As Meg Ryan famously demonstrated in "When Harry Met Sally," women can -- and do -- fake orgasms in bed. But a new survey suggests that it's men who are more likely to fake the Big O -- and that's not the only thing they're lying about between the sheets.


Polling more than 1,200 of its readers, Australia's The Sunday Telegraph[1] discovered that 23 percent of men admitted to faking an orgasm with their partner, compared to just 20.6 percent of women.


That finding corroborates a recent U.S. survey that showed out of 1,080 men, nearly one in four had admitted to simulating a climax[2] in bed.


But men are faking much more than just orgasms. The Aussie survey found that men were also more likely than women to fake an "I love you" during sex[3] -- 25.4 percent of the men polled copped to lying about their feelings in the heat of the moment, compared to just 6.1 percent of women.


And while more than half of respondents admitted they'd faked being in the mood while with their partner, it was men who were more likely to play it up -- 32.5 percent of men admitted they had done so[4] , opposed to just 19.9 percent of women.


So why are so many men lying in the sack? Debby Herbenick, co-director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University, told NBC News that men are motivated by several factors. [5]


“Men tend to fake for similar reasons that women fake," she said. "To help their partner's ego, to not hurt their partner's feelings, to end sex so that they can go to sleep or go home."


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  • Keeps Your Blood Flowing


    According to Dr. Jennifer Berman, co-founder of the Female Sexual Medicine Center at UCLA, orgasms increase your circulation, keeping the blood flowing to your genital area. This in turn keeps your tissue healthy!




  • It's A Form Of Cardio


    Although it can't be considered an alternative to daily exercise, having an orgasm is a cardiovascular activity. "Your heart rate increases, blood pressure increases [and your] respiratory rate increases," says Berman. And because it's akin to running in many physiological respects, your body also releases endorphins. Sounds like a pretty fun way to work your heart out.




  • Lifts Your Mood


    Feeling down in the dumps? An orgasm might be just what you need to pick yourself up. In addition to endorphins, dopamine and oxytocin are also released during orgasm. All three of these hormones have what Berman terms "mood-enhancing effects." In fact, dopamine is the same hormone that's released when individuals use drugs such as cocaine -- or eat something really delicious.




  • Helps You Sleep


    A little pleasure may go a long way towards a good night's rest. A recent survey of 1,800 women found that over 30 percent of them used sexual release as a natural sedative.




  • Keeps Your Brain Healthy


    Having an orgasm not only works out your heart, but also your head. Barry Komisaruk, Ph.D. <a href="http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/tips-moves/orgasm-news" target="_hplink">told <em>Cosmopolitan</em></a> that orgasms actually nourish the brain with oxygen. "Functional MRI images show that women's brains utilize much more oxygen during orgasm than usual," Komisaruk says.




  • It's A Natural Painkiller


    One thing that Victorian practitioners may have been onto is that orgasms can work to soothe certain aches and pains -- namely migraines and menstrual cramps. (So now you know what to do next time you have a headache if you don't feel like popping an Excedrin.) According to Berman, the contractions that make up an orgasm can actually work to evacuate blood clots during your period, providing some temporary relief.




  • It Relieves Stress


    Most of our lives are so hectic that it's hard to even imagine being relaxed. However, it turns out that <em>sexual</em> release can double as <em>stress</em> relief. Not only do the hormones help with this task, Berman says that being sexual also gives our minds a break: "When we're stressed out and overextending ourselves, [we're] not being in the moment. Being sexual requires us to focus on one thing only."




  • Gives You A Healthy Glow


    There actually might be something to the idea that we "glow" after sex. The hormone DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), which shows <a href="http://www.ivillage.com/secret-health-benefits-sex/4-a-283856" target="_hplink">increased levels during sexual excitement</a>, can actually make your skin healthier.




  • Aids Your Emotional Health


    Last but not least, when you know what it takes to make yourself orgasm, you may increase your emotional confidence and intelligence. "When you understand how your body works and ... [that it] is capable of pleasure on its own, regardless of your partner status, you make much better decisions in relationships," says Logan Levkoff, Ph.D., a sexologist and certified sexuality educator. "You don't look to someone else to legitimize that you're a sexual being."





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