Petite Mort: What It Is and Why Does it Happen?

During orgasm, brain activity reaches its peak and then goes down. This extreme change is the origin of the "petite mort," or "little death," after orgasm.

Petite mort, or “little death,” refers to a state of fading that some women experience after having an intense orgasm. For many, it’s only a myth. However, there’s some scientific evidence stating that the petite mort does exist. We’ll tell you all about it in this article.

What Is “Petite Mort”?

Petite mort is a change in the female consciousness after an orgasm. It’s traditionally described as a fainting or loss of consciousness.

However, it hasn’t been studied very much. Additionally, many people think it’s one of the sexual and spiritual myths. In fact, in many cultures, they see orgasms as a kind of spiritual trance.

However, modern science has sought to investigate the physiological causes of this “little death.” In this way, several studies have shown that the electroencephalogram changes during and after orgasm. Also, orgasms change brain activity.

What Happens in Your Brain During an Orgasm

The moment of climax activates numerous areas of your brain. In fact, there are more than 8,000 nerve endings in the clitoris. That excitement causes a bombardment of sensations in the brain.

A study by scientists at the College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois wanted to find out how orgasms affect the brain. According to the authors, if sexual stimulation is rhythmic and sufficiently intense, it can cause “neuronal entrainment.”

Thus, in response to the activation of the pleasure-induced reward circuit, the brain begins to activate various structures such as the amygdala, the cerebellum, the nucleus accumbens (releasing dopamine) or the pituitary gland (releasing endorphins or oxytocin).

In this sense, the excitement causes a “sexual trance” where the lateral orbitofrontal cortex is inhibited. Then, during an orgasm, the brain is focused on one thing: The sensation it’s feeling. Therefore, we could say that a powerful orgasm is a sort of altered state of consciousness.

No, the Brain Doesn’t “Turn Off” During an Orgasm or Petite Mort

For some years, researchers thought that the activity in some parts of women’s brains dropped significantly during orgasms. However, a study shows that the opposite thing happens.

After asking several volunteers to orgasm during an MRI, the scientists were able to conclude. During the orgasm, brain activity gradually increases until it reaches a peak, then goes down.

What about Petite Mort?

Within the extreme changes in the brain from maximum stimulation and back down during orgasm, we find what’s called “petite mort.”

It’s not surprising that, after overexcitement in all senses, some women experience a faint feeling. Then, sometimes they need a few moments to put their brain activity back in order.

In any case, there are lots of benefits to female orgasms. They help women to:

• Rest better.
• Have an improved mood.
• Boost their self-esteem.
• Reduce stress.
• Improve their heart functioning.
• Improve their tolerance for pain. In fact, female orgasms have a pain-relieving effect. This is because, during climax, the dorsal raphe is activated. Then, it releases serotonin, a hormone that blocks pain.

No matter what, there’s no need to worry. Orgasms don’t involve anything dying. On the contrary, it’s a pleasure that gives your brain and body lots of benefits. Therefore, whether with someone else or masturbating alone, doctors highly recommend this “sexual trance.”