Does Wearing Socks During S-x Actually Help You O-rgasm?
Rumors of the orgasm-enhancing powers of a simple pair of socks are ubiquitous, but is there any scientific data to support this Old Sex Tale?
Hey babe,
The B is back from Greece and is better than ever. Did i re-sprain my foot drunk? You know I did. But I had a great time and it was hot and gorgeous and I collected a bunch of beautiful stones I promptly forgot to pack. OK, so now that I am refreshed and ready to rock with all our favorite juicy sex content once again, let’s talk about sex with socks on - because that makes sense after spending a week in a tropical paradise and another week back in London during a heatwave, right? Whatever. Just go with it.
“Wearing socks during sex can help you orgasm.” “Wearing socks during sex WILL make you orgasm.” “Wearing socks during sex is the key to orgasm.”
Whatever the phrasing, people seem to be very on board with the idea that “socks during sex” is the magic cure to all your orgasm woes.
This belief is so widespread it’s often cited as fact, something that is known to every sexpert and does not require questioning. I was reading My Broken Vagina by Fran Buche, and she brings up the whole “socks during sex” thing multiple times, presenting it as truth. The thing is, however, there isn’t a lot of data supporting this Old Sex Tale.
The story dates back to this study from the University of Groningen, where researchers found that 80 percent of couples reached orgasm while wearing socks while only 50 percent managed to climax without socks. The problem? The sample size was exceptionally small, meaning there weren’t enough people involved to definitively say whether or not this is true. The findings reached viral popularity anyway, because what media outlet isn’t going to run with the headline “SOCKS DURING SEX IS THE KEY TO ORGASM!!!!!”?
With all that being said, this popular claim does have anecdotal evidence. A lot of it.
People far and wide swear by socks during sex, myself included. It is a colloquial anecdote, a non-data-driven story that’s been passed down for years. Why? Because being cold during sex absolutely fucking blows.
I rarely have sex without socks on, because it helps me orgasm more easily since I’m not thinking about how cold my feet are. In my clinical practice, I often recommend that clients who need help relaxing consider how warm their hands and feet are during sex. It may be a bit unscientific (because, honestly, not that many people seem to want to study ejaculating with warm feet), but it does seem to work for a lot of people.
Honestly, we should always be willing to get curious about sex and figure out our own unique formula for the perfect orgasm, based on what we actually like.
There is merit to the socks with sex theory on an anatomical level
You know how when you’re cold and you put on some cozy socks, suddenly you’re not cold at all anymore? The same thing can happen during sex. You can be completely naked and chilly, then simply add some socks and suddenly, all is well. Your feet get cold faster than the rest of your body because they’re far away from your core, which is the warmest part of the body. The further a body part is from the core of the body, the colder the blood supplying it is and the faster that body part will get cold.
Basically, it boils down to comfort and circulation. Cold feet can be very distracting during sex (not to mention that having a partner rub a subzero toe down your side can be downright bone chilling). If you’re thinking about your frozen toes, it takes you out of a mindset of embodied pleasure — this is crucial for orgasm, which is a brain and body experience. Having warm feet, hands and other extremities helps the rest of your body feel warm and comfortable.
Another factor in experiencing pleasure is having a relaxed nervous system. It is very likely, if you ask me, that your nervous system being calm and feeling relaxed are the main reasons this reasoning sticks. These are both things you need to get off, so if wearing socks makes you feel that way - well, there you go. More erections and more wet vaginas.
There’s also merit to the theory on a psychological level
Being comfortable and feeling safe during sex is a huge part of having a pleasurable experience and having warm feet can be a component of that comfort and safety. If you’re having sex in a cold environment, your body may start to tense up, meaning you’re too alert to calm down and enjoy pleasure. Setting yourself up in a safe environment for sex is crucial, and that includes maintaining a comfortable temperature.
Try having a bath just before bedtime to warm your body up, with some candles instead of bright lights to help you get into a mindset for sex. And if you want to put some socks on, put the damn socks on.
Conclusion: Neither fact nor fiction, just not proven yet
We can’t say that wearing socks during sex will definitely make you orgasm more easily. What we can say is that it works for some people. If it works for you, that’s awesome, but we shouldn’t go around acting like this claim has some meaty scientific data to back it up.
On an individual level, it doesn’t really matter whether one’s preference for sex with socks is backed by science — again, if you think it works for you, then you’re right, it does. But given the state of sex education in this country, it’s always important to separate truth from myth and anecdotal evidence from science. In the meantime, if wearing socks helps you get off, by all means, go forth and bust out your favorite pair of sex socks.
This week’s mantras:
Getting off means doing what makes me feel comfortable and that is OK to ask for - even if I feel awkward.
I am entitled to have my needs met.
Sex is not shameful. Sex is beautiful.
I will love myself.
I love you. Have a great week!
XOXO Auntie Gigi
~Good ReadsSsSssSsSs~
Become What You Are
I absolutely loved this piece about the personal journey of this non-binary writer. It gave me the chills. It’s beautifully written and really profound. For all my NB babies out there, I want you to know what you are seen and loved and I will always be your mom, if you ever need one. You’re lovely and strong and you have got this!
At this juncture of my life, it’s not clear there’s anything for me to pass as. I’m non-binary. In a binary-dominated society, everyone who looks at me will want to sort me into “man” or “woman,” and everyone who does so, no matter which side they pick, will be wrong.
3 of the Most Ridiculous Masturbation Myths, Debunked
The amount of incorrect information people are fed about masturbation never ceases to astound me. So, for TheBody, I decided to do some myth busting. Did you know that cornflakes were designed to kill the urge to wank?
No joke. While the veracity of the cornflake’s specific origin story has been questioned, it is a simple historical fact that bland foods were thought to prevent “lascivious” behaviors. As Kate Lister, Ph.D., points out in her book, A Curious History of Sex: “It was everything John Harvey Kellogg prescribed to stifle sexual desire: bland, plain, meat-free, and made of corn.”
The Best Long-Distance Sex Toys for Separated Couples and Steamy FaceTimes
For GQ, I did another fun little roundup of all the best long distance sex toys the internet has to offer. I know Covid didn’t exactly invent LDRs, but being able to wank with your partner anywhere on the planet is pretty damn clutch. Check out my favs.
Obligatory vacation in Greece picture #1:
~Ask Gigi~
Ask Gigi: What is Death Grip?
The (very dramatic) “death” bit comes from the indirect effects of such a tight grip: You become so used to the feeling of your hand holding your penis in a strong, tight way (usually without lube, let’s be real) that your penis has trouble responding to other forms of sexual stimulation.
That’s it for me this week, pals. I love you. I hope you have a million orgasms this week and drink lots of water. You are a shining star and everything is going to be good so, so soon. Stay in there, beautiful.
Obligatory vacation picture from Greece #2:
