Do you think men want more sex than women in their relationships? If you so, you’re not alone. It’s a common misconception, but one that neuroscience is proving wrong. In fact, there are some major differences between the male and female brain, and once you understand these differences, you’ll understand why it’s women, not men, who need twice as much love, affection and sex in their relationships.

To begin, let’s look at the left brain and the right brain. The left brain is all about strategy, mathematics, linear, task-oriented, etc. The left brain is also where dopamine is.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that gives you good feelings whenever you engage in rewarding activities. You can raise the levels of dopamine depending on your behavior.

As for the right brain, it’s more emotional and creative. And the neurotransmitter of the right brain is serotonin, the happy hormone.

But the big difference between dopamine and serotonin is that while you can raise your own dopamine levels, you can’t raise your serotonin levels on your own. These have to be raised externally.

Things like positive feedback, validation and attention can help to elevate serotonin levels.

Dr. Stephanie Estima shares that even though women are naturally more right-brained, it is men who actually have twice as much serotonin receptors in their brain.

So, what does this mean in the context of a romantic relationship? It means that women need twice as much love, affection and positive reinforcement from their partners.

These external factors help to boost a woman’s serotonin levels. And with higher serotonin levels, a woman feels more loved, appreciated and important to her partner.

So, perhaps one of the most important things you can do for you and your relationship is figure out how your partner can raise your serotonin levels. This way, you both will feel loved, respected and more intimate.