We’ve all been privy to a conversation about the pros and cons of mixing sex and alcohol, but have you ever heard of sex as a hangover cure?
The purists feel that coitus – being a sacred act – should only be enjoyed sober to fully reap the rewards of intimacy and heightened pleasure. The hedonists, on the other hand, argue that substances intensify pleasure and even unlock certain inhibitions, which of course has psychological benefits. And then there are every day people who deliberately avoid thinking too hard about these kinds of things. Sex is sex. Sometimes it goes well with a drink, and other times it can help you recover from a rough night of partying. Perhaps the key to a well-rounded sex life is ‘everything in moderation’, but here to help us demystify the ‘bangover’ legend and to discuss the pros and cons of booze in bed is our resident sexpert. |
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1. Plain & Simple
Booze, the biggest prankster of them all, has enough spirit inside it to kill all sense of self-control and sanity. That’s why – for many – alcohol becomes a crutch – in bed, in life, and (often also) in love. Let’s just start by saying that alcohol can be used to enhance your sex life, but if that life isn’t possible without alcohol then you need to consider that there are far deeper issues at play.
2. Inability to perform without it
If you experience dependency on alcohol (or an inability to perform without it) then perhaps it is best to consider professional help. Furthermore, while alcohol can certainly prolong the male libido and counteract the side effects of stress or nervousness, it can also be a big boner-killer and even turn you into a clumsy lover. We’ve all been or seen that guy in the club who’s had a few too many and has convinced himself that he’s the Michael Flatley of the dance floor. The same applies to the sack. Confidence isn’t a cure to clumsy hands.
Ever noticed how horny you get when your body feels like road kill after a night of drinking? Turns out there are a few reasons why this happens, but what’s more interesting is the notion of sex as a cure for a hangover. It’s called the ‘bangover’. There is no scientific research to suggest that sex can cure a hangover, but like the great musician Peaches once said it certainly helps to ‘fuck the pain away.’ Considering that dehydration factors largely into your hangover pain, having sex will only expel more fluid from your body (sweat and other juices), so the reality is that sex is just a distraction. But why not? There are a lot worse things to be doing on a hangover.
Of course the other explanation has more to do with brain chemistry. The hormone ‘Oxytocin’ is what makes us feel emotional attachment or closeness to someone; it’s the official reason why we land up meshing well with our desired mate. A little known fact is that it also increases the male erection, reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), and increases trust. It also has the ability to block any negative feelings about the other person. Women tend to house higher levels than men, but the minute a man has an orgasm, the oxytocin levels increase exponentially. Of course, when your vision is a little impaired, oxytocin levels (this is not scientifically proven) could potentially be increased even further.
Essentially, this might explain how sex can create the illusion of curing a hangover by simply substituting one very powerful sensation with another. However, more interestingly it does suggest that couples who drink and play together stand a chance of having, not only a better sex life, but a more intimate and loving relationship. Of course this doesn’t necessarily bode so well for the single guy who likes a one-night-stand or even a sleepover with some hangover sex. You’re playing with emotional fire.
Whether you feel like stripping, fighting, parkour-ing or munching, alcohol makes you lose all those little inhibitions you desperately tried to cultivate throughout your adult life. The University of Washington and the Kinsey Institute confirm that when men drink (in moderation) they cannot control their raging erections. So one point for alcohol – it is a proven aphrodisiac and can help overcome stage fright, ‘shy willy’ syndrome and even one-minute-man-ism. In extremes, however, it can turn you into ‘soft-cock’ or ‘the guy that couldn’t cum’.
It’s a known fact that nobody makes sensible decisions under the influence. This is due to ‘alcohol myopia’, which sees a person’s concentration increase towards immediate events rather than logic and reason for the future. This might explain why your co-worker – the one that you spent weeks slating to your male colleagues – is suddenly lying naked in bed next to you. Sure, alcohol is ‘self-actualisation’ in a bottle and all your insecurities have never seemed so insignificant, but are you even making the right decisions? Ask yourself, ‘would I be doing this if I was sober?’ ‘Am I putting safety first and using a condom?’
The upside of myopia is that you will be more present, strangely, than what you would be when sober. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be as alert, but you will certainly be enjoying the moment more because you’ve forgotten all your worries or daily chores. This also explains why your ideas and humour flow more freely. Writers often drink to help them create. When you’re intoxicated your memory fades and you can and will only focus on the pleasure that is right in front of you or the first thought that is flowing into your mind. Of course this means that alcohol is possibly more beneficial to men in relationships who want to enhance their sex lives, rather than single men who might end up over complicating theirs.
3. The ‘Bangover’
Ever noticed how horny you get when your body feels like road kill after a night of drinking? Turns out there are a few reasons why this happens, but what’s more interesting is the notion of sex as a cure for a hangover. It’s called the ‘bangover’. There is no scientific research to suggest that sex can cure a hangover, but like the great musician Peaches once said it certainly helps to ‘fuck the pain away.’ Considering that dehydration factors largely into your hangover pain, having sex will only expel more fluid from your body (sweat and other juices), so the reality is that sex is just a distraction. But why not? There are a lot worse things to be doing on a hangover.
4. The stress hormone - Oxytocin
Of course the other explanation has more to do with brain chemistry. The hormone ‘Oxytocin’ is what makes us feel emotional attachment or closeness to someone; it’s the official reason why we land up meshing well with our desired mate. A little known fact is that it also increases the male erection, reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), and increases trust. It also has the ability to block any negative feelings about the other person. Women tend to house higher levels than men, but the minute a man has an orgasm, the oxytocin levels increase exponentially. Of course, when your vision is a little impaired, oxytocin levels (this is not scientifically proven) could potentially be increased even further.Essentially, this might explain how sex can create the illusion of curing a hangover by simply substituting one very powerful sensation with another. However, more interestingly it does suggest that couples who drink and play together stand a chance of having, not only a better sex life, but a more intimate and loving relationship. Of course this doesn’t necessarily bode so well for the single guy who likes a one-night-stand or even a sleepover with some hangover sex. You’re playing with emotional fire.
5. Alcohol For Turning You On & Switching Those Inhibitions Off?
Whether you feel like stripping, fighting, parkour-ing or munching, alcohol makes you lose all those little inhibitions you desperately tried to cultivate throughout your adult life. The University of Washington and the Kinsey Institute confirm that when men drink (in moderation) they cannot control their raging erections. So one point for alcohol – it is a proven aphrodisiac and can help overcome stage fright, ‘shy willy’ syndrome and even one-minute-man-ism. In extremes, however, it can turn you into ‘soft-cock’ or ‘the guy that couldn’t cum’.
The Pros & Cons?
It’s a known fact that nobody makes sensible decisions under the influence. This is due to ‘alcohol myopia’, which sees a person’s concentration increase towards immediate events rather than logic and reason for the future. This might explain why your co-worker – the one that you spent weeks slating to your male colleagues – is suddenly lying naked in bed next to you. Sure, alcohol is ‘self-actualisation’ in a bottle and all your insecurities have never seemed so insignificant, but are you even making the right decisions? Ask yourself, ‘would I be doing this if I was sober?’ ‘Am I putting safety first and using a condom?’
The upside of myopia is that you will be more present, strangely, than what you would be when sober. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be as alert, but you will certainly be enjoying the moment more because you’ve forgotten all your worries or daily chores. This also explains why your ideas and humour flow more freely. Writers often drink to help them create. When you’re intoxicated your memory fades and you can and will only focus on the pleasure that is right in front of you or the first thought that is flowing into your mind. Of course this means that alcohol is possibly more beneficial to men in relationships who want to enhance their sex lives, rather than single men who might end up over complicating theirs.
