A blocked nose. You know the feeling: you want to sleep, but breathing through your nose suddenly seems almost impossible. You reach for nasal spray, take a hot shower, or simply wait for it to pass. But what if there were another surprising way to temporarily clear your nose?
An orgasm.
No, this isn't some bizarre health myth floating around on the internet. In 2021, German and British researchers actually received the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine for their research on this subject. The Ig Nobel Prizes are satirical science awards for research that first makes you laugh and then makes you think.
From sex to clearer nasal breathing
The researchers wanted to find out whether sexual activity affects nasal function. They studied 18 heterosexual couples and measured their nasal breathing before and after sex. Among other things, the researchers looked at nasal resistance and the amount of air that could flow through the nose. Measurements were taken before sexual activity and then immediately after orgasm, after 30 minutes, after one hour, and after three hours.
And the result was remarkable. In participants with a blocked nose, nasal breathing improved after sex with orgasm. The effect was particularly noticeable during the first hour. According to the researchers, the improvement during this period was comparable to that of a classic decongestant nasal spray. After about three hours, the effect had disappeared.
How is that possible?
This is where things get interesting. The exact mechanism is not yet fully understood. The researchers suspect that several bodily processes may play a role at the same time: physical exertion, sexual arousal, and hormonal changes around orgasm. Changes in the autonomic nervous system may also affect the blood vessels and mucous membranes in the nose. When the blood vessels in the nasal lining constrict, more space may temporarily become available for air to pass through the nose.
In other words: during sexual activity, quite a lot is happening inside your body that you can't see from the outside.
So, is sex the new nasal spray?
Not so fast. The study was small and exploratory. In addition, objective measurements of nasal function could not be performed on all participants. The researchers therefore emphasized that more research is needed.
For example, it is not yet clear whether an orgasm on its own has the same effect as sexual activity with a partner. The effects of masturbation were also not investigated in this study. So it would be an exaggeration to say that an orgasm is THE treatment for a blocked nose. But as a scientific experiment, it is certainly fascinating.
Why is it called an “alternative Nobel Prize”?
The study received the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2021. The Ig Nobel Prizes recognize scientific research that initially sounds funny or surprising, but at the same time raises interesting questions. And this study fits that description perfectly.
Because who would think that an orgasm might have something to do with how freely you can breathe through your nose?
Yet the research mainly shows just how complex the human body is. An orgasm can influence many different processes in the body.
Conclusion
An orgasm and a clear nose: it sounds like a strange combination, but there is actually scientific research behind it. A small study showed that nasal breathing can temporarily improve after an orgasm. The discovery earned the researchers the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2021.
Whether you're reaching for nasal spray because of a blocked nose or simply curious about the unusual side of the human body, this research is a great reminder that science can sometimes be more surprising than you think.
Source: Research published in Rhinology and discussed in connection with the 2021 Ig Nobel Prizes.
