In Bed with Science: a Sex Podcast
This podcast, hosted by sex therapist Leigh Norén, examines the science behind sex and relationships. Each episode draws on academic research to provide practical, evidence-based advice for improving intimacy and sexual satisfaction. The show challenges common misconceptions and aims to make scientific findings accessible to everyday listeners. It’s a helpful resource for anyone seeking realistic and research-backed guidance in their sex life.
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Stop Trying to Recreate the Honeymoon Phase — Do This Instead (Why Desire Fades in Long-Term Relationships)
When couples have been together for years, boredom can start to feel like something you have to accept. You love each other, but somewhere along the way, you start wondering whether the spark left because your partner became boring — or because the relationship did.In this episode, I dig into a study on self-expansion that offers a solution to that bordeom: curiosty. And the longer you've been tog
A Doctor Asks a Sex Therapist: Married at First Sight, Low Desire & What She Really Does All Day
This week's episode is a little different. I sat down with my cousin — Dr. Chloe Vites, a GP (doctor) based in the UK — and let her ask me all the questions people usually ask me at parties, on flights, and in the DMs.Things like: Why I became a sex therapist. What I actually do in session. What it was really like filming Married at First Sight: Sweden. And the things I wish couples knew before it
Non-Monogamy vs Monogamy: Who's Really Happier?
We've been taught that monogamy is the default because it's more satisfying, more "natural". But what if that's not actually what the research says?In this episode, I dig into a major new meta-analysis of 35 studies and nearly 25,000 people that compared relationship and sexual satisfaction across monogamous and non-monogamous relationships. The findings challenge a lot of what we've assumed — and
I Tried Everything And It Was Never Enough | Mismatched Libidos
A listener wrote in describing herself as a "well-scraped peanut butter jar" — nothing left to give sexually, and tired of trying.She'd had sex four days a week, spent evenings cuddling and massaging, and offered every kind of intimacy she could think of. Yet every week still brought sulking, silent treatment, and rejection tears.After two months of no sex, the pressure finally stopped — so she as
The Hidden Reason You’re Struggling to Orgasm With Your Partner
Difficulty orgasming isn’t always about you. At least, not in the way you might think.In this minisode of In Bed with Science, I’m talking about one of the less discussed reasons orgasm can become harder with a partner: when your orgasm starts to feel like proof that they’re good at sex.Orgasms aren’t gifts.And when your partner’s care, effort or disappointment becomes part of the experience, plea
AI Vs. Therapy for Low Libido: I Put It To The Test
AI is being turned to as a replacement for therapy. As a sex therapist who specialises in low libido, I wanted to know - can it actually help with something as nuanced as low sex drive in a marriage?So I put it to the test. I pretended to be a typical client of mine - a woman in a long-term relationship, struggling with low desire and shame around her turn-ons - and turned to both a trained mental
‘Men Will Have Sex With Anything’? A Sex Therapist Breaks Down the Harmful Myth
We've all heard it before: "Men always want sex". They’re simple and always raring to go.As a sex therapist specialising in low libido and mismatched desire, I know the toll these kinds of myths can take on the individual and the relationship at large. In this minisode, I break down one of the most common myths about male sexuality — and how it contributes to low desire, performance pressure, and
Low Sex Drive in Women & Mindfulness, with Dr. Lori Brotto
Low desire in women is often treated as a hormonal problem or a relationship one.But what if the problem isn’t low libido persay, but rather a lost connection to your body?In this episode, I talk to psychologist and leading sex researcher Dr. Lori Brotto about the science of mindfulness and why it’s become one of the most effective psychological treatments for low desire and arousal in women.We di
Why We Have Sex We Don't Want (& How To Approach it)
Sometimes low libido doesn’t look like avoiding sex. Sometimes it looks like having sex you didn’t really want in the first place.In this episode, I talk about something that’s far more common than most of us realise: saying yes to sex in a committed relationship even when you’re not really in the mood.It's about the kinds of moments where you agree because it feels easier than arguing, because yo
ADHD, Autism & Sex: Why Sex Feels So Hard, with Dr. Bowen Marshall
For many neurodivergent people, sex becomes draining or disconnected over time, even when there’s desire and care underneath it all.Sex can start to feel like something you’re being evaluated on — rather than something you get to enjoy.In this episode, I talk with licensed counsellor Bowen Marshall about how ADHD, Autism, masking, and performance expectations affect our sex lives — and why so many
“We Used to Have Such Great Sex”: Can Sexual Nostalgia Help Desire?
“We used to have such great sex" is one of the most common things I hear from clients as a sex therapist and coach.Along with this confession usually comes grief, shame, and worry that something important to them is lost forever.In this episode, I explore the science of sexual nostalgia: why remembering past sexual connection can sometimes help rekindle desire — and why, in other cases, it can act
Sex & Performance Anxiety: What Helps with Dr. Evie Kirana
If you want sex to feel good again and not have to think about whether you're hard or softening, or whether you're going to have an orgasm soon — this episode gives you clear, usable tools to start moving in that direction.In part two of this series on sexual performance anxiety, I talk with health psychologist and clinical sexologist Dr Evie Kirana about how to deal with sexual performance anxiet
Sex & Performance Anxiety: What’s Really Going On with Dr. David Rowland
If you’ve ever felt your body shut down the moment sex begins (your arousal just disappears, or you become consumed with worries about your performance), this episode will help you understand why.In part one of this series, I talk with researcher Dr David Rowland about what sexual performance anxiety actually is, how it develops, and what’s happening in your brain and body when anxiety takes over.
"Does It Even Work?": 'Female Viagra' for Low Libido with Dr. Glen Spielmans
A quick fix for low libido in women - sounds like a dream, right? Even for me as a sex therapist!In this episode, I talk with researcher Dr. Glen Spielmans about bremelanotide — a medication approved in the US for low sexual desire in women. On paper, it’s designed to target brain receptors linked to desire. But when you look closely at the trials, the story gets a lot more complicated.We get into
When Planned Sex Works & When It Doesn’t: What the Science Really Says
If the idea of planning sex makes you panic, this episode is for you.And if you’re curious whether planning could help your sex life and relationship thrive - it’s for you too.We often hear that spontaneous sex is the “real” kind of sex — and that if you have to plan it, something must be wrong in your relationship. But is that actually true?In this episode, I unpack a new study on spontaneous vs
Low Libido in Men—How Hidden Emotions Push Couples Apart with Grace Wang
Up to 40% of men experience low desire. But it's rarely talked about—in society or relationships. In this episode, I talk with researcher Grace Wang about what really happens when a male partner is dealing with low sexual desire—and how the way we manage (or suppress) difficult emotions can make or break sexual communication in a relationship.We unpack her study on emotion regulation and low sexua
Taking My Own Advice: Slowing Down To Show Up Better
This episode is a bit of a departure from the regular stuff! A personal update and a few important reminders about sex, desire, and overall well-being.Interested in my services? Check them out hereJoin my 1:1 online program Re:Desire here.Do you want to submit a listener question for the podcast? Here's the link
How to Talk About Sexual Preferences Without Killing the Mood
How can you tell if a new partner shares your turn-ons — without making it awkward?In this episode, I answer a listener question about casual sex, power dynamics, and the kind of miscommunication that can happen when you don’t talk about your turn-ons out loud. We unpack a qualitative study on how people in BDSM communities use tech (like texting) to express desires, set boundaries, and build trus
Should You Tell Your Partner About Your Sexual Fantasies?
Sharing what turns you on with a partner can be scary. But it can also be hot, and emotionally rewarding. This episode dives into one of the most common but rarely spoken fears in long-term relationships: what will happen if I share what I fantasize about? We unpack a fascinating new study on why people do (and don’t) share their sexual fantasies with partners — and the surprising gap between what
Low Desire and The Mental Load: The Hidden Link with Dr. Simone Buzwell
Do you ever feel like your sex drive is just… gone — and you don’t know why?In this interview episode, I talk with researcher Dr. Simone Buzwell about how relationship inequity negatively affects female sexual desire — and why fairness outside the bedroom might matter more than you think inside it.We unpack her study on desire, domestic labour, and gender roles — including why same-sex female coup
What Keeps Passion Alive in Long-Term Relationships?
Is it normal for desire to fade in long-term relationships? Or can passion actually last?This episode breaks down a powerful study of over 38,000 people in long-term relationships to uncover what really keeps sex satisfying over time. Spoiler: it’s not just about frequency or trying something new — it’s about how couples connect.We explore the 7 key habits that set passionate couples apart — and t
How You React to Sexual Rejection Matters—A Lot
Do you ever hesitate to initiate sex because you're afraid of being rejected — or feel guilty for turning your partner down?In this episode, I answer a listener question about how to navigate mismatched libidos and the pain of repeated rejection in a relationship. We unpack the science of sexual rejection, and how it can shape desire, emotional safety, and long-term connection — often in ways coup
Can Being a Perfectionist Mess with Your Sex Life? With Noémie Viens
A lot of us feel the pressure to perform well in bed — whether that means lasting long or wanting sex "enough". In this episode, I talk to researcher Noémie Viens about how perfectionism can mess with your sex life. We explore why being hard on yourself (or feeling pressure from others) can lead to performance anxiety, shame, and disconnection — and how letting go of “perfect sex” can actually mak
What Science Says About the Beliefs That Shape Your Sex Life
If you’ve ever thought, “If we were really right for each other, our sex life would just work”… this episode is for you.In Episode 1 of In Bed with Science: a Sex Podcast, I break down a fascinating study on growth vs. destiny beliefs in relationships — and how the way we think about sex shapes everything from satisfaction to resilience.You’ll learn: → Why expecting sex to be effortless can damage
Trailer: In Bed with Science: a Sex Podcast
Interested in my services? Check them out hereJoin my 1:1 online program Re:Desire here.Do you want to submit a listener question for the podcast? Here's the link
