Improved Sexual Performance Through Yoga: Unveiling the Unseen Benefits
That old chestnut about yoga improving your sex life? Well, it turns out there might just be some truth to that ancient wisdom after all.
Modern science has been taking a closer look at the once-mystical practice of yoga, and the findings are intriguing. Not only does it seem to do wonders for general health issues like stress, anxiety, depression, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid problems, but it appears to have a significant impact on our bedroom activities too.
One study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine put 40 women over the age of 45 through 12 weeks of yoga, and their sexual function improved across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index: "desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain." A whopping 75 percent of them reported an improvement in their sex life after yoga training.
And it's not just the ladies who benefit - 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 improved the sexual satisfaction of men. The researchers found improvements across the board, from desire to ejaculatory control.
So how does all this yoga bizness work, you ask? Well, it turns out that yoga has a whole host of mechanisms working in its favor. For starters, it regulates attention and breathing, which in turn lowers anxiety and stress. And you guessed it - all of these effects are associated with improvements in sexual response.
Further, yoga makes women less likely to objectify their bodies and more aware of their physical selves. This increased self-awareness may lead to increased sexual responsibility and assertiveness, and perhaps even heightened desires.
One yogic concept worth mentioning for the skeptics out there is moola bandha, a perineal contraction that promotes relaxation in the pelvic region and activates the gonads and perineal body/cervix. Studies have suggested that it helps relieve period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, as well as treating premature ejaculation and controlling testosterone secretion in men.
So while the idea of moving "kundalini energy" up and down your spine to achieve ejaculation-free male orgasms remains a topic for conspiracy theorists, the power of moola bandha definitely seems more scientifically grounded.
In fact, many sex therapy centers recommend practicing moola bandha and other yoga poses to help women become more aware of their sensations of arousal in the genital area, thus improving their sexual experience. The bridge pose, the squat, the cat-cow pose, the child's pose, and the legs-up-the-wall pose are all considered beneficial for sexual health.
Of course, it's worth bearing in mind that while the potential sexual benefits of yoga are exciting, the amount of empirical evidence is still quite limited at this stage. Furthermore, most studies have a relatively small sample size and lack a control group. That being said, more recent studies, such as those focusing on women with metabolic syndrome or multiple sclerosis, have yielded stronger evidence.
So there you have it - yoga might just be worth a shot if you're looking to shake things up in the bedroom department. Your pelvic muscles will definitely thank you for it. Namaste, amigos.
Bonus insights:
- Yoga not only improves sexual function but also plays a role in enhancing masculinity. A study found that a 4-month yoga program led to an increase in testosterone levels in men.
- Yoga's emphasis on mindfulness and self-awareness can have a positive impact on emotional well-being, which in turn can contribute to enhanced sexual satisfaction.
- Some common ingredients in yoga poses, such as breathing exercises and contraction of the pelvic muscles, are also used in sex therapy to strengthen sexual function and improve sexual satisfaction.
- Yoga's positive impact on sexual health extends to men as well, with a 12-week program increasing sexual satisfaction across all variables in a study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav.
- Mindfulness and self-awareness, core aspects of yoga practice, can enhance emotional well-being, potentially contributing to improved sexual satisfaction for both men and women.
- In addition to its benefits for overall health, yoga incorporates elements such as breathing exercises and pelvic muscle contractions that are also used in sex therapy to strengthen sexual function and improve satisfaction.
