Sexual arousal is commonly described as ‘turning on’ or ‘getting hot’
Medically in simple language, sexual arousal is activation of reflexes in sex organs by brain after processing signals received through nerve endings across the body including skin, genitals, breasts coupled with thoughts and moods.
The thoughts include collection of experiences, images, expectations, and imagination without which sexual arousal is not possible.
Mood required for sexual arousal depends on acceptance of a person, time, privacy, place, health, tiredness, stress, anxiety, and ambiance.
Sexual arousal can occur under various circumstances
It may be result from voluntary actions like kissing, hugging, reading an erotic book, watching a sexy film.
Or can happen unexpectedly when,
- A boy or a girl getting sexually aroused while being taught by a teacher of opposite sex.
- Doctor or lawyer getting sexually aroused while attending to a particular client of opposite sex
- Man getting sexually aroused by a lady passenger in the next seat while travelling.
These incidences are unexpected, and often create embarrassing situation. Although we eventually learn to overcome such sexual arousals, its occurrence is normal and faced by most sexually normal persons.
Sources of arousal are predictable as well as unpredictable.
Men as well as women get sexually excited or turned on easily by direct physical contact of a person in love and during sexual acts, particularly foreplay.
However, sexual arousal may be experienced even by a contact while shaking hand, a casual touch of a person, a simple unintentional brushing of bodies in crowd, or even by a close proximity in an elevator.
Sexual arousal may occur because of a verbal communication, sexual song or a sound, and even from a most casual conversation.
Still, most common reason for sexual arousal is non verbal communication, action or visual
For most men, scores of visual gestures induce sexual arousal to name few –
Breasts and nipples, their size and movements, whether covered, partly covered or seen through transparent dress; Lip-tongue actions, wet clothes, hair, look, smile, erotic movements, a bathing girl, clothing styles including swimsuits and innerwear.
Although women do get sexually aroused by visual signals, their responses depend more on emotional approach or actions of a man.
Sexual responses could initiate from fantasizing or even from daily routine like taking shower, wearing dress or riding a bike.
Sexual arousal can occur in all age groups from infants to elderly and in sleep or while being awake, while working or while sitting relaxed and idle, while thinking about sex or not.
Even during sleep, men get about five to six erections and women get their vaginal lubrication, which are normal and automatic sexual reflexes occuring without any reason including dream.