The Neuroscience of Sex – Jamie Wheal, Part 1 with Dave Asprey – #845

When Jamie Wheal comes on Bulletproof Radio we always dig into mind-bending topics. This time, our conversation spans a special four-part mini-series to discuss his new book: “Recapture the Rapture: Rethinking God, Sex and Death in a World That’s Lost its Mind.”

In this Part 1 episode, we talk about the neuroscience of sex and how it can change our minds over time and truly better our lives.

Jamie studies neuroanthropology, which brings together culture, biology, and psychology. He’s the founder of the international Flow Genome Project, an organization that helps people reach their peak human performance.

He’s currently focusing on Hedonic Engineering, a combination of neuroscience and optimal psychology. His book looks at the world’s collapse of meaning, the embracing of nihilism, and how you can shift your stories to tackle the world by connecting to others and revitalizing yourself.

“We need to reclaim the story of what’s happening and where do we all go now together. Because one percent solutions, no matter how you slice that,, one percent are fundamentally sociopathic, right?” Jamie says. “It’s the elect, and it could be the elect that’s moral and ethical or spiritual, the true believers. It could be the marriage of the best, and the brightest. It could be the ones with financial resources, but however you cut it, the rest of us need a story for us to live into. And that seemed really important [to include in his book].”

The results of a sex survey Jamie conducted with couples for the book showed the profound impacts sex can have on holistic well-being. If you talk about sex like you do other activities with long-term benefits (like flossing or going to the gym) you may be able to understand the ways it can and has changed the human brain over time.

“Prolonged partnership coupling and extended sexuality –  that results in brain change,” Jamie says. “The results in the cascade of neurochemistry, including prolactin, vasopressin, serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine, and anandamide (all the big swingers for peak state experiences) all arise during sex, coitus, and orgasm. So you’re like, “Holy moly”, that seems like a very strong candidate for persistent and shifted brain state and cognitive change over time.”

Be sure to follow the conversation in Part 2 when Jamie and I talk more about the ways you can create the best sex environment with your partner. And, of course, a lot more.

Enjoy! And get more resources at Dave.Asprey/podcasts.

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