I feel pretty confident in saying that most of us are huge fans of foreplay. And since foreplay consists of actually touching your partner, doesn't it make sense that certain spots actually…hit the spot? On the surface, while you might think that I'm referring to erogenous zones, I'm actually talking about pressure points that will not only intensify your sexual experiences but can offer up all sorts of other health benefits too.
If you're ready to help your partner have even more enjoyable climaxes (as they hopefully do the same for you), here are seven places that, if you take out 10-20 minutes to massage them, it can result in a euphoric feeling that is truly like no other. (Just make sure to dim the lights and have a DIY massage oil on hand.)
1. Head
You've probably heard that the greatest sex organ is your brain (I've certainly said it a few times on this platform). So, of course, it makes complete and total sense, why a head massage would be a great way to get your partner in the mood for sex.
On the health tip, it releases tension, eases headache and migraine discomfort and helps to relax the body (it also promotes hair growth and lowers your blood pressure). Sexually, a head massage can help to calm down an overactive mind as it also encourages blood to flow more freely throughout the body.
Head Massage Tip: Dab a mixture of sweet almond oil and lavender essential oil onto your fingertips (the lavender scent is calming and the almond oil will prevent any mild abrasions; lavender oil is pretty potent). With a medium amount of pressure, massage your partner's temples in small circular motions for five minutes, then move up to their scalp for an additional five. By the way, it's best if they are sitting in a comfy chair when you do this; it'll help to take some of the strain off of their back.
2. Ears
Ears are considered to be an erogenous zone. Plus, they contain somewhere around two hundred pressure points that are directly connected to various parts of the body. Both of these are valid reasons why ears made this list. The interesting thing about this part of the body is, when you massage the left earlobe, it stimulates the right brain and pineal gland and, when you massage the right one, it stimulates the left brain and pituitary gland. Consistent massaging of the ears helps to increase blood circulation and boost one's immunity. It also encourages the production of endorphins in order to relieve muscle-related pain and discomfort. As a bonus, you can boost your partner's libido if you rub on these pressure points a bit.
Ear Massage Tip: All of us have something that's known as the Bosch point; it's located on both ears. Basically, it's the thin part of our ear that, if we bent it towards our face, it would easily fold into our ear's canal. If you gently massage that area on both sides, and you add a little nibbling and/or dirty talk into the equation, I promise you that things will be on and poppin' within a couple of minutes.
3. Stomach
Did you know that a stomach/abdominal massage can improve digestion, relieve constipation, reduce bloating, strengthen and tone stomach muscles, release tension and aid in weight loss? Two other benefits are it can calm your senses and help your orgasms to last a little longer. The key is to be as gentle as possible, perhaps even giving a few kisses to the tummy region along the way.
Stomach Massage Tip: In order to get the best results, make sure to focus on the areas that are a couple of inches underneath your partner's belly button, and also the part that is right above their crotch. If you slightly apply pressure, it will get their blood to circulating and, it will definitely arouse their genitals in the process.
4. Back
Back massages do all sorts of great things. They help to release muscle tension from the spine. They increase blood circulation to your body's muscles and tissues. And sexually, they help to "trigger" the feel-good hormones that naturally run throughout your system as they increase body's mobility too. (Yes, back massages can actually make you more limber!)
Back Massage Tip: If you want to make this kind of massage extra soothing, warm up some massage oil. Then ask your partner to lay on their stomach on the bed. Place each hand, flat, on each side of your partner's spine and slowly move your hands upward until you reach their shoulders. Then use your thumbs to massage their shoulder blades in a circular motion. You should feel tension leave their body as you're actually doing it.
5. Butt
There are a lot of people who tell me that, as they get older, their lower back doesn't quite work the way that it used to (if you know what I mean). One thing that can help to get it back into action is to receive a glutes (butt) massage. It's a great way to regain some strength and agility while increasing blood circulation to your genital region and making your orgasms more intense as a direct result.
Butt Massage Tip: An easy way to relieve the stress, pain and pressure that may be lodged in your partner's glutes is to run a foam roller over them. You can typically get them at stores like Walmart or Target for under 20 bucks. Or, if you'd like to watch a video on how to give an effective butt massage, click here.
6. Calves
Have you ever gotten a charley horse during sex? I have and it sucks because it always seems to come right before, well, you know. Aside from making sure that you have enough liquids and potassium in your system, something else that you can do to decrease you and your partner's chance of having these super annoying muscle spasms is to give calf massages. They improve blood circulation, reduce any scar tissue that your calf muscles may have on them and, they help to decrease pain as well.
Calf Massage Tip: Warm up some coconut oil. Have your partner lay on the stomach on the bed. Use a medium amount of pressure in order to rub their legs from their thighs down to their ankles, using your knuckles to gently kneed any areas that might be extra tight. Do this for about six minutes per leg. It'll feel like heaven to them.
7. Feet
Reflexology is pretty dope. The premise of it is that, by massaging the hands, ears and yes, feet, you can soothe your nervous system and even help to heal various parts of your body. Since there are approximately 7,000 nerve endings in our feet, you can probably see why it's such a good idea to give them a good rub every now and then. Feet massages can do everything from eliminating toxins in your body and boosting your brain power to reducing period pain and relieving headaches. And yes, it can also make your sexual experiences better. That's because reflexology has a way of releasing the stress hormones in your system that may be hindering your ability to get fully aroused.
Foot Massage Tip: Something that can easily put your partner in the mood is to apply a gentle amount of pressure underneath the balls of both of their feet. Do this by pushing in that area with your thumbs and holding for a count of 10. If you then follow that up by using your thumbs to "walk" from their heels to each of their toes, it will help to release anxiety and elevate their libido too. Now get to rubbing—and make sure that your partner returns the favor!
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Why can’t (more) singles just be single and be okay with that? Good Lord. Why does there need to be some sort of relational play-on-words to make it sound like we’re with someone — even if we’re not?
Now masturdating? Even though it’s not even close to being a “real” word, it’s something that also brought a laugh outta me — although it was then followed by a genuine smile. The laugh because I almost immediately caught the play-on-words. The smile was due to the intention behind it all.
If you’re not familiar with what masturdating is and you’re curious about why you should even care, take a few moments to at least skim through what it’s about and why I think participating, as a single person, is a pretty cool (and effective) concept.
@knotlukas Masturdate: a date w oneself
What’s Masturdating All About?
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Masturdating. Okay, so let the word marinate for just a moment. What does it sound like? Yeah…exactly. And since a huge part of masturbation centers around self-pleasure, it’s cool to explore how “self-dating” could produce similar (as far as pleasure is concerned in a broader sense) results. Because masturdating is all about spending quality time with yourself, pampering yourself, treating yourself— and yes, taking yourself out on dates.
Any of you who may think that masturdating is a consolation prize — and a pitiful one at that — for not being able to go out with another human being or get that dream $200 first date that social media was all in a tizzy about last year (bookmark that) — personally, I think that you’re the demographic who needs to try out masturdating first and the most. Why? Off top, I’ll share my three good reasons.
3 Reasons To Strongly Consider Masturdating
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1. It’s an intimate way to get to know yourself better. I’ve been working with couples for a pretty long time at this point and if there’s a pattern that I see arise, OFTEN, it’s that two people are oftentimes so busy trying to “find their person” that they didn’t even know who they were. As a direct result, they found themselves in a relationship with someone who only complemented the “kiddie pool version” of who they were.
That’s why it can be so beneficial to spend time getting to know yourself on the “deep end” of things: what makes you tick, what your passions are, what you want most out of life, what are your interests beyond obvious things — and masturdating can help you to discover all of this. Whether it’s traveling alone or taking out a weekend to drink some wine and journal, the more you get to know yourself, the clearer you’ll be about who complements you on a romantic and friendship level.
2. It will definitely help to boost your confidence levels. I guess since I’m an ambivert, I don’t really get why people freak out at the mere thought of going to a restaurant or movie alone. Personally, I think it requires a helluva lot more energy and gumption to wait around and plan stuff with other people (#Elmoshrug). However, whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert, there’s no way around the fact that the more comfortable you get with doing things alone, the more your confidence levels will increase — no, soar — because of it.
One article that I read on the topic said that doing things alone can make you more creative, improve your mental health, and help you to be totally okay with being alone (so that you’re not “needy” for other people’s attention). A psychotherapist from a New York Times article on the benefits of spending time alone said, “Getting better at identifying moments when we need solitude to recharge and reflect can help us better handle negative emotions and experiences, like stress and burnout.” And when you’re able to stare negativity in its face without flinching, how could that not make you bolder, more self-secure, and hopeful about your life?
3. It will teach you to value your time more effectively. In every facet of your world, you’re gonna operate from a healthier place if you’re operating from a “full cup” rather than an empty one. When it comes to this topic, think about it — if you’re constantly waiting on someone to call you to go out or wishing for a dream date with some guy, all you’re doing is wasting precious time that you could be spending taking a cooking class or hell, hiring a chef to make you dinner at your own home.
Indeed, waiting has two sides to it: when it’s in the form of patience, it is indeed a virtue, yet when it’s wrapped up in the notion that you’re not really living life unless you have an audience…it is totally working against you. Choose wisely.
10 Solo Date Ideas To Help You To “Master” Masturdating
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So, what if you’re someone who has either never considered actually masturdating before or you don’t really know what to do beyond dinner and the movies? Here are a few ideas to consider:
1. Attend a workshop or masterclass that you’re interested in. If there’s something that you’ve always wanted to learn, sign up for a workshop or masterclass. The cool thing about this option is there are probably some in your city, as well as some that you can find online (like here) that are convenient and affordable.
2. Binge-read at a local coffee shop. Aside from their coziness and oftentimes inviting scents, I once read that a lot of us gravitate to coffee shops because we can be around people without having to actually socialize with them. So, if you want to “hang out” while still being able to enjoy a bit of solitude, take a book that you’ve been trying to finish to a local coffee shop, order your favorite latte, and sit in a big-ass comfy chair. Usually, you can sit there for hours, and the staff will be just fine with it (another bonus).
3. Have a spa day in the next town. You can never go wrong with a spa day. And while going with a friend can be fun, sometimes there’s too much talking transpiring to be able to fully chill out and relax. So, go off of the grid, get a change of scenery, and hit up a spa in the next city (or town). There are lots of studies out here supporting that day trips or “daycations” can actually be really good for your long-term health and well-being.
4. See a community play. Some of the best solo dates that I’ve ever been on consisted of taking in some of the local arts in my city. What’s really cool about this particular option is, oftentimes, they are extremely inexpensive, if not totally free of charge (in exchange for making a donation or putting money into a tip jar).
5. Plan a trip. Whenever people say something along the lines of, “If you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed,” I know that they low-key have some (additional) healing to do from past disappointments. There’s simply too much intel out here to support that anticipation (of good stuff) makes us more motivated and optimistic, keeps our dopamine levels up, and makes life more exciting overall.
Since traveling alone is more cost-effective, gives you the freedom to do whatever you want (when you want), and increases the possibility of meeting new people and having new experiences on your journey — why not devote a day this weekend to planning a solo trip? All the way around, it’s good for you.
6. Try your hand at your own “$200 date.” Uh-huh. Roll your eyes if you want to, but it’s real easy to talk left about how a man should be able to just drop $200 like it’s nothing…until you actually try to do it. So yes, while taking yourself out on this type of date could serve as a bit of a reality check, it can also “scratch the itch” of waiting on some dude to do it for you. It’s also way less emotionally draining because, at least when you’re taking your own self out, it’s guaranteed that you’ll enjoy the company…right?
7. DIY some pampering. When you get a chance, check out “5 Reasons You Should Unapologetically Pamper Yourself,” “Want To Love On Yourself? Try These 10 Things At Home.,” “I’ve Got Some Ways For You To Start Pampering Your Soul,” and “When's The Last Time You Actually Pampered Your Vagina?” The bottom line here is pampering is all about, not mere self-maintenance; it’s all about treating yourself to levels of EXTREME SELF-INDULGENCE. So, if nothing else tickles your fancy on this list, at least consider doing that, chile.
8. Feed your creativity. Something that I used to be really good at is art. That said, one of my goddaughters is insanely talented, so she has reminded me to tap back into it. Also, a big part of what got me into the writing world is poetry; I actually used to be a house poet at a local spot. Sometimes, my best quality time moments with myself have been revisiting these creative sides of me — and this is definitely easier to do (and enjoy) alone.
9. Try some stargazing. When’s the last time you took a blanket into your backyard, laid down on it, and just stared at the stars for hours on end? While some say that stargazing can teach you to be mindful, others say that being in that form of nature reduces stress, while others believe that looking up at the universe at night can increase your attention span. All solid reasons to give it a shot, if you ask me.
10. DO. ABSOLUTELY. NOTHING. Let me tell you something that nobody will ever be able to make me feel bad about: doing absolutely nothing. I’ve got data to back me up. Good Housekeeping shares that doing nothing can help you decide how you want to respond or react to certain things. I like howThe Guardian says that taking this approach helps you to regain control of what you give your attention to.
TIME magazine says that it can ultimately make you more productive.BBC offers up that it can help you tap into your ingenuity.Henry Ford Health says that it can make you kinder and a better problem-solver. So, if you want to invest in yourself, do nothing sometimes.
Closing Thoughts from the Lovely Javicia Leslie
While some of y'all may know Javicia Leslie from being the former Batwoman, I discovered her back in the day from the indie series Chef Julian (and yes, "Julian" was right to say that "Mo" looks like Tatyana Ali...the real ones know). Sometimes I'll hop on her IG to see what she's got going on and this story popped up within a few hours of me penning this...so, I took it as hella confirmation.
TREAT YO SELF. WAIT FOR NO ONE.
WAIT FOR NO ONE. TREAT YO SELF.
RINSE AND REPEAT.
_____
Sooo…what kind of masturdating plans do you have for this coming weekend? While going out with others has its perks, hanging out with yourself has a ton of ‘em too. Enjoy!
No…for real. ENJOY!
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