Improved Sexual Function through Yoga Practice
In modern times, an increasing number of wellness blogs and personal accounts attest to the benefits of yoga for enhancing sexual experiences, often to a striking degree. However, does the scientific community endorse these claims? This investigation delves into the research.
Over the years, scientific research has revealed the diverse health benefits of the ancient practice of yoga, which reportedly aids in managing conditions such as depression, stress, anxiety, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid problems. Recent studies have further explored the intricate mechanisms behind these benefits.
It has been discovered that yoga decreases the body's inflammatory response, counters stress-inducing genetic expression, lowers cortisol, and boosts a protein that supports brain growth and maintenance.
Beyond its health benefits, there is an additional perk – it simply feels pleasant. In some instances, it may even lead to a euphoric sensation, often referred to in myth as a 'coregasm' during yoga.
Connecting with one's body can offer a refreshing, restorative, and enjoyable physical experience. But can yoga's delectable poses contribute to improving our sexual lives? Let's delve into the science.
Improved Sexual Function for Women
A study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine has drawn attention on the positive impact of yoga on sexual function, particularly among women aged 45 and above. Over a 12-week period, 40 women partook in yoga sessions and reported significant improvements in their sexual health, as measured by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), which assesses desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. As many as three-quarters of the women reported improved sexual experiences following the yoga training.
Practicing 22 poses, or yogasanas, formed part of the training, with these poses believed to support core abdominal muscles, improve digestion, strengthen pelvic floor muscles, and boost mood. Some of the poses included trikonasana (triangle pose), bhujangasana (snake pose), and ardha matsyendra mudra (half spinal twist). This list of asanas can be accessed here.
Improved Sexual Function for Men
Men, too, can reap the benefits of yoga. In a study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, a 12-week yoga program led to significant improvements in the sexual satisfaction of male participants, as evaluated by the standard Male Sexual Quotient (MSQ). The researchers found improvement across all aspects of male sexual satisfaction – desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm. Additionally, a comparative trial by the same research team found that yoga could be an effective, nonpharmacological alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) for treating premature ejaculation.
Yoga's Effects on Sexual Health
So, how does yoga contribute to improved sexual experiences? A review led by researchers at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, elucidates the possible mechanisms.
Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at UBC, is the first author of the review. The review explains that yoga regulates attention, breathing, and the nervous system, lowering stress and anxiety, and promoting relaxation. This, in turn, is associated with improved sexual response.
Furthermore, there are psychological factors at play. Women who practice yoga are less likely to objectify their bodies and are more attuned to their physical selves. This self-awareness may foster sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desires.
The Moola Bandha Factor
While claims about releasing blocked energy in root chakras and triggering 'kundalini energy' ascending the spine are lacking in solid scientific evidence, other yogic concepts may hold more water for the skeptics. Moola Bandha is one such concept.
"Moola Bandha is a perineal contraction that stimulates the pelvic nervous system, enforcing parasympathetic activity in the body," explain Dr. Brotto and colleagues in their review. "Specifically, moola bandha is thought to directly innervate the gonads and the perineal body/cervix." The video below demonstrates a practice that incorporates the moola bandha movement to strengthen pelvic floor muscles.
This technique has been proposed to alleviate period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, as well as treat premature ejaculation and regulate testosterone secretion in men.
Moola Bandha is akin to modern, medically recommended pelvic floor exercises, which are believed to prevent urinary incontinence and enable prolonged sexual pleasure for women and men alike. Indeed, many sex therapy centers advocate this yoga practice to enhance women's awareness of sensations of arousal in the genital area, thereby augmenting desire and overall sexual experience.
The Reliability of the Evidence
While the idea of harnessing the sexual benefits of yoga is provoking, it's essential to weigh the empirical, or experimental, evidence against the non-empirical, or anecdotal, evidence. Although the Internet hosts a wealth of the latter, studies examining the benefits of yoga for sexual function remain sparse.
Most of the aforementioned studies, which yielded improvements in sexual satisfaction and function for both men and women, have small sample sizes, and did not involve a control group. However, more recent studies focusing on women with sexual dysfunction in addition to other health conditions have supplied stronger evidence.
For instance, a randomized controlled trial on women with metabolic syndrome, a population at a higher risk of sexual dysfunction, reported significant improvements in arousal and lubrication following a 12-week yoga program. Similar benefits were not observed in the women who did not practice yoga.
Another randomized trial found that yoga can boost the physical abilities and sexual satisfaction of women with multiple sclerosis, while control group participants showed worsening symptoms. "Yoga techniques may improve the physical activities and sexual satisfaction of women with multiple sclerosis," the study concluded.
While the case for yoga's influence on sexual health is growing, more conclusive scientific evidence is still needed to confirm whether 'yogasms' are a tangible possibility. Nevertheless, given the available research, regularly incorporating yoga into our daily routines appears a sensible choice with potentially enriching effects on our sexual lives and pelvic muscles.
- Yoga improves sexual function, as confirmed by a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, with significant improvements found in women aged 45 and above who participated in a 12-week yoga program.
- Recent research has shown that yoga leads to improvements in male sexual satisfaction as well. Dr. Vikas Dhikav's study pointed to significant enhancements in all aspects of male sexual satisfaction following a 12-week yoga program.
- Moola Bandha, a yogic concept involving a perineal contraction, stimulates the pelvic nervous system and has been proposed to alleviate period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, as well as treat premature ejaculation and regulate testosterone secretion in men.
