It used to be an old wives tale that blind people inherit enhanced perceptual skills as a compensatory adaptation. Recent studies on sensory deprivation suggest however that by removing one of the senses, the others are effectively heightened.

Other beneficial claims include relieving stress, boosted creativity and increasing energy. It may even lead to better orgasms too.

Using a blindfold in the bedroom can effectively enhance one’s pleasure by heightening the remaining senses.

More people are seeing benefits to the practice of sensory deprivation even outside of the bedroom. Many spas, including the Renew Float Spa in Chico, offer sensory deprivation therapy sessions.

In these sessions, spa-goers sit in a floatation chamber void of light or sound. This therapy is used to increase consciousness and make the user feel in tune with their own thoughts.

Vision is the dominant sense. It is estimated that 80 to 85 percent of perception, cognition and activities are mediated through sight.

When the ability to see is temporarily taken away, it allows other senses to kick into overdrive and interpret the surrounding environment. This can make one simple touch an explosive sensation.

It is especially titillating not being able to see where or when the stimulation will occur. Being blindfolded works the imagination, which can make it easier for some people to fantasize scenarios that turn them on.

Both men and women can find blindfolds to be an asset in the bedroom. Although men are generally visual creatures, some find the thought of being in the control of their lover a kink. Others may be visually stimulated by seeing their partner naked or by being deprived of sight.

Once partners are comfortable with blindfold usage, they can take it a step further and use headphones to temporarily block their auditory senses. In conjunction, touch is heightened even further by adding elements of fear and anticipation for what will come next.

These are inexpensive and vital techniques to add to one’s sexual repertoire in order to keep things interesting. As always, only use them with a willing partner. It might be surprising how something so simple can have such an impact.

Lorinda Sasan can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.