Does Having Sex With Socks On Help You Orgasm?

“Wearing socks during sex can help you orgasm.” “Wearing socks during sex WILL make you orgasm.” “Wearing socks during sex is the key to orgasm.”

Whatever the phrasing, people seem to be very on board with the idea that “socks during sex” is the magic cure to all your orgasm woes.

This belief is so widespread it’s often cited as fact, something that is known to every sexpert and does not require questioning. I’m currently reading My Broken Vagina by Fran Buche, and she brings up the whole “socks during sex” thing multiple times, presenting it as truth. The thing is, however, there isn’t a lot of data supporting this Old Sex Tale.

The story dates back to this study from the University of Groningen, where researchers found that 80 percent of couples reached orgasm while wearing socks while only 50 percent managed to climax without socks. The problem? The sample size was exceptionally small, meaning there weren’t enough people involved to definitively say whether or not this is true. The findings reached viral popularity anyway, because what media outlet isn’t going to run with the headline “SOCKS DURING SEX IS THE KEY TO ORGASM!!!!!”?

With all that being said, this popular claim does have anecdotal evidence. A lot of it.

People far and wide swear by socks during sex, myself included. It is a colloquial anecdote, a non-data-driven story that’s been passed down for years. Why? Because being cold during sex absolutely fucking blows.

I rarely have sex without socks on, because it helps me orgasm more easily since I’m not thinking about how cold my feet are. In my clinical practice, I often recommend that clients who need help relaxing consider how warm their hands and feet are during sex. It may be a bit unscientific (because, honestly, not that many people seem to want to study ejaculating with warm feet), but it does seem to work for a lot of people.

“Are socks the miraculous cure-all for everyone who struggles to orgasm? No. But that doesn’t mean a percentage of people can’t benefit from the added coziness and even the feeling of security that comes with wearing socks during sexual acts,” says Amanda Chatel, a sexpert who has researched this topic extensively. “I believe it depends on the person, their relationship with sex, and their psychological and physical needs to reach orgasm, more than anything else.”

So, let’s dive on in and figure out how legit this claim is — and why we should always be willing to get curious about sex and figure out our own unique formula for the perfect orgasm, based on what we actually like.

There is merit to the socks with sex theory on an anatomical level

You know how when you’re cold and you put on some cozy socks, suddenly you’re not cold at all anymore? The same thing can happen during sex. You can be completely naked and chilly, then simply add some socks and suddenly, all is well. Your feet get cold faster than the rest of your body because they’re far away from your core, which is the warmest part of the body. The further a body part is from the core of the body, the colder the blood supplying it is and the faster that body part will get cold.

“I will get completely naked during sex, but the socks are staying on,” says Taylor, 30. “Have you ever had a frozen toe touch your skin while getting down? It’s like being electrocuted. No, thank you.”

Basically, it boils down to comfort and circulation. Cold feet can be very distracting during sex (not to mention that having a partner rub a subzero toe down your side can be downright bone chilling). If you’re thinking about your frozen toes, it takes you out of a mindset of embodied pleasure — this is crucial for orgasm, which is a brain and body experience. Having warm feet, hands and other extremities helps the rest of your body feel warm and comfortable.

Another factor in experiencing pleasure is having a relaxed nervous system. While she’s not ready to throw her weight behind the “socks help you orgasm” claim due to the lack of data, sex and relationship therapist Cyndi Darnell suggests a theory: “My hunch is that it would have some connection to soothing [the] nervous systems, which helps us to relax and feel comfortable. This is crucial to both orgasms and erections.”

There’s also merit to the theory on a psychological level

Being comfortable and feeling safe during sex is a huge part of having a pleasurable experience, and Kamil Lewis, AMFT, a somatic sex therapist, says that having warm feet can be a component of that comfort and safety. If you’re having sex in a cold environment, your body may start to tense up, meaning you’re too alert to calm down and enjoy pleasure. Setting yourself up in a safe environment for sex is crucial, and that includes maintaining a comfortable temperature.

Try having a bath just before bedtime to warm your body up, with some candles instead of bright lights to help you get into a mindset for sex. And if you want to put some socks on, put the damn socks on.

“I cannot remember the last time I had sex without socks. I live in Canada. It’s always freezing here,” says Jacob, 32. “If my toes are frozen, my dick is probably not getting hard.”

The notion of a “comfortable” temperature also means different things to different people. Being too warm can also negatively impact sex. “I wouldn’t wear socks during sex because I’d be way too hot,” says Stephen, 25. “I’d get sweaty and gross and no one needs that. I’m a big dude. My motor runs high all the time.” Human sexuality is unique and everyone needs different things to enjoy themselves, which is perfectly normal. “A little fine tuning of our body and mind can make the difference between exuberance or underperformance,” says Joe Vela, the CEO of sex toy company Emojibator.

Conclusion: Neither fact nor fiction, just not proven yet

We can’t say that wearing socks during sex will definitely make you orgasm more easily. What we can say is that it works for some people. If it works for you, that’s awesome, but we shouldn’t go around acting like this claim has some meaty scientific data to back it up.

“I do think there’s more to the socks and orgasm theory than meets the eye. If more studies were done, with not just far more people, but a far more diverse group of people, then we’d have more to work with,” says Chatel. “But until that day comes, we can only surmise [that] it works for some and doesn’t work for others, and why it works depends on the person.”

On an individual level, it doesn’t really matter whether one’s preference for sex with socks is backed by science — again, if you think it works for you, then you’re right, it does. But given the state of sex education in this country, it’s always important to separate truth from myth and anecdotal evidence from science. In the meantime, if wearing socks helps you get off, by all means, go forth and bust out your favorite pair of sex socks.