Enhancing Intimacy: Yoga's Role in Boosting Sexual Health
In the vast digital world, health blogs praise the yoga mat as the secret ingredient to better sex lives. Anecdotes of mind-blowing results ever spill over the internet. But does science back up these claims? Let's delve into it.
Yoga, an ancient practice, has emerged as a modern day health champion, battling everything from stress to metabolic syndrome. It's known to boost the brain, lower inflammation, and even make us feel damn good! And if that weren't enough, rumor has it that it feels delightful in unknown, tantalizing ways during a so-called "coregasm."
Can yoga's sensual poses elevate our sexual experiences? Let's explore the research.
Yoga Spices Up Women’s Sexual Lives
Researchers dug into the effects of 12 weeks of yoga on 40 women, with each reporting on their sexual function pre- and post-yoga sessions. The results showed a significant improvement in sexual function across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index for a whopping 75% of the women.
These fortunate ladies underwent training on 22 poses, including trikonasana (triangle pose), bhujangasana (snake pose), and ardha matsyendra mudra (half spinal twist). Dive deeper into these poses here.
Yoga Intensifies Men’s Performance
Men aren’t left out of yoga’s bedroom magic. A study helmed by neurologist Dr. Vikas Dhikav from the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, investigated the effects of a 12-week yoga program on the sexual satisfaction of men. The results: a significant improvement in sexual function, as evaluated by the Male Sexual Quotient.
The researchers identified improvements across all aspects of male sexual satisfaction: desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
Moreover, a comparative trial conducted by the same team discovered that yoga serves as a viable, non-pharmaceutical alternative to Prozac for treating premature ejaculation.
It included 15 yoga poses, such as Kapalbhati (a breathing exercise) and dhanurasana (the "Bow Pose"), ranging from simple to complex.
Yogic Mechanisms for Mind-blowing Sex
How does yoga stoke the flames of our sexual desires? A review led by researchers at the University of British Columbia helps us understand some of the factors.
Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor in the university's Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, headed this study.
Dr. Brotto and her team contend that yoga regulates attention, lowers anxiety and stress, and modulates the nervous system. These effects are linked to improved sexual responses.
Additionally, yoga's psychological impacts mustn't be overlooked. Female yogis tend to be less likely to objectify their bodies, which, in turn, may boost sexual responsibility and desirability.
The Allure of Moola Bandha
Stories of awakening blocked energy in root chakras and moving “kundalini energy” up and down the spine might lack scientific evidence, but other yogic concepts could still appeal to skeptics. One such concept is Moola Bandha.
"Moola Bandha stimulates the sensory-motor and autonomic nervous system in the pelvic region, enforcing parasympathetic activity in the body," explain Dr. Brotto and her peers.
Specifically, Moola Bandha targets the gonads and the perineal body/cervix. Some studies suggest it relieves period pain, birth pain, and sexual difficulties in women and helps men control testosterone secretion.
Moola Bandha is similar to the modern, medically recommended Kegel exercises, used to prevent urinary incontinence and prolong sexual pleasure for both men and women. Many sex therapy centers recommend Moola Bandha to help women become more aware of their sensations of arousal in the genital area, enhancing desire and sexual experience.
Another yoga pose that strengthens the pelvic floor is Bhekasana, the "frog pose." It may help ease symptoms of vestibulodynia and vaginismus, allowing for more comfortable and enjoyable sex.
The Evidence Behind the Claims
Though it's tempting to get carried away by the potential sexual perks of yoga, it’s essential to remember the chasm between empirical, or experimental, evidence and anecdotal evidence. Often, online testimonials flood the web, yet studies focusing explicitly on yoga's effects on sexual function remain sparse.
Furthermore, most of the studies mentioned so far have small sample sizes and lack a control group, making their findings preliminary at best. However, more recent research focusing on women with sexual dysfunction and other conditions has yielded more substantial evidence.
For instance, a randomized controlled trial looked at the effects of yoga on women with metabolic syndrome. After a 12-week yoga program, the women showed significant improvement in arousal and lubrication, unlike those who did not practice yoga.
Another randomized trial focused on women with multiple sclerosis. Those who underwent 3 months of yoga training experienced improvements in physical ability and sexual comfort, while the control group exhibited worsening symptoms.
The Verdict
Though more scientific evidence is needed to definitively prove yoga's benefits for our sexual health, the indicators are encouraging. Until more research clarifies things, exploring yoga is still an enriching choice – and our pelvic muscles will thank us.
- The study facilitated by Dr. Vikas Dhikav found that a 12-week yoga program significantly improved the sexual function of men, as evaluated by the Male Sexual Quotient.
- Studies have suggested that yoga poses such as Moola Bandha, similar to Kegel exercises, may aid in controlling testosterone secretion in men and help women become more aware of their sensations of arousal, enhancing desire and sexual experience.
- A randomized controlled trial observed that after a 12-week yoga program, women with metabolic syndrome showed significant improvement in arousal and lubrication, as compared to those who did not practice yoga.
