Yoga's Positive Impact on Sexual Health: exploring sexual function enhancements through regular yoga practice.
Yo, let's dive into the world of yoga and sex - it's a hot topic, and it seems the online wellness world is spilling the beans about the supposed benefits! But is there any truth to these claims, or is it just a bunch of hype? Let's explore what the science says.
Yoga, an ancient practice, is gaining modern recognition for its multitude of health benefits. It's been linked to improvements in conditions like depression, stress, anxiety, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid problems. But what about its effect on our intimate lives? Let's take a closer look.
Yoga for better sex in women
There's been a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine that uncovered some promising findings. The research focused on 40 women over the age of 45, examining the effects of 12 weeks of yoga on their sexual function. After the 12-week period, the women reported significant improvements across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. A whopping 75 percent of the participants reported an improvement in their sex life after yoga training!
So, what poses were these lucky ladies working? Well, they were schooled on 22 poses, including trikonasana (triangle pose), bhujangasana (snake pose), and ardha matsyendra mudra (half spinal twist), among others. To learn the full list of yogasanas, check out this link.
Yoga for better sex in men
But fellas, don't worry – yoga's not just for the ladies! A study led by neurologist Dr. Vikas Dhikav in New Delhi discovered that a 12-week yoga program significantly improved the sexual satisfaction of men, as evaluated by the standard Male Sexual Quotient. The researchers identified improvements across all aspects of male sexual satisfaction, such as desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
A comparative trial by the same team of researchers found that yoga is a viable and non-pharmacological alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) for treating premature ejaculation. The study included 15 yoga poses, ranging from simpler ones like Kapalbhati to more complex ones like dhanurasana (the bow pose).
The science behind yoga's sex benefits
So, how does yoga improve our sex lives, exactly? A review of existing literature by researchers at the University of British Columbia sheds some light on the sexual-enhancing mechanisms of yoga. The review was led by Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at UBC.
Dr. Brotto and colleagues explain that yoga regulates attention and breathing, lowers anxiety and stress, and triggers relaxation. All of these effects are associated with improvements in sexual response, so it's "reasonable that yoga might also be associated with improvements in sexual health."
There are also psychological mechanisms at play. "Female practitioners of yoga have been found to be less likely to objectify their bodies and more aware of their physical selves," say the reviewers. "This tendency may be associated with increased sexual responsibility and assertiveness, and perhaps sexual desires."
One concept that could make sense to the skeptics among us is moola bandha, which is a perineal contraction that stimulates the sensory-motor and autonomic nervous system in the pelvic region. Moola bandha directly innervates the gonads and perineal body/cervix and has been found to relieve period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, as well as treating premature ejaculation and controlling testosterone secretion in men.
In fact, many sex therapy centers recommend this yoga practice to help women become more aware of their sensations of arousal in the genital area, thus improving desire and sexual experience. Another yoga pose that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles is bhekasana, or the "frog pose." This pose may help alleviate symptoms of vestibulodynia and vaginismus, two conditions that cause pain in the vagina and involuntary contraction of the vaginal muscles, respectively.
The state of the evidence
While the idea of the magical sexual powers of yoga might excite some, it's important to remember the difference between empirical (experimental) evidence and anecdotal evidence. The Internet is bursting with the latter, but the studies that have actually trialed the benefits of yoga for sexual function remain scarce. Additionally, most studies have a small sample size and lack a control group.
However, more recent studies – which focused on women with sexual dysfunction in addition to other conditions – have yielded stronger evidence. For example, a randomized controlled trial examined the effects of yoga in women with metabolic syndrome, a population with a higher risk of sexual dysfunction overall. For these women, a 12-week yoga program led to "significant improvement" in arousal and lubrication, which were not seen in the women who didn't practice yoga.
Another randomized controlled study explored the sexual benefits of yoga for women living with multiple sclerosis. The participants underwent 3 months of yoga training and showed improvement in physical ability and sexual function. So, while we need more scientific evidence to support yoga's benefits for our sex lives, the signs are definitely there. Until future research can determine whether "yogasms" are a real, achievable thing, it's worth giving yoga a shot. Trying it out for ourselves could prove tremendously enriching – and our pelvic muscles will definitely thank us for it!
- The study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine indicates that engaging in 12 weeks of yoga can significantly enhance sexual function in women, as reported by 75% of the participants, based on improvements across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index.
- A 12-week yoga program led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav in New Delhi demonstrated that it positively impacts male sexual satisfaction, with improvements reported across all aspects such as desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
- The review of existing literature by researchers at the University of British Columbia suggests that yoga's regulation of attention, breathing, reduction of anxiety and stress, and triggering of relaxation can contribute to improvements in sexual response, linking yoga practice to sexual health benefits.
