Yoga's Impact on Sexual Well-being: Enhancing Performance and Fulfillment
Let's dive into the juicy world of yoga and sex! The internet brims with wellness gurus extolling the virtues of yoga for better sex lives, and personal accounts claim the practice can turn your bedroom into a love den. But does the research back up these playful promises? Let's find out!
While yoga has been linked to an array of physical and mental benefits—from reducing anxiety and depression to fighting metabolic syndrome and diabetes—can it truly rev up our intimate lives? Let's explore the saucier side of yoga!
Yoga's Magic Touch for Women of an A certain Age
A noteworthy study, published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, discovered that yoga can indeed boost sexual function, especially among women aged 45 and above. This study examined the impact of 12 weeks of yoga on 40 mature ladies who reported on their sexual function pre- and post-yoga sessions.
The women's sexual well-being soared significantly in all domains of the Female Sexual Function Index: "desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain." A whopping 75 percent of the seniors enjoyed a juicier sex life after their yoga training!
The ladies were schooled on 22 yogic poses, or yogasanas, rumored to enhance core strength, aid digestion, fortify the pelvic floor, and boost mood. Some of these sensual poses included trikonasana (a.k.a. the triangle pose), bhujangasana (the snake), and ardha matsyendra mudra (half spinal twist). Delve deeper into the list of tantalizing asanas [here].
Yoga: A Love Revolution for the Boys
Fellas, don't feel left out! Yoga isn't just a female fad. A study conducted by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, probed the effects of a 12-week yoga program on male sexual satisfaction.
By the end of the program, the guys reported improvements in their sexual satisfaction, as evaluated by the standard Male Sexual Quotient. Impressively, benefits surfaced across all aspects of male sexual satisfaction: "desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, [and] orgasm."
Additionally, a comparative trial spearheaded by the same research team found that yoga is a practical and non-medicinal alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) for treating premature ejaculation. The remedy encompassed 15 yoga poses, from the simple (Kapalbhati) to the complex (dhanurasana, the "bow pose").
Yoga: A Self-Love Story
So, how does yoga enhance our sexual escapades, exactly? A literature review helmed by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, delves into some of yoga's sexy mechanisms.
Professor Lori Brotto, of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at UBC, is the chief author of the review. Dr. Brotto and her colleagues explain that yoga regulates attention and breathing, diminishes anxiety and stress, and adjusts the nervous system, inducing relaxation.
"All of these effects are associated with improvements in sexual response," explain the researchers, thus "it is reasonable that yoga might also be associated with improvements in sexual health."
There are also psychological aspects to consider. "Female practitioners of yoga have been found to be less likely to objectify their bodies," disclose Dr. Brotto and her colleagues, "and to be more aware of their physical selves." Such tendencies may fuel sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desires.
The Seductive Power of Moola Bandha
While tales of releasing repressed energy in root chakras and channeling "kundalini energy" through the spine to spawn ejaculation-free male orgasms lack robust scientific verification, other yogic ideas might tickle the skeptical among us. One such enchanting concept is Moola Bandha.
"Moola Bandha is a pelvic contraction that stimulates the sensory-motor and the autonomic nervous system in the pelvic region," write Dr. Brotto and her associates in their review, "and therefore encourages parasympathetic activity in the body."
Specifically, Moola Bandha is said to innervate the sexual organs and pelvic region. Intriguingly, some studies cited by the researchers have suggested that practicing Moola Bandha relieves period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women. Other potential applications include treating premature ejaculation and regulating testosterone secretion in men.
Moola Bandha shares similarities with the modern, medically recommended Kegel exercises, which help prevent urinary incontinence and boost sexual satisfaction for both men and women. Many sex therapy centers recommend this yogic practice to guide women in discovering their erogenous zones and enhancing their sensual experiences.
The Reliable Evidence: A Mix of Erotic Anecdotes and Empirical Data
It's easy to get, ahem, excited by the prospect of yoga-induced explosive orgasms, but it's wise to keep things in perspective. The web beams forth a veritable abundance of personal accounts, but the number of studies testing the effects of yoga on sexual function remains relatively low.
Moreover, many of the studies mentioned above—which reported increased sexual satisfaction and function for both men and women—involved limited sample sizes and lacked control groups. Fortuitously, recent studies targeting women struggling with sexual dysfunction alongside other health issues have generated more solid evidence.
For example, a randomized controlled trial looked at the effects of yoga in women with metabolic syndrome, a condition linked to a higher risk of sexual dysfunction. After 12 weeks of yoga training, these women experienced "significant improvement" in arousal and lubrication, while such improvements eluded the unyogi women.
Additionally, a randomized trial centered on women with multiple sclerosis found that these ladies undergoing yoga training showed "improvements in physical ability" and sexual function, while women in the control group exhibited worsening symptoms.
"Yoga techniques may improve physical activities and sexual satisfaction of women living with MS," concluded the study paper.
So, while we need more concrete scientific evidence to prove yoga's heavenly impact on our sexual lives, the spark has been ignited. Until further studies verify yoga's potential for orchestrating celestial orgasms (yogasms), diving into the world of yoga seems like an excellent excuse to treat ourselves and our pelvic muscles.
In a nutshell, yoga appears to offer a qualified endorsement from modern science for improving sexual health. And who knows? Our delving into the ancient practice might allow us to channel our inner love gurus and thank our bodies for the journey.
[Enrichment Data: Research offers some evidence supporting the claim that yoga can improve sexual function in both men and women, although the evidence may be more conclusive for women.
- For Women: Studies have suggested that yoga can boost sexual function in women. For example, a randomized controlled trial discovered improvements in sexual function among women with metabolic syndrome[1]. Another study indicated that progressive muscle relaxation exercises, similar to some elements of yoga, can improve sexual satisfaction and function in women[2].
- For Men: While there is less direct research on men, Kundalini yoga has been proposed to help with premature ejaculation by decreasing mental stress and enhancing overall well-being[3]. However, research focusing specifically on men's sexual function is less prevalent compared to women.]
- Yoga has been found to significantly enhance sexual well-being in women aged 45 and above, as indicated by a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
- A study conducted by Dr. Vikas Dhikav found that a 12-week yoga program improved male sexual satisfaction, with benefits observed across various aspects such as desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, and orgasm.
- According to a literature review, yoga regulates attention and breathing, reduces anxiety and stress, and adjusts the nervous system, all of which are associated with improvements in sexual response.
- Moola Bandha, a yogic practice involving a pelvic contraction, is said to stimulate the sensory-motor and autonomic nervous system in the pelvic region, potentially improving sexual function and orgasms in both men and women.
