Enhanced Sexual Function through Yoga Practice: Exploring the Potential Benefits and Techniques
Y'all been hearing all this hype about yoga supposedly making your sex life stellar, right? Well, the burning question is, does scientific research back it up? Let's investigate, shall we?
The whole shebang about yoga's health benefits has only recently started to unravel. From battling stress and anxiety to taking on conditions like metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid issues, it's clear that ol' yoga's got some serious moves. But now for the juicy bit – does it work its magic on your bedroom antics? Let's take a look.
Yoga Gives a Sexual Boost to Ladies Over 45
One study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine caught our attention. What did they find? That a whopping 75 percent of women over 45 saw a significant improvement in their sex lives after 12 weeks of yoga. These women self-reported on their sexual function before and after their yoga sessions.
The study focused on 22 specific poses said to strengthen core muscles, aid digestion, boost the pelvic floor, and elevate mood. Triangle pose (aka trikonasana), the snake (bhujangasana), and half spinal twist (ardha matsyendra mudra) were among them. You can check them all out here.
Yoga Lends a Helping Hand to the Fellas Too
Not just the ladies benefit from improved sexual function thanks to yoga. A study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, found that men experienced significant improvements in their sexual satisfaction after a 12-week yoga program. The researchers analyzed all aspects of male sexual satisfaction, from desire and orgasm to intercourse satisfaction and erectile function.
Another study by the same team discovered that yoga is a legitimate, non-pharmaceutical alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) for treating premature ejaculation. The routine included 15 yoga poses, from the easy-breezy Kapalbhati, which encourages contracting the abdominal muscles, to the more challenging dhanurasana, or the "bow pose."
How Does Yoga Deliver the Knockout Sex Life?
So, how exactly does this whole yoga-sex thing happen? Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, have shed some light on the issue. They explain that yoga helps regulate attention and breathing, reduces stress and anxiety, and establishes better relaxation – all of which are associated with enhanced sexual response.
In addition to these psychological mechanisms, a heightened awareness of one's physical self, combined with less objectification of the body, could lead to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desires. But, lets not forget about the moola bandha.
Moola bandha is a concept that involves contracting the perineal muscles, stimulating the nervous system in the pelvic region, boosting parasympathetic activity, and increasing circulation in the area. Some studies have linked moola bandha to relieving period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, controlling testosterone secretion in men, and even improving pelvic muscle strength. Sounds pretty intriguing, right?
Is the Evidence for Yoga's Sexual Powers Reliable?
It's real easy to get all caught up in the hype around the potential sexual benefits of yoga. But, let's keep it real: there's more anecdotal than genuine empirical evidence out there. The internet's brimming with personal accounts, but only a few studs have actually tested the waters of yoga's impact on sexual function.
Most of those studies with solid evidence have limited sample sizes and lack control groups. However, studies focusing on women with sexual dysfunction and underlying conditions, like metabolic syndrome, have produced more promising results. A randomized controlled trial, for example, found "significant improvements" in arousal and lubrication for these women after 12 weeks of yoga – improvements not seen in the non-yoga group.
All in all, while we could definitely use more rigorous scientific evidence to assert that yoga can transform your sex life, there's plenty of evidence to suggest it could offer some significant advantages – especially in terms of stress reduction, increased body awareness, blood flow, and intimacy with partners. So, why not give it a shot, y'all? Your pelvic muscles will thank you for it.
- The study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine revealed that 75 percent of women over 45 saw a significant improvement in their sex lives after 12 weeks of practicing specific yoga poses, such as triangle pose, snake pose, and half spinal twist.
- A study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav found that men experienced significant improvements in their sexual satisfaction after a 12-week yoga program, with improvements in desire, orgasm, intercourse satisfaction, and erectile function.
- Researchers at the University of British Columbia explain that yoga enhances sexual response by regulating attention and breathing, reducing stress and anxiety, and promoting better relaxation. Additionally, increased awareness of one's physical self and less objectification of the body could lead to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desires.
