Enhanced Sexual Function Through Yoga Practice: Understanding the Advantages
The internet swarms with wellness blogs peddling yoga as a ticket to a better sex life, and personal accounts attesting to its transformative effects. But does the science back it up? Let's dive in.
These days, researchers are discovering a plethora of health benefits from the ancient practice of yoga. Conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid disorders are just a few on the list.
Recent studies have delved deeper, revealing that yoga generates a cascade of effects: lowering the body's inflammatory response, revising genetic expressions that predispose people to stress, reducing cortisol levels, and boosting brain-healthy proteins. It's no wonder people report feeling amazing during and after yoga sessions. And let's not forget the legends of "coregasms" - a term you'll either find exhilarating or cringe-worthy.
Connecting with our bodies can feel replenishing, restorative, and downright decadent. But can yoga's delightful poses improve our intimate escapades? Let's investigate.
Yoga Amps Up the Action for Ladies
A study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine looked at 40 women aged 45 and over, asking them about their sexual habits before and after 12 weeks of yoga. The women were guided through 22 poses, or yogasanas, which bolster core abdominal muscles, improve digestion, fortify pelvic floor muscles, and boost mood.
After the 12 weeks, the participants reported higher scores across all aspects of the Female Sexual Function Index: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. A whopping 75% reported an improvement in their sex life after yoga training.
Men, Don't Be Left Out
A parallel study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, examined the effects of a 12-week yoga regimen on male sexual satisfaction. At the end of the study period, the men reported improved sexual function, as evaluated by the standard Male Sexual Quotient.
The researchers found improvements across all aspects of male sexual satisfaction: desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
The same team of researchers also conducted a comparative trial, finding that yoga is a viable and nonpharmacological alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) for treating premature ejaculation.
Yogic Ways to Keep Your Mojo
But how exactly does yoga elevate our intimate escapades? A review of the literature by researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver sheds light on its sexual-enhancing mechanisms.
The review, led by Dr. Lori Brotto, explains that yoga modulates attention, reduces anxiety, and regulates breathing - all which are associated with improvements in sexual response. Yoga also empowers practitioners to recognize their bodies in a non-objectifying way, possibly leading to increased sexual responsibility and desire.
One concept worth mentioning is moola bandha. Moola bandha is a perineal contraction that activates the pelvic region's nervous system, thereby inducing relaxation. Some studies have suggested that practicing moola bandha alleviates period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, as well as treating premature ejaculation and controlling testosterone secretion in men.
Practicing moola bandha is similar to the modern, doctor-recommended Kegel exercises, which aim to prevent urinary incontinence and facilitate longer, more pleasurable intercourse.
Another yoga pose that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles is bhekasana, or the "frog pose." This pose might help alleviate symptoms of vestibulodynia and vaginismus, conditions characterized by pain in the vestibule of the vagina and the involuntary contraction of vaginal muscles, respectively.
The Evidence? It's Getting There
While it's easy to get carried away by the potential sexual perks of yoga, it's essential to note the considerable gap between experimental and anecdotal evidence. The web is brimming with anecdotal evidence, but the studies on yoga's effects on sexual function are still scarce.
These studies, which show improved sexual satisfaction and function for both men and women, typically have a small sample size and lack a control group. However, more recent trials that focused on women with sexual dysfunction and other health conditions have yielded stronger evidence.
For example, a randomized controlled trial looked at women with metabolic syndrome, a group with a higher risk of sexual dysfunction. For these women, a 12-week yoga program resulted in "significant improvement" in arousal and lubrication, whereas such improvements were not observed in the women who did not practice yoga. Improvements were also found in blood pressure, prompting the researchers to conclude that "yoga may be an effective treatment for sexual dysfunction in women with metabolic syndrome, as well as for metabolic risk factors."
Another randomized trial explored the sexual benefits of yoga for women living with multiple sclerosis. The participants underwent 3 months of yoga training, consisting of 8 weekly sessions. Importantly, the women in the yoga group showed improvement in physical ability and sexual function, while the women in the control group exhibited worsened symptoms.
In conclusion, while there's a wealth of anecdotal evidence for yoga's sexual benefits, we need more rigorous scientific studies to confirm its role in boosting our bedroom adventures. Until then, give it a shot - your pelvic muscles won't complain, and they just might surprise you with their gratitude.
- As findings from various studies reveal, yoga has a profound impact on sexual health, with researchers uncovering improvements in both male and female sexual function after 12 weeks of yoga practice.
- A recent study conducted in The Journal of Sexual Medicine discovered that women aged 45 and over, who followed a 12-week yoga regimen, reported significant improvements in their sexual satisfaction as measured by the Female Sexual Function Index.
- It's been hypothesized that the benefits of yoga on sexual health may stem from its ability to modulate attention, reduce anxiety, and regulate breathing, all of which contribute to improved sexual response. Practicing yoga poses such as moola bandha and bhekasana may also boost the health and functionality of the pelvic region, making sex more enjoyable.
