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How Loud Do You Moan? See Why Moaning During Sex is Good
Moaning during sex is basically a power-up in the bedroom. One breathless peep or guttural grunt typically serves as a nonverbal cue that things are going *great*, thanks. Letting out those hot and heavy noises can even point to a more satisfying sex life, according to one 2012 study published by the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
Still, the thought of adding a few moans to your romps can be stressful if you haven’t done it before. I get the last thing you want is to sound like a boring adult film star trying to act like she’s actually turned on. And for some (especially those with ah, roommates), the thought of moaning during sex might send cringe shivers down your spine. No sweat.
A couple of sex experts are here to tell you everything you need to know about easing into the proverbial waters of hot and loud sex. Who knows? You might test out those vocal cords sooner than you think.
Why Do People Moan During Sex, Anyway?
It’s pretty simple: You’re turned on. Women moan during sex to communicate to their partners they’re enjoying what they are doing, says, a sex and relationship coach. Think of it as a nudge in the right direction, a pleasure-filled response that a partner is doing all of the right things. And let’s be real: It’s often an involuntary response to all that physical exertion. People don’t compare tennis grunts to sex moans for no reason, after all.
Not to kill the vibe, but people also moan when they’re uncomfortable or flat-out bored. A partner shouldn’t have to decipher your pain moan from your pleasure moan, says Laurie Mintz, Ph.D., author of. If something hurts or feels meh, say so in your words and ask your partner to do the same for you.
How Can Moans Make Sex Feel Even Hotter?
Some research says the deeper you are into the sexual experience, the less inhibited your sounds may be, Mintz says. Your own sounds may serve to enhance your own arousal. The best sex is freeing, and moaning when the urge comes to you helps release your inhibitions (shout out Natasha Bedingfield) so you can be totally immersed in pleasure.
Letting out a few oooooh’s can even make your other O bigger and better, Buratti says. When a woman moans during sex, her throat opens, her breathing slows, and her pelvic floor muscles relax. This, she says, can lead to a mind-blowing orgasm.
Do I Have To Moan?
If it’s not your thing, no big deal. There are people who are silent during sex and who don’t want to make noise and that is completely fine, Mintz says. Noise helps some people turn on and experience pleasure, and for other people, it gets in the way. Sometimes a loud moan (or a scream even) fits the mood, and sometimes you’d rather enjoy it quietly. Just do what feels good.
Ok, I want to try moaning now. How do I start?
Honestly, it’s the same thing that I recommend with getting comfortable with a lot of things: Try it on your own, Mintz says. So, skip the porn research and go right for a test run instead. Next time you masturbate, let yourself moan. Start with taking deep belly breaths and letting them out slowly with a sigh punctuating your breath, Buratti suggests. See if it enhances the experience. Feel good? It’s worth a try when someone else is in the mix.
If you’re still unsure, bring it up with your partner first. You can say, let’s talk about the noises we make during sex or I think I want to try making more noises because I heard they were a turn-on, Mintz says. It’ll be fun for you and fun for them. A win-win.
Is There A Right Way To Moan?
If you’re sitting there thinking, Is this a good moan? Is it loud enough? Too loud? You are not having the kind of moan that’s going to enhance your arousal, Mintz says. In any area of sex, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all. Preach.
This is not the time to overthink. When you’re stuck in your head or critiquing your every move, it will take you right out of the moment. And trust me, there’s no fun in that. Or orgasms. Instead, take a deep breath (or two), lean into the moment, and let your body and mouth do what it wants.
I’m Already An Experienced Moaner. Can I Make Them Even Sexier?
Again, whatever noise spills out is bound to turn you both on. If you want to be specific, Buratti suggests “using your breath as the lead in your moaning. On the exhale, let your voice come out just a little. Think about sending your breath and your moan down to your pelvis. It’ll kind of feels like a meditative exercise or tantric sex.
When in doubt, let yourself be. The deeper you are in the sexual experience, the less inhibited your sounds will be, Mintz says.
Should I Ever Moan To Fake An Orgasm?
Girl, don’t do it. Even if you were guilty of it in the past, faking it won’t help your sex life. Moans can be positive reinforcement and give your guy a boost of confidence, but faking it sends a mixed signal. By faking, we are teaching our partners to do exactly what doesn’t work for us,” Mintz says. And you and your partner on the same page sexually? That’s worth moaning about.
Naijaloaded
Shakira has announced the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring Nigerian Grammy-winning star, Burna Boy.
The Colombian superstar revealed on social media that the song, titled “Dai Dai,” will be released on May 14.
“From Maracaná Stadium, here is ‘Dai Dai,’ the FIFA World Cup Official Song 2026. Coming 5/14. We’re ready!” Shakira posted on X alongside a teaser for the track.
The announcement has sparked excitement among football and music fans, especially with Burna Boy becoming one of the African artists to feature prominently on a World Cup anthem.
Shakira is no stranger to World Cup songs. Her 2010 hit Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) became one of the most iconic football anthems in history during the tournament in South Africa.
Recent World Cup theme songs have also featured global stars. In 2014, Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Leitte performed We Are One (Ole Ola) for the tournament in Brazil.
For the 2018 tournament in Russia, Nicky Jam, Will Smith and Era Istrefi released Live It Up.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA rolled out multiple soundtrack songs, including Hayya Hayya (Better Together) by Trinidad Cardona, Davido and Aisha.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
This week, African Voices, the Globacom-sponsored magazine programme on CNN International, turns its searchlight on Ejatu Shaw the London-based photographer and multidisciplinary artist whose work continues to refract heritage into striking visual poetry.
Born in 1996, Shaw is a graduate of University of Westminster, where she earned a Master’s degree in Photography Arts in 2020. Yet the true genesis of her craft predates the academy. It was during a 2013 family sojourn to Sierra Leone that her creative awakening first flickered—like light finding its way through a narrow aperture—setting her on a path of introspective exploration.
Her oeuvre is a delicate tapestry, interweaving strands of Islamic faith with the vibrant textures of African heritage. Echoes of the great studio photographers of the 1960s and 1970s—such as Malick Sidibé, Sory Sanlé, and Omar Yahia Barram—resonate subtly within her compositions, like ancestral voices carried on a visual wind.
From these influences, Shaw has cultivated a practice rooted in memory and self-inquiry. Through self-portraiture and conceptually layered projects, she transforms personal recollections into images that speak with both intimacy and universality—mirrors in which the past and present quietly converge.
Her ascent has been both swift and assured. In 2025, the British Fashion Council named her a New Wave Creative, affirming her place among a new generation of cultural vanguards. In the same year, her lens captured figures of global renown, including Angela Bassett for EBONY, Cynthia Erivo for The Guardian, Sunday Times and Vogue, and Usain Bolt for Puma.
She also conceived and shot the album cover for Craig David—each frame a testament to her evolving visual language.
African Voices airs on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., with further broadcasts on Sunday at 3:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and repeat transmissions on Monday at 3:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.—an invitation to witness, through Shaw’s eyes, a world where identity is not fixed, but fluid, luminous, and ever unfolding.
Nigeria-born Afro-pop star, Joeboy, whose melodies now ripple across continents, takes centre stage this week on the Easter edition of African Voices, the Globacom-sponsored CNN magazine programme.
In a captivating session from Lagos, show anchor Larry Madowo drew out the rhythm of Joeboy’s journey, tracing the arc from a starry-eyed university dreamer to a maestro whose songs now traverse the globe like whispered secrets carried on the wind.
Born Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa-Donus in 1997, Joeboy—affectionately dubbed Afrobeats’ “lover boy”—embarked on his musical odyssey in 2017 with a viral reinterpretation of Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You.
This pivot from rap to melodious crooning caught the discerning eye of Nigerian artiste and entrepreneur Mr Eazi, who, upon discovering him on Instagram, extended an invitation to join the emPawa Africa Talent Incubation initiative—a sanctuary for budding African talents where raw potential is nurtured into brilliance.
The partnership bore fruit in 2018 with the release of Fààjí, featuring Mr Eazi, and soon after, Joeboy was signed to Warner Music Africa. From there, his ascent became a symphony of milestones: the intoxicating single Baby in 2019, followed by Beginning, which amassed over 23 million views on YouTube, and Love & Light the same year.
Collaborations with Mayorkun yielded the spirited tracks Don’t Call Me and All for You, further cementing his place in the Afrobeats constellation.
Joeboy’s debut album, Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic, unfurled in February 2021, a melodic tapestry of youth, hope, and desire. By 19 May 2023, he unveiled his sophomore studio effort, Body & Soul, preceded by the evocative singles Sip (Alcohol), Contour, Body & Soul, and Duffel Bag. In 2023, he teased the world with Only God Save Me and the extended EP Body, Soul and Spirit, offering listeners a window into the essence of his artistic spirit.
February 2024 marked another milestone as he launched his own imprint, Young Legend, soon releasing Osadebe, a track that resonated nationwide with the familiar warmth of homegrown brilliance.
Joeboy’s dedication has been richly rewarded. He clinched Best Artiste in African Pop at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards and Best Pop at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival. His music has earned numerous nominations, including at the City People Entertainment Awards and The Headies, affirming his status as a luminary of contemporary African sound.
The Easter edition of African Voices featuring Joeboy will air on DSTV Channel 401 at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, with repeats at 11 a.m.; Sunday at 3:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Monday at 3 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.; and Tuesday at 5:45 p.m. The schedule will be mirrored the following week, culminating in Monday at 3 a.m., giving audiences multiple opportunities to bask in the artistry of a musician whose voice carries the pulse of a continent.
