If You Want Better Sex, You Might Want to Upgrade Your Bedroom

They say you should “dress for the job you want.” The same holds true in the bedroom: If you want to have good sex, you should have a good bed. A man who knows the thread count of his sheets is a man who has his life together. That’s sexy. If you sleep on an air mattress that begins deflating as soon as you hop in, that’s not sexy. You’re going to have to do some pretty extravagant foreplay to make sure she doesn’t refer to you as “air mattress guy” forevermore.

Make sure you’re not violating any of these bed deal breakers.

5 Sex Positions That Guarantee She’ll Finish With a Mind-Blowing Orgasm

We hope you’ve nailed down one or two sex positions that work best for her during sex—but how you end your romp can also make a huge difference when it comes to her orgasm.

Finishing with the same position every time you have sex is like having ice cream every time you want dessert. Will she like it? Sure, but there’s a whole slew of moves to be explored—and who knows, you might find a new one that you both love?

We asked Kat Van Kirk, Ph.D., a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sex therapist, to come up with some newer, sexier ways to top off a night in the sack. Here, five sex positions that practically guarantee an orgasm she’ll never forget.

The 7 Sexiest Things to Do With Your Hands

Remember when you felt sexually advanced if you'd reached second base?

Well, it’s time to bring your hands back into the bedroom—and not just as a tool for getting your girlfriend off.

“Hands can add so much creativity to sensuality,” says Marianne Brandon, Ph.D., author of Reclaiming Desire: 4 Keys to Finding Your Lost Libido. “Women really like to be teased, and hands are an important part of that intensity building.”

In other words, your digits are capable of sexual stimulation that your penis isn’t—you just have to know how to turn them into your own personal sex toys.

How to Give Her a 60-Second Orgasm

The only thing better than an orgasm is one that lasts for a full minute.

Yes, the 60-second climax really exists, according to Emily Nagoski, Ph.D., author of Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life.

It’s not typical—the female orgasm usually lasts 6 to 30 seconds, Nagoski says. But if her mood and your moves are right, her climax can keep going. Prolong her pleasure with six easy strategies.

For more ideas on how to have hotter sex than you ever imagined, check out The Better Man Project, the brand-new book from the Editor-in-Chief of Men’s Health. You’ll find more than 2,000 simple, effective tips on seduction, relationships, health, and fitness that will improve every aspect of your life!

The First Thing You Must Do in Bed

Generosity for the win: Focusing on what she craves in the sack also increases your arousal, says research in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.

Researchers studied “sexual communal strength”—the willingness to meet a partner’s sexual needs—in long-term couples. Both parties filled out daily sex surveys for 3 weeks. Four months later, generous lovers  reported higher levels of daily arousal AND more desire for their partner than the less-generous couples.

10 Sex Positions That Practically Guarantee Her Orgasm

When it comes to having so-good-your-neighbors-hate-you sex, making sure you stimulate her clitoris is rule number one.

“Research shows it’s clitoral stimulation, not vaginal stimulation, that is the powerhouse of the female orgasm,” says sex therapist Ian Kerner, Ph.D., author of She Comes First.

Given that her clitoris can be anywhere from 2.5 to 4 centimeters away from her vaginal entrance, lots of sex positions won’t exactly do the trick, says Kerner.

7 Easy Ways to Fix Your Mediocre Sex Life

Some sex is so-so. Some is spectacular. But it actually doesn’t take much effort to turn a routine romp into a mind-blowing experience.

Many people assume it’s a lost cause when sex starts to get boring and just go through the motions, says Sadie Allison, author of Ride ‘Em Cowgirl! Sex Position Secrets for Better Bucking. 

“But it’s definitely possible to initiate change in the middle of sex,” she says.

Here are seven ways you can transform OK sex into a night you’ll both never forget.

The 6 Biggest Mistakes Couples Make In Bed

You probably didn’t need a study to tell you this, but research confirms that sex is one of the most crucial ingredients to making long-term relationships thrive.

Early on, feeling sexy and passionate isn’t hard—but things can get trickier as the years go on.

Hoping to bust out of a dry spell or prevent the fire from fading? Don’t make these common mistakes.

7 Signs She'll Be Good in Bed

It's an enigma as enduring as Mona Lisa's small, knowing smile: Sometimes meek women turn wild in bed; sometimes they just lie there, waiting to inherit the earth. Sometimes the chestnut filly with the riding crop turns out to be all packaging; sometimes she's as thrilling as the signs indicated she'd be.

It made me wonder: Is it possible to reliably predict what a woman is like in bed? The love scientists say yes—sort of.

"It's very hard to gauge," explains Helen Fisher, Ph.D., an anthropologist at Rutgers University and author of Why We Love, a new book about the nature and chemistry of romantic love. A woman's high heels, short skirt, and follow-me walk mean little. "Those are signs of intention. But they are not signs that this person is actually good in bed and is compatible with you."

What to Do If Your Sex Life Has Become Completely Predictable

As the years go by over the course of a relationship, sex almost inevitable becomes routine.

“Boring sex unfolds naturally in long-term relationships, because we all do what works,” says Marianne Brandon, Ph.D., author of Monogamy: The Untold Story. “Then we just keep repeating what works until it becomes a rut.”

Although you can’t rewind the clock—or magically transform your partner into someone new—you can reclaim the sexual energy you once shared. Here’s how.