Improved Sexual Function through Yoga Practice: Exploring Its Effects
Let's dive into the hot topic of yoga and its effects on your sexual life. The Internet is flooded with wellness gurus peddling the claim that yoga can improve your bedroom skills, but does the science back it up? Well, buckle up, because we're investigating.
Yoga, an ancient practice with recent scientific backing, is known for its numerous health benefits, including alleviating stress, anxiety, depression, and metabolic syndromes. But can it supercharge your sex life? Let's take a look.
Yoga Gets the Juices Flowing for Women
A study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine looked at the effects of 12 weeks of yoga on 40 ladies over the age of 45.The results? A significant improvement in sexual satisfaction across all areas: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. A whopping 75% of the women reported improvements in their sex lives after just three months of yoga.
But what poses are actually helpful? The participants in the study followed a sequence of 22 poses, or yogasanas, which reportedly improve core abdominal muscles, boost mood, and strengthen the pelvic floor. Some of these poses included trikonasana, bhujangasana, and ardha matsyendra mudra. You can find the full list here.
Men Also Benefit from Yoga's Magic Touch
Yoga isn't just a game-changer for ladies. A study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, found that a 12-week yoga program resulted in significant improvements in male sexual satisfaction, as measured by the Male Sexual Quotient.
The men in the study saw improvements across all areas of sexual satisfaction: desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
In a comparative trial conducted by the same group of researchers, yoga was found to be a viable, nonpharmacological alternative to fluoxetine (aka Prozac) for treating premature ejaculation. The study included 15 yoga poses, ranging from easier ones like Kapalbhati to more complex ones like dhanurasana.
So, How Does Yoga Work Its Magic?
Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver examined the mechanisms behind yoga's sexual benefits. Turns out, yoga regulates attention, lowers anxiety, and stimulates the part of the nervous system that promotes relaxation. This relaxation response, in turn, is associated with improvements in sexual health.
There are also psychological factors at play. Female yoga practitioners are found to be less likely to objectify their bodies and more aware of their physical selves, which could lead to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desires.
Don't Forget About Moola Bandha
While mythical claims about releasing blocked energy and producing ejaculation-free orgasms lack rigorous scientific evidence, moola bandha—a perineal contraction known for its effects on the pelvic region—could be a more plausible concept for skeptics.
Moola bandha is thought to directly innervate the gonads and perineal body/cervix, and studies suggest it can relieve pain, sexual difficulties, and hormonal imbalances in women, as well as control testosterone secretion in men.
It's Time to Put On Your Yoga Pants and Get to Work
Again, while sexual benefits of yoga can be hard to resist, it's worth noting the difference between empirical, evidence-based findings, and anecdotal evidence. Still, future research is promising.
For instance, a randomized controlled trial found that a 12-week yoga program led to "significant improvements" in arousal and lubrication for women with metabolic syndrome. Research also indicates that yoga techniques may improve physical activities and sexual satisfaction for women with multiple sclerosis.
So, while we may not be able to guarantee "yogasms" just yet, incorporating yoga into your routine could be a fun experiment with benefits that extend far beyond the bedroom. Your pelvic muscles will thank you.
Yoga, with its numerous health benefits, includes improving sexual health, as demonstrated by studies on both men and women. For instance, a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine revealed significant improvements in sexual satisfaction for women aged 45 and above after 12 weeks of yoga. A study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav found similar improvements in male sexual satisfaction. The science behind yoga's sexual benefits stems from its ability to regulate attention, lower anxiety, and stimulate the nervous system's relaxation response, leading to improved sexual health. However, it's crucial to understand the difference between empirical findings and anecdotal evidence, and future research is promising in this area. Studies suggest that yoga can improve sexual satisfaction and physical activities for women with metabolic syndrome and multiple sclerosis. So, incorporating yoga into your routine could offer benefits beyond just the bedroom, strengthening your pelvic muscles.
