Cumming to Your Senses: The Science Behind “Post Nut Clarity”
How is it that our minds can instantly change so drastically by simply ejaculating? Is there legitimate science behind post nut clarity? Bobby Box sets our minds at ease with this edition of Queeries.
There have been times when I, and probably you, have been met with our shameful, sweaty reflection of our laptops after a filthy jerkoff session and we're hit with a halting gust of shame. We'll then shake our heads in disapproval and exit the screen that's still broadcasting the heinous material that had brought us to climax.
This is just one of many symptoms of "post nut clarity," a hotly debated experience that many credit to Call Her Daddy podcasters, Alex Cooper and Sofia Franklyn.
What is post nut clarity?
It's a colloquial term used to describe those moments of calm and reason that follow ejaculation. To borrow from fiction (and a Joe Rogan podcast — I know, I know), post nut clarity is akin to a feral werewolf returning to its human form with little recollection of what they'd done during the full moon.
But what is the legitimate science behind post nut clarity? How is it that our minds can instantly change so drastically by simply ejaculating?
To no one's surprise, very little research has been done on the topic. As you can imagine, it can be difficult to earn grants for such research given that many institutions that help finance these studies are, for the lack of a better term, prudes. So I read every limited detail available online and reached out to psychotherapist and sex therapist, Dr. Lee Phillips, to help explain the fascinating phenomenon that is post-nut clarity.
What causes post nut clarity?
So what is happening, exactly? Because there has been very little research on the topic, the best we can do is connect this experience to informed theories. According to a writer at MEL Magazine, one researcher did assist a Rutgers University student in attempting to explore post nut clarity by creating an experiment involving IQ tests; half were to be taken pre-masturbation, and the other half post.
Hilariously, no data was returned afterward because people didn't care about the experiment once they busted their nut. However, this lack of evidence is evidence and brings light that things that might have mattered pre-orgasm, simply don't afterward.
A clinical psychologist did tell Insider that the part of the brain responsible for "reason, decision-making, and value judgment," becomes less active after we climax, and this was clear evidence of exactly that.
In fact, more than 30 areas of the brain are activated when we orgasm; this basically means orgasms send your brain into overdrive. When we suddenly relieve all that tension during climax, our brains release floods of hormones like dopamine (responsible for pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation) and oxytocin (responsible for recognition, trust, and bonding) that tend to make people feel all warm, fuzzy, and relaxed.
But that's not always the case. "When these hormones are released, they can cause several different emotions and behaviors, good and bad," Dr. Phillips says. "Due to the intensity of the orgasm, emotions can range from happiness with laughter to sadness with tears."
Post-coital dysphoria explained
Some can feel deeply depressed or agitated after orgasm, even if the sexual experience was a good one. This is known as "post-coital dysphoria." A reason this might occur could be the sudden release of dopamine. During orgasm, dopamine levels drop below baseline, similar to withdrawal from drug abuse. Low dopamine levels are associated with depression, lethargy, lack of ambition, etc.
"The cause [of post-coital dysphoria] is still unknown, but many believe it occurs because sex is a highly dynamic experience, and the brain chemicals do not always result in the joyful afterglow of sex," Dr. Phillips says. "There may be an element of pair bonding at play as well. People may experience this condition because the bonding with a partner during sex is so intense that breaking the bond triggers sadness and/or agitation."
Some may experience similarly negative conditions due to their sexual history. Anything from a conservative religious upbringing to past sexual traumas can impact how our brains respond to orgasm.
Do only men experience post nut clarity?
Post nut clarity is not limited by gender. All of us share a sexual response cycle, meaning the sequence of physical and emotional changes that occur as a person becomes sexually aroused and participates in sexually stimulating activities. First comes desire (libido), then arousal (excitement), next comes orgasms, and finally resolution (satisfaction).
In fact, the neuroscientist who co-authored The Science of Orgasm told MEL that the genders have way more in common than they don't regarding brain activity during orgasm. And Dr. Phillips says most of the clients who experience post-coital dysphoria at his practice are cisgender women.
There are, however, a few key differences in how we orgasm. The first being the duration of them. For people with penises, ejaculation lasts anywhere between three and 10 seconds. Orgasms for people with vulvas can last at least twice as long.
How long does post nut clarity last?
Vaginal orgasms tend to not have a refractory period either, meaning they can occur over and over. The refractory period for people with penises, however, can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to a few days. Cosmopolitan posits another reason post nut clarity is male-leaning could be because "women just aren't climaxing often enough to regularly reap the benefits of post nut clarity."
While the refractory period may make post nut clarity seem more intense for people with penises, one could also argue that women and people with vulvas are more sexually oppressed by society, making them more susceptible to shame.
All this is to say we won't have an explanation or even be able to legitimize post nut clarity until conclusive research is conducted, which, as mentioned prior, doesn't seem likely. For now, we have theories shared by qualified professionals, as well as curious people like you and me, who seek comfort in this information when all those post-nut feels come flooding in.
