Well, well, WELL.
I’m here to call out the people that love socks a little too much who have somehow convinced the world that keeping socks on during sex improves orgasms.
I’m not here to kink-shame, of course. Like what you like. Being enthusiastic about socks in the bedroom is a cosy kink, if anything. However, it’s time to just accept that it isn’t the fast-track to O-Town that we have been led to believe.
Why socks don’t actually improve orgasms
So, this all came around because of an article from the BBC way back in 2005. This article stated that when participants in a small study struggled to reach orgasm because of quite literally having cold feet, they were given socks. Once their feet were suitably socked-up, around 80% of the couples were able to achieve orgasm compared with 50% previously in this staged environment.
From there, many publications ran with the story that wearing socks increases your chance of orgasm by 30% which is... misleading, to say the least, especially as the group from the study was too small of a sample size to state anything as fact.
Independent fact checkers Verificat actually got in touch with the study’s author Gert Holstege to discuss this misinformation. He explained: “The idea that women wearing socks have a greater likelihood of achieving orgasm does not come from a scientific article but from newspapers that interviewed me after I gave a presentation on the basics of orgasms in men and women.”
He added that, as we now know, during the study, the participants asked for socks because they had cold feet, but in no moment did the socks play an important role during the sexual activities.
Meaning that the conclusion that having sex with socks on increases the likelihood of achieving orgasm by 30% was not one drawn by the original study.
How to actually improve orgasms
According to the sexperts at Lovehoney, there are actually some steps that you can take to improve your orgasms — and none of them involve donning your favourite socks.
- If you’re struggling to reach orgasm, take a break for a few days from masturbating or having sex and see if the recharge helps
- Ramp up the foreplay. This can build up tension, bring you closer to your partner and make sex all the more exciting
- Introduce some toys. Sex toys aren’t just for solo play and they can even contribute to blended orgasms
- Try to focus less on the orgasm and enjoy the ride (literally!)
- Lay off the booze for a short while as alcohol can decrease the pleasure we experience during sex
- Tell your partner exactly what you want. Communicating exactly what you need will help you to reach the orgasm you’re craving
- Work on being kinder to yourself. If you constantly put yourself and your body down, you’re likely to be your own worst enemy when it comes to orgasms