Enhancing Sexual Well-being: The Role of Yoga Practice
Yo, let's dive into the lowdown on yoga and its purported impact on your bedroom antics, shall we? The internet's swarming with wellness gurus bragging that the ancient art of yoga can supercharge your sex life – and some studies seem to back up their boasts.
But first, why the hype about yoga? Apart from boosting your mood, decreasing stress, and keeping conditions like diabetes and thyroid issues at bay, research shows that yoga also messes with your body in cool ways that could get you in the mood. For instance, it suppresses your body's inflammatory response, lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and multiply a protein that aids the brain's growth and longevity. Sounds pretty good, right?
So, can yoga do some magic below the waistbelt? Let's see what the tune is for each gender.
Yoga for Ladies’ Pleasure
One study, published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, found that yoga could indeed turn up the heat in your love life – particularly for women over 45. The researchers observed that after 12 weeks of yoga, these ladies reported significant improvement in their sexual function, surprisingly across the board: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. Around 75% of the participants actually reported an improvement in their sex lives after their yoga training.
The programme included 22 yoga poses, like trikonasana (the triangle pose), bhujangasana (the snake), and ardha matsyendra mudra (half spinal twist). Ready to get bendy and get your swagger on? You can drop some knowledge on these asanas right here.
Yoga for Men's Satisfaction
Guys, don’t think yoga is exclusively for the ladies. A 12-week yoga trial conducted by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist in New Delhi, India, demonstrated that the practice could give the fellas a boost in the bedroom too. After wrapping up the programme, participants reported significant improvements in their sexual satisfaction, backed by the Male Sexual Quotient (whew, that's a mouthful).
Researchers discovered enhancements in various aspects of male sexual satisfaction, including performance, confidence, orgasm, and more. In a similar study, yoga emerged as a non-pharmacological alternative to Prozac for treating premature ejaculation. The regimen included 15 beginner-friendly yoga poses, with movements ranging from simple Kapalbhati to more complex dhanurasana.
Yoga's Horizontal Benefits
But how does yoga, well, ahem, work its magic? A review by researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) aims to bring some clarity. Turns out, yoga helps regulate attention, breathing, and stress while activating the part of your nervous system that encourages relaxation and sets off a slew of mental and physical processes conducive to unwinding. Essentially, these effects kickstart improvements in sexual response.
Additionally, psychological factors may come into play. According to the researchers, women who practice yoga are less prone to body objectification, promoting increased sexual responsibility and assertiveness. Maybe it's time to hit the mat and tap into that erotic energy.
The Secret Weapon: Moola Bandha
Okay, now for the rumors, er, let's call them controversial concepts: releasing blocked energy in root chakras and firing up "kundalini energy" to produce ejaculation-free orgasms in men. While these ideas lack a solid scientific backing, there are some yogic ideas that might intrigue the skeptics among us.
One such idea is Moola Bandha. Did someone say pelvic floor workout? Moola Bandha is a perineal contraction that stimulates the nervous system in the pelvic region, promoting relaxation. Some studies hint that practicing Moola Bandha may relieve period pain, labour pain, and sexual problems in women, as well as help control testosterone secretion in men.
Don't forget that in recent years, Kegels – the pelvic floor exercises made famous by women's health experts – have gained popularity for improving bladder control, intensifying orgasms, and generally making sex more enjoyable for everyone.
So, while we might not have definitive proof about "yogasms," there's plenty to suggest that these yoga poses could up your game in bed. Moola Bandha and Bhekasana, or the "frog pose," are great poses to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which can, in turn, boost sexual satisfaction.
Is the Evidence Trustworthy?
Although the promise of a fantastic sex life thanks to yoga can be quite alluring, it's worth bearing in mind that the body of empirical evidence – scientific evidence collected through experiments – is relatively scant compared to the wealth of anecdotal evidence (ahem, stories) making the rounds online.
Moreover, many of the studies that found improvements in sexual satisfaction and function for both men and women have small sample sizes and lack a control group. Research focusing on women with conditions like metabolic syndrome or multiple sclerosis, who are at greater risk of sexual dysfunction, has yielded stronger evidence.
Despite the need for more research, the intriguing link between yoga and improved sexual function offers a tantalizing reason to explore this practice. Roll out your mat, loosen up, and let's see what yoga has in store for us – both personally and intimately.
- Yoga, with its ability to reduce stress and lower inflammation, could potentially enhance sexual health for both men and women, according to some studies.
- A study on women over 45 revealed significant improvements in their sexual function after 12 weeks of yoga, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction.
- For men, a 12-week yoga trial demonstrated enhancements in various aspects of sexual satisfaction, such as performance, confidence, and orgasm.
- Moola Bandha, a perineal contraction practiced in yoga, may help relieve period pain, labour pain, and sexual problems in women, as well as control testosterone secretion in men.
