, an orgasm is a series of muscle contractions in the sexual organs, lower pelvic muscles, and anus.

An orgasm can also be defined as a climax of sexual excitement characterized by feelings of pleasure centered in the genitals and the release of hormones. This is often why orgasms are referred to as "climaxing" as it is the height of pleasure.

A penis owner’s orgasm is usually accompanied by the release of ejaculatory fluid. About 10 percent of vagina owners also ejaculate during an orgasm, according to planned parenthood. An orgasm can result in sensations such as warmth, muscle spasms, primarily in the genitalia area, relief, or relaxation! 

How do you achieve an orgasm?

Everyone’s body is different and responds to sensations differently. The best way to learn how to achieve an orgasm is to explore and see which sensations and stimulations you like! You can explore through solo play, ie masturbation, or partnered play, ie sex.

An amazing thing about bodies is that orgasms can be reached in a number of different ways so figuring out which sensations work for you will lead to more orgasms! 

A great way to explore different stimulations during both solo and partnered play are with the use of sex toys! Sex toys can unlock an entire world of stimulation such as clitoral stimulation including vibrating and suction, internal stimulation, anal stimulation, and nipple stimulation.

We have a wide array of toys with varying sensations that can be used to explore. 

Once you figure out what sensations you like the next big step is communication! Telling your partner what feels pleasurable to you is a huge key in the equation to unlocking an orgasm. Your partner can’t read your mind, so it’s important to be clear about what feels good and what doesn’t, and what you do and do not want to do. 

What are the different kinds of orgasms?

Some say there are over 14 different ways to achieve an orgasm while others will say there are only three. Today we are going to be focusing on the main 7; clitoral, vaginal, anal, blended, ejaculatory or standard, and nipple.

A clitoral orgasm, sometimes referred to as an external orgasm, is an orgasm that results from the stimulation of the clitoris. The clitoris is a very sensitive part of the vaginal anatomy as it is composed of thousands of nerve endings.

Fun fact: it is the only organ whose main purpose is pleasure.

A study from the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy found that several types of clitoral strokes such as up-and-down, back-and-forth, and both wide and small circles can lead to orgasm. If you want to explore more clitoral stimulation, some of our best selling clitoris-focused toys are our award-winning seduction, our licking tongue vibrator, and our high powered Honey Wand.

A vaginal orgasm, also known as a penetrative or internal orgasm, is achieved through vaginal penetration stimulation. A vaginal orgasm can also be achieved through stimulating the  G-spot, which is on the front wall of a vagina, about halfway between the vaginal opening and cervix.

The g-spot is not something you can see like the clitoris but you can usually feel it! Pressing this spot gently and stroking it lightly, almost making a "come hither" movement with your fingers is what many do to achieve a G-spot orgasm. Penetrative orgasms are usually the result of internal stimulation of the G-spot and the internal structure of the clitoris.

To explore vaginal stimulation, take a look at our wide range of dildos, including a rotating vibrating dildo!

Anal orgasms are a great way to achieve an orgasm for penis and vagina owners alike! The anus holds a bunch of nerves that can be stimulated orally or penetratively to achieve orgasms.

For penis owners, the pleasure of anal results from stimulating the prostate as the it is surrounded by thousands of nerve endings.

For vagina owners, the anus and rectum are close to the vagina and clitoris—and are connected by a thin stretch of tissue called the perineum—they share many of the same nerves and muscles, including the pelvic floor muscle leading to lots of connected nerves that enhance pleasure.

If you are curious about anal but don’t know where to start, check out this amazing guide to have better anal sex. If you are ready to explore anal stimulation, check out our range of anal toys.

A combo orgasm, sometimes referred to as a blended orgasm, is when an orgasm is the result of multiple stimulations! A blended orgasm is a climax that happens when more than one erogenous zone is being stimulated at the same time.

The most common blended orgasm is the combination of G-spot penetration along with clitoral stimulation. But a combo orgasm can also come from vaginal penetration combined  with clitoral, nipple, or anal stimulation—or all of these at the same time. Research shows that most vagina owners reach orgasm from a combination of stimulation, making combo orgasms very common!

To explore combo orgasms, try using a butt plug and dildo or one of our amazing rabbit toys! 

An ejaculatory orgasm is the most common orgasm for penis owners! This orgasm is the standard climax that involves ejaculation that most of us associate with orgasming.

An ejaculatory orgasm is usually reached through continuous stimulation to the penis either orally, digitally, or penetratively. If you want to upgrade your ejaculatory orgasm, check out our masturbators! 

A nipple orgasm is the last orgasm we are going to cover today, and the most uncommon. In one study, out of 213 women only 29 percent reported having had a breast-based orgasm at some point in their lives.

A nipple orgasm occurs after continuous stimulation to the nipples. Oftentimes when nipples are stimulated, oxytocin is released, which causes the same vaginal reactions associated with orgasm. 

Now that you know a bit more about orgasms, in honor of National Orgasm Day, go forth and explore! 

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Emerson Karsh is a freelance sex and kink educator, writer, and content creator! Emerson loves to write about all thing sex and sexuality to help educate, destigmatize, and promote sex positivity. Her main dream is to become a certified sex educator with a focus on kink to help those experience healthier, safer, and more pleasurable sex lives. Emerson founded and runs the kink educational Instagram account, @thekinkeducator.