Improved Sexual Function through Yoga Practice: Uncovering the Advantages
Hop on the yoga mat, my friend, because we're diving deep into the wacky world of yoga's impact on our bedroom escapades!
From wellness blogs to personal accounts, there's no shortage of folks claiming that yoga does wonders for their libido. But, let's face it, does science back up these yogi sexual success stories? Buckle up for a wild ride!
Science is just now starting to unravel the myriad benefits of yoga, an ancient practice that's older than the average Instagram influencer. Conditions like stress, depression, diabetes, and even thyroid issues take a backseat when yoga rolls into town.
New research shows that yoga minimizes the body's inflammatory response, counters stress-inducing genes, lowers cortisol levels, and boosts a brain-boosting protein. And guess what? It just plain feels fantastic. The rumors about the mythical "coregasm" during yoga? Yep, they're true. Touching your body through yoga can be replenishing, restorative, and downright bodacious!
But can this funky fusion of stretches and meditation improve our sexual lives? Let's sift through the research.
Yoga gets it up for the girls (over 45)
One study, published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, found that yoga can indeed elevate sexual function, especially for women over 45. The research analyzed the effects of 12 weeks of yoga on 40 women who reported on their sexual function before and after yoga training.
After the 12 weeks were up, the women's sexual function had risen across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index: "desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain."
A whopping 75 percent of the women reported an improvement in their sex lives after yoga training. The women were taught 22 poses, including trikonasana (the triangle pose), bhujangasana (the snake), and ardha matsyendra mudra (half spinal twist).
Yoga gives men a hard-on (in more ways than one)
Guys, Here's a newsflash for you: yoga doesn't just help the ladies. An Indian study investigated the effects of a 12-week yoga program on the sexual satisfaction of men. After the study period, the participants reported significant improvements in their sexual function, as evaluated by the Male Sexual Quotient.
Researchers discovered enhancements in all aspects of male sexual satisfaction: "desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, orgasm."
Get this: another trial led by the same research team found that yoga is a viable and nonpharmacological alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) for treating premature ejaculation.
So, not only can yoga increase your satisfaction, but it can also boost your staying power – all while saving you a pretty penny on prescription meds.
Yoga's secrets to a better bang
How, exactly, does yoga work its sexual magic? Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) reviewed existing literature and found several mechanisms at play.
Yoga helps regulate your attention and breathing, lowers anxiety and stress, and triggers the part of the nervous system responsible for the relaxation response. Low-and-behold, all of these effects are associated with improvements in sexual response.
Psychologically, female yoga practitioners are less likely to objectify their bodies and more aware of their physical selves. This mindset can lead to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and, you guessed it, desire.
The (very Covid-safe) secret sauce: moola bandha
While tales of unleashing blocked energy in root chakras and summoning kundalini energy to produce ejaculation-free male orgasms are short on scientific proof, other, more grounded yoga concepts can satisfy skeptics.
Moola bandha is one such concept. By contracting the perineum, it stimulates the nervous system and encourages parasympathetic activity in the pelvic region. The video below demonstrates the movement's incorporation into a pelvic floor muscles practice.
Some studies suggest that practicing moola bandha can relieve period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, as well as treat premature ejaculation and control testosterone secretion in men.
Moola bandha is similar to Kegel exercises, medically recommended to prevent urinary incontinence and help people enjoy sex for longer. In fact, sex therapy centers often suggest this yoga practice to help women become more aware of their genital arousal sensations, thereby improving desire and sexual experience.
Another yoga pose that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles is bhekasana, or the "frog pose." By stretching these muscles, bhekasana can help ease symptoms of vaginismus, a condition where the vaginal muscles involuntarily contract, and vestibulodynia, which is pain in the vestibule of the vagina.
How reliable is the evidence?
While the potential sexual benefits of yoga can get your pulse racing, it's important to remember that much of the evidence is anecdotal. The literature on yoga's effects on sexual function remains slim. However, recent studies focused on women with sexual dysfunction in addition to other conditions have produced more robust evidence.
For example, a randomized controlled trial found "significant improvement" in arousal and lubrication for women with metabolic syndrome who practiced yoga for 12 weeks.
Another randomized study indicated that yoga techniques may improve physical activities and sexual satisfaction for women living with multiple sclerosis (MS).
So, though more research is needed to confirm yoga's claims as the ultimate love potion, there's enough promising evidence to make it worth a shot. Why not give it a try and see if it transforms your sexual life?
Your pelvic muscles will thank you.
Science suggests that yoga may improve sexual health for both men and women. For women over 45, a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that 12 weeks of yoga training led to increased sexual function across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index. The study's participants reported an improvement in their sex lives, with 75% experiencing enhancements. Men can also benefit from yoga, as a study from India found significant improvements in male sexual satisfaction after a 12-week yoga program. Yoga's secret to improved sexual function may lie in its ability to regulate attention and breathing, lower anxiety and stress, and stimulate the relaxation response, all of which are associated with improved sexual response. A specific yoga practice, Moola bandha, can relieve sexual difficulties in women, treat premature ejaculation in men, and control testosterone secretion. While more research is needed, the promising evidence suggests that yoga may be worth a try for improved sexual health.
