Enhanced sexual function through the practice of yoga: Insights into its effects
In the modern day, it's not uncommon to hear about wellness blogs touting yoga's benefits for a better sex life. Personal accounts also abound, claiming substantial improvements after regular practice. But does science back up the hype? Let's take a closer look.
The ancient practice of yoga has been gaining recognition for its multitude of health benefits. These include alleviating conditions like depression, stress, and anxiety, as well as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid issues. Recent studies have delved deeper into the underlying mechanisms behind these benefits.
Yoga is known to lower the body's inflammatory response, counter genetic expression predisposing people to stress, and decrease cortisol levels. It also boosts brain-development protein, promoting brain health. And let's not forget the physical pleasure it offers – who could forget the buzz surrounding the 'coregasm' during yoga?
But can yoga's yummy poses actually improve our sex lives? Let's investigate.
Yoga and Women's Sexual Health
One renowned study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that yoga can, indeed, improve sexual function, particularly for women over 45. Over a 12-week period, 40 women trained on 22 poses (yogasanas) and reported significant improvements across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index. A staggering 75% of women reported improved sex lives.
Some of the poses included trikonasana, bhujangasana, and ardha matsyendra mudra. Want the full list? You can find it here.
Yoga and Men's Sexual Health
Yoga isn't just for women. A 12-week study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, examined the effects of yoga on male sexual satisfaction. At the study's end, participants reported enhanced sexual function in all aspects: desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
A comparative trial led by the same team found that yoga is an effective, nonpharmacological alternative for treating premature ejaculation. It included 15 yoga poses, including easier ones like Kapalbhati and more complex ones like dhanurasana.
Yogic Mechanisms for Better Sex
How does yoga improve one's sex life, exactly? A review of existing literature, led by researchers at the University of British Columbia, helps us unlock some of its sex-enhancing mechanisms.
Yoga regulates attention and breathing, lowers anxiety and stress, and stimulates the part of the nervous system responsible for relaxation. Such effects are associated with improvements in sexual response, making it "reasonable that yoga might also be associated with improvements in sexual health."
Other psychological mechanisms are 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 and assertiveness, and perhaps desires.
The Power of Moola Bandha
While stories about unleashing blocked energy in root chakras and moving 'kundalini energy' up and down the spine may lack solid scientific evidence, other yogic concepts might resonate better with skeptics. Moola bandha is one such concept.
Moola bandha is a perineal contraction exercised during yoga that stimulates the sensory-motor and autonomic nervous system in the pelvic region. The practice helps reinforce parasympathetic activity in the body, which could have implications for sexual health.
Some studies have suggested that practicing moola bandha could relieve period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, as well as treat premature ejaculation and control testosterone secretion in men.
How Reliable is the Evidence?
Although the idea of yogasms might seem alluring, it's worth noting the significant disparity between empirical, or experimental, evidence and anecdotal evidence. There aren't many studies testing the benefits of yoga for sexual function, and most of those mentioned have small sample sizes and don't include control groups.
That said, more recent studies focusing on women with specific conditions have exhibited stronger evidence. For instance, a 12-week yoga program for women with metabolic syndrome led to significant improvements in arousal and lubrication, but not for women who did not practice yoga.
Another study looked at the sexual benefits of yoga for women living with multiple sclerosis and found that yoga techniques could improve physical ability and sexual function.
In conclusion, more research is needed to fully understand the impact of yoga on sexual function, but initial studies suggest it could be beneficial. Until conclusive evidence is available, there's enough reason to incorporate yoga into our daily routines. A shot at improved pelvic muscle health and, maybe, richer sex lives? We think it's worth a try.
- The practice of yoga, with its multifaceted benefits, has been explored in the realm of sexual health, particularly for women over 45, where a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found significant improvements in sexual function after 12 weeks of training in 22 poses (yogasanas).
- Yoga's benefits for sexual health are not limited to women as a 12-week study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist, showed that it could enhance all aspects of male sexual satisfaction.
- A review of existing literature by researchers at the University of British Columbia suggests that yoga's regulation of attention, breathing, and stress, stimulation of the nervous system responsible for relaxation, and potential impact on sexual responsibility and assertiveness could improve sexual response.
- Moola bandha, a perineal contraction exercised during yoga, stimulates the nervous system in the pelvic region, reinforcing parasympathetic activity and potentially benefiting sexual health.
- Despite the allure of stories about yogasms and energy unblocking, the empirical evidence supporting these concepts is limited, with many studies showcasing small sample sizes and lacking control groups.
- More recent studies focusing on specific conditions, such as metabolic syndrome and multiple sclerosis, have displayed stronger evidence of yoga's potential benefits, making it a promising addition to our daily routines, especially considering the possibility of improved pelvic muscle health and enriched sexual experiences.
