Your Brain on Nipple Stimulation

Why Our Breasts Are So Erogenous, Especially the NAC (the “Nipple Areola Complex”)

Breasts have a big role to play in a woman’s sexual arousal. When the nipples are stimulated a waterfall of hormone releases occur, mimicking a genital orgasm. Pioneering French obstetrician Michel Odent (now in his 90s) called this release the “orgasmogenic cocktail.” First comes the release of oxytocin, then the release of pain killing endorphins, then the release of prolactin. All of these produce deep relaxation and calm the “monkey mind”—which is to say that they reduce activity in the neocortex, and prepare the body for an orgasmic experience. 

But why? There’s more information available now than ever before on why the NAC is so sexy.  First, the NAC has tissue formations that are the same as those of the clitoris and penis: specifically genital corpuscles, golgi-mazzoni corpuscles, and vater-pacini bodies.  Secondly, nipple stimulation activates the neurons of the PVN (paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus), which is the common pathway for oxytocin secretion (you remember that from a few months ago? See this post on oxytocin, the love hormone.)

Third, “nipples light up the brain the way genitals do.” This study,  published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, shows that “the sensation from the nipples travels to the same part of the brain as sensations from the vagina, clitoris, and cervix.” It is the first study to map the female genitals onto the sensory portion of the brain.

try these on nipples and breasts 

Arouse Stimulating Serum

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Lubricates Stimulates Tingles

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Anoint — Nourishing Body Oil for Scars, Stretch Marks & Skin Resilience

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Firms Moisturizes Repairs

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We can use this knowledge to have better sexual experiences, alone or with others. Some women actually report nipple orgasms with no genital stimulation. Blended orgasms (from stimulating the nipples and genitals simultaneously) can be deeper, and make orgasms in general more accessible for women. 

There are so many stimulation techniques! You can self-stimulate your nipples, or ask a lover to do it.  Set aside some investigation time, and notice what lights up in your body as your breasts are touched. Play with pressure, intensity, and duration. Manual stimulation—caressing, pinching, pulling, twisting, turning, squeezing—is often enough.  Try pulsing pressure on and off. Notice what is too much and what is just right for you. The breasts and the NAC are especially sensitive to deep or heavy pressure. Some women like more intense mechanical stimulation, using nipple clamps (the round, spring-loaded ones hold best) or clips, or with breast ties. All create different sensations as well as a focusing effect. You can also stimulate the breasts and NAC topically, with substances that activate the adrenergic receptors in the NAC.

The role of the breasts in female sexual arousal is yet another gift of our bodies, and we encourage you to explore it in every way you can. Rosebud Woman's pure plant based products support full body health and pleasure. Try Arouse on your nipples, and Anoint for breast massage. 

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Frequently asked

Why does nipple stimulation feel so good?

When the nipples are touched, sensory signals travel to the same part of the brain that receives sensation from the vagina, clitoris and cervix. Nipple stimulation also triggers a cascade of hormones—oxytocin first, then pain-killing endorphins and prolactin—producing deep relaxation and priming the body for pleasure.

Can you orgasm from nipple stimulation alone?

Some women do report nipple orgasms with no genital stimulation. Because the nipples and genitals map to overlapping regions of the sensory cortex, focused breast and nipple play can build to orgasm on its own, and ‘blended’ orgasms—stimulating nipples and genitals together—can feel deeper and more accessible.

What is oxytocin and why does it matter during arousal?

Oxytocin is a hormone made in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland. It supports bonding, calm and stress regulation, and it surges with nipple stimulation and orgasm—part of what the obstetrician Michel Odent called the ‘orgasmogenic cocktail.’

How can I explore nipple and breast sensation?

Set aside unhurried time and experiment with pressure, intensity and duration—caressing, pinching, pulling, twisting and pulsing pressure on and off. The nipple-areola complex is especially responsive to deep or heavy pressure. You can also apply a stimulating topical serum to heighten sensation and a body oil for slow, full-breast massage.

References

1. Nipples 'Light Up' Brain the Way Genitals Do— Live Science (reporting on The Journal of Sexual Medicine)
2. Activation of sensory cortex by imagined genital stimulation: an fMRI analysis— Socioaffective Neuroscience & Psychology (NIH/PMC)
3. Oxytocin: What It Is, Function & Effects— Cleveland Clinic

Keep reading

• Are You Depressed, or Do You Just Need More Oxytocin? →
• Aroused While Nursing →
• Anorgasmia: Causes & How to Invite More Sensation →