Posted on 01/31/2006 12:10:01 PM PST by Mark Felton
If you want to calm those butterflies before you stand in front of a large audience to give a speech, have sex before you hit the stage.
According to a study from the University of Paisley in Scotland, having sexual intercourse before public speaking is the best way to calm nerves and ease stage fright, reports New Scientist.
The study: Nearly 50 men and women volunteered to record their sexual activity for two weeks. After the sexual encounters, they underwent a stress test involving public speaking and computing mental arithmetic out loud, while the research team analyzed the impact of sex on the volunteers' blood pressure levels.
The results: The volunteers who had heterosexual intercourse also experienced the least stress and had blood pressure levels that returned to normal more quickly than people who engaged in other types of sex. Those who shunned sex before pressure-filled events had the highest blood pressure in response to stress. Lead study author and psychologist Stuart Brody insists that even after taking into account stress from other factors, such as work, sexual behavior is still credited as the best stress-buster.
Here's the catch: It has to be heterosexual intercourse--nothing else counts. "The effects are not attributable simply to the short-term relief afforded by orgasm but rather, endure for at least a week," Brody told New Scientist.
Why does sex have this effect? Brody credits it to the release of the hormone oxytocin, sometimes called the "pair bonding" hormone, to explain the calming effect.
The study findings were published in the journal Biological Psychology.
Already commented on at length on another thread.
Short take: cause/effect is reversed. The better public speaker gets laid more. Next question?
For some reason, I'm thinking of that scene in "There's Something About Mary" where Chris Elliott told Ben Stiller to receive some stress prior to his date.
CLINTON: "I resemble this remark..."
A sure fire cure for stuttering ... all right !!
I, on the other hand, think of the podium scene from Police Academy where cadet Mahoney is hiding the prostitute under the podium when Commandant Lassard gives a presentation. The prostitute gives Lassard a Lewinski during the presentation.
"I think this slide speaks for itself"
-- Commandant Lassard.
Someone should forward this link to Laura Bush's office - ya know... the big SOTN night!
Let's just be polite and allow the President & First Lady to make their own "Executive Decisions" between themselves, pretty please,
Remember Commandant Lassard's speech from Police Academy?
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