Wearing socks makes you more likely to orgasm, study claims

A study cited as early as 2005 found that people were more likely to achieve orgasm during sex while wearing a pair of socks.

The amusing item has been doing the rounds in the last eleven years, reappearing most recently in November on the Metro website.

Elite Daily, Maxim, Brobible andother online publications featured the finding. In 2011 as well as Women's Health included the 'sock factor' on a list of the '5 weirdest' pieces of sex advice out there.

The study in question was conducted by Gert Holstege, and it sought to better understand male and female orgasms.

An unintended finding was that 50 per cent of participants orgasmed without wearing socks.

When they were given a pair, 80 per cent experienced an orgasm.

Here's a super scientific chart to better illustrate these findings.

Fear itself

Socks aside, the main focus of the Holstege study was into what's going on in the human brain as they orgasm.

The main finding was that women register lower levels of anxiety and fear as they approach orgasm.

During this period, the centres of the brain which control anxiety and fear shut down.

It was more difficult to register similar changes in men due the fact that male orgasms don't last as long as they do for women, making it harder for scientists to collect data.

What the study did conclude was that physical stimuli are more important to male orgasms than female ones.

Picture:

Pulling (your socks up)

According to Elite Daily the finding about socks and orgasms came about because participants complained the laboratory was a bit draughty.

It's not known if the study took into account of sweaty feet, or looking weird being naked in just socks.

The possibility that the second time having sex was better because it usually is may also have played a part in the 'sock factor' test.

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