A Newly Decorated Bedroom Is Just as Pleasurable As Sex, Study Claims

The Huffington Post UK  |  By Posted: 4/04/2012 10:42 Updated: 4/04/2012 10:42

Decorated Room Sex

Fancy a passionate smooch under the covers tonight?

Not unless the bedroom has been decorated, claims a recent study, as it discovered that women find a re-decorated room just as pleasurable than sex.

According to a neurological study by Dulux and the Mindlab International Laboratory at Sussex University, a revamped bedroom gives women the same emotional buzz as a lingering kiss or passionate encounter under the sheets.

Researchers measured the immediate emotive responses from a range of mood enhancing experiences including driving a fast car, kissing and making love.

After gauging the physiological arousal responses from the 19 participants (12 were female), a newly decorated bedroom stirred the same emotional reaction as an intimate encounter with their partner and gave the volunteers a bigger boost than being with friends, shopping, riding a roller coaster and watching their football team win.

In women in particular, even chocolate didn’t stir up the same excitement as a beautifully decorated boudoir.

So what makes a decorated bedroom so sexy?

Psychologist Dr. David Lewis who conducted the research, explains: “Behaviour is largely driven by subconscious emotions which, for the most part, we are unaware of.

This means that simply asking people what makes them happy is insufficient if we want to develop a greater understanding of what factors encourage a positive emotional state.

“It may surprise some people to realise that a newly re-decorated room can have such an impact on emotions, however our environment plays a big role in the mood. Think of how you feel on a warm sunny day in comparison to a grey winter morning. Our homes are the same – a beautifully decorated room can significantly enhance your mood.”

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  • Health Benefits Of Sex

    Besides being fun and pleasurable, sex also offers many health boosts many of us take for granted. Take a look at these surprise benefits of having regular sex...

  • Sex... Wards Off Illness

    According to research from <a href="http://www.wilkes.edu/pages/1.asp" target="_hplink">Wilkes University</a>, making love twice a week releases an antibody called immunoglobulin A or IgA, which helps protect the body from infections and illnesses. Other research suggests that frequent ejaculations in men reduces the risk of prostate cancer later in life. According to the <em><a href="http://www.bjui.org/default.aspx" target="_hplink">British Journal of Urology International</a></em>, men who ejaculate five or more times a week, had a lower risk of prostate cancer.

  • Sex... Burns Off Calories

    It doesn't take an expert to connect an energetic love making session with burning calories. Just thirty minutes of action under the sheets burns off around 85 calories. After 42 half-hour sessions, you could burn 3,570 calories, which is the equivalent of 1lb in weight. By having sex three times a week for a year, you could burn off the equivalent of 5lbs a year. Who needs a diet?!

  • Sex... Relieves Pain

    During sex, a hormone called oxytocin is released when the body climaxes, which increases the level of endorphins that acts like natural a pain relief. This causes the body to relax. Many notice their aches and pains, like swelling, inflammation, headaches and menstrual cramps, disappear after sex and gradually improve with regular action.

  • Sex... Helps Beat Depression

    Women who have regular orgasms are generally more relaxed, less depressed and mentally, physically and emotionally satisfied. Regular sex also helps the body sleep better as it relieves tension plus it helps the brain produce serotonin - the chemical that gives the body a 'mood' lift and is commonly found in antidepressants.

  • Sex.. Keeps You Young

    Regular sex releases a surge of plethora chemicals into the body, also known as the 'happy hormones', and they contain testosterone. As we age, the level of testosterone decreases, so the more sex you have, the more your hormone levels increases. This surge of hormone help keep bones and muscles healthy - plus it keeps skin looking plump and youthful. In women, regular sex also helps keep the pelvic floor muscles healthy, which decreases the chances of not-so-sexy incontinence later in life.

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Fancy a passionate smooch under the covers tonight? Not unless the bedroom has been decorated, claims a recent study, as it discovered that women find a re-decorated room just as pleasurable than ...
Fancy a passionate smooch under the covers tonight? Not unless the bedroom has been decorated, claims a recent study, as it discovered that women find a re-decorated room just as pleasurable than ...
 
 
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07:19 PM on 06/20/2012
Complete pack of lies, gave the wife 5litres of emulsion and a brush but she wasn`t happy at all.
03:04 PM on 06/20/2012
This is NOT University of Sussex research.
01:31 PM on 05/07/2012
And cheaper!
11:21 AM on 05/07/2012
That psychologist is stating the bleeding obvious. I can understand why Dulux would be involved in this 'research' but Sussex should have better things to do.
Kraptonfactor
They're coming to take me away ha ha, hee hee, ho
09:27 AM on 05/07/2012
This is very old news, can we have more effort please, HP?
07:26 AM on 05/07/2012
Surely, Painting the Bedroom is not illegal NWIGGINS,but when the wife nags to get decorating, that is a pain in the A--E.
I picked up a Dulux painting leaflet once and insided it had a bedroom decorated in cream and one wall in a deep red, saying that it will induce PASSION. I thought I could do with a bit of PASSION so purchased a tin of this Passion Paint.
Arrived home, got ladder and a brush, opened said tin and started with this passion driven task.
Wife walked in and asked, WHAT the hell you doing, Its an AWFUL colour and I do not want RED on MY bedroom wall. I finished the job but still awaiting the PASSION to kick in.
Kraptonfactor
They're coming to take me away ha ha, hee hee, ho
05:23 PM on 04/05/2012
I persuaded my husband to help me decorate the outside of our house recently, a job he hates. I made it worth his while afterwards so maybe he will do the rest of the house................
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laterthanyouthink
My snark font is: ON
03:43 AM on 04/10/2012
If not ... I might be interested ...
Kraptonfactor
They're coming to take me away ha ha, hee hee, ho
07:45 AM on 04/10/2012
LOL, you saucy devil!
02:46 PM on 04/05/2012
OK, if she wants her room painting I want sex, fair swap isn't it?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
nicholspongo
01:36 PM on 04/05/2012
I tried doing the whole house and all I got was a note saying the washing up needs doing.
09:56 AM on 04/05/2012
two of my female friends would rather eat a packet of crisps than have sex, they both say that that is more enjoyable.
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laterthanyouthink
My snark font is: ON
03:41 AM on 04/10/2012
Maybe it's just you ...
09:39 AM on 04/05/2012
My wife told me that the decorator needed an extra day to finish our bedroom ! I hope he used the Dulux.
11:11 PM on 04/04/2012
The minute my hubby saw this he proposed we make a comparison with the room he had just finished painting.....
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07:44 AM on 04/05/2012
Well; he is obviously not getting enough if he had to go to all that trouble.
12:12 PM on 04/05/2012
That's what I thought too. Mind you, he thought painting the room was a pain in the backside and unless we're doing it wrong, its not really a comparison! Besides that would also be illegal lol