Enhanced Sexual Function Through Yoga: Insights and Advantages
In the digital realm, wellness enthusiasts can't get enough of yoga's purported contribution to a thrilling sex life. But let's cut through the hype and dive into the facts. Is there substance behind these claims? Here's the scoop.
Over recent years, scientists have been unraveling yoga's myriad health advantages – from managing stress and depression to improving metabolic conditions like diabetes. But now, researchers have begun to investigate the more intimate aspects of this ancient practice.
Turns out, yoga lowers inflammation in the body, tamps down stress, lowers cortisol, and bolsters a protein favoring the brain's growth and overall health. And who wouldn't want that? Some even swear it results in those legendary 'coregasms' – but more on that later.
Getting close to our bodies can feel replenishing, restorative, and absolutely delightful. But can yoga's steamy poses elevate our love lives? Let's take a glance at the scientific evidence.
Intimacy Boost for the Ladies
Researchers at The Journal of Sexual Medicine conducted an intriguing study on 40 women over 45, probing the impact of 12 weeks of yoga on their sexual function. As they self-assessed their sexual well-being pre- and post-yoga sessions, some startling findings emerged.
The ladies' sexual function had significantly improved across all attributes of the Female Sexual Function Index: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. A staggering 75% of the participants claimed their sex lives improved after embracing yoga.
A variety of poses were part of the study, including the triangle pose (trikonasana), the snake (bhujangasana), and the half spinal twist (ardha matsyendra mudra). The full list of poses is outlined here.
For the Fellows
Yoga's benefits don't end with the ladies. Neurologist Dr. Vikas Dhikav led a fascinating study on the sexual satisfaction of men, assessing the effects of a 12-week yoga program.
At the study's conclusion, the fellas reported a substantial improvement in their sexual function, as evaluated by the Male Sexual Quotient. Researchers discovered improvements across all aspects of male sexual satisfaction – desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
Additionally, Dr. Dhikav and his team found that yoga serves as a viable and nonpharmacological alternative to Prozac for treating premature ejaculation. The research included 15 yoga poses, from simpler ones (e.g., Kapalbhati) to more complex ones (e.g., dhanurasana, or the 'bow pose').
The Science Behind the Sexual Bliss
But how exactly does yoga get our bodies humming and our love lives lit up? Investigators from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver provide some insights.
Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at UBC, explains that yoga facilitates attention and breathing regulation, lowers stress and anxiety, and activates the part of the nervous system associated with relaxation.
These effects are linked to improvements in sexual response, so it's reasonable to assume that yoga might impact sexual health favorably. Moreover, female yoga enthusiasts are less likely to objectify their bodies and more aware of their physical selves, potentially contributing to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desires.
Moola Bandha: A Bedroom Gamechanger
Despite tales of powerful energy released during root chakra sessions, scientific rigor is lacking. However, other yogic concepts might delight the skeptics amongst us, such as Moola Bandha.
Moola Bandha tightens the perineal muscles and stimulates the nervous system in the pelvic region, resulting in parasympathetic activity in the body. It directly affects the gonads and perineal body/cervix, potentially addressing period pain, childbirth pain, sexual difficulties in women, and premature ejaculation in men.
These practices might even resemble medically recommended exercises preventing urinary incontinence and helping individuals (male and female) prolong their sexual adventures.
Several sex therapy centers endorse these yoga practices, suggesting they help women gain awareness of genital arousal sensations, thus enhancing desire and overall sexual experience.
Now, it's important to keep the excitement in check. While the potential sexual benefits of yoga are arousing, it's vital to remember there's a dearth of empirical evidence compared to the plethora of anecdotal stories online.
According to recent research, a 12-week yoga program elicited "significant improvement" in arousal and lubrication in women with metabolic syndrome – a population at higher risk of sexual dysfunction. And, a 3-month study observed yoga-trained women with multiple sclerosis showing both improved physical ability and sexual function, while the control group worsened.
In conclusion, the evidence supports the notion that yoga might improve sexual function, although further research is essential to validate specific poses and mechanisms – and to verify if "yogasms" are indeed a reality. Still, there's enough reason to give yoga a go – and our pelvic muscles will surely thank us for it!
Yoga's benefits extend to sexual health, with researchers investigating its impact on both women and men. In a study on 40 women, a 12-week yoga program improved sexual function across all attributes of the Female Sexual Function Index. Similarly, a study by Dr. Vikas Dhikav found that a 12-week yoga program improved male sexual satisfaction as evaluated by the Male Sexual Quotient. Scientists suggest that yoga's stress-reducing and mental health benefits may contribute to these sexual improvements, with practices like Moola Bandha potentially addressing sexual difficulties in both genders. Despite the lack of empirical evidence compared to anecdotal stories, scientific research supports the notion that a regular yoga practice may improve sexual function.
