Enhanced Sexual Performance Through Yoga: Insights on Its Positive Impact
Yo-freakin'-ga! The world wide web is overflowing with wellness blogs that preach yoga as a ticket to a kickass sex life, and personal tales backing up these claims with results that'll make you green with envy... or insanely jealous. But is there any science to support this? Let's dive in and find out.
With modern research only scraping the surface of the numerous health benefits of the ancient practice of yoga, it's no surprise it's being linked to sexual satisfaction. Some conditions it's reported to help with include stress, anxiety, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid problems. But what's the real deal behind these benefits?
Recent studies have explored the inner workings of yoga, revealing that it lowers the body's inflammatory response, counters stress genes, lowers cortisol, and boosts a protein that helps the brain grow and stay healthy. Sounds good, right? But can these benefits extend to enhancing our bedroom prowess? Let's take a closer look.
Yoga Takes Sexual Function to the Next Level for Women
One often-cited study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine discovered that yoga can indeed improve sexual function, particularly for women aged 45 and older. The study followed 40 women who self-reported on their sexual function before and after 12 weeks of yoga sessions, and found significant improvements across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. A whopping 75% of the women reported an improvement in their sex lives after completing yoga training.
The women in this study were trained on 22 poses, or yogasanas, believed to strengthen the pelvic floor, improve digestion, and lift the mood. Let's examine some of them:
- Trikonasana (The Triangle Pose)
- Bhujangasana (The Snake)
- Ardha Matsyendra Mudra (Half Spinal Twist)
You can check out the full list of asanas here.
Yoga Works Magic for Men, Too
It's not just women who reap the sexual benefits of yoga. A study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, delved into the effects of a 12-week yoga program on the sexual satisfaction of men. At the end of the study period, the participants reported a significant improvement in their sexual function, as evaluated by the standard Male Sexual Quotient. Improvements were seen across all aspects of male sexual satisfaction, including desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
A comparative trial led by the same team of researchers found that yoga is a viable and nonpharmacological alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) for treating premature ejaculation. The study included 15 yoga poses, ranging from the simple Kapalbhati to the more complex Dhanurasana (Bow Pose).
The Mechanisms Behind Yoga's Sex-Enhancing Powers
But how does yoga work its magic on our sex lives? A review of existing literature led by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, sheds light on some of the mechanisms at play. Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at UBC, is the first author of the review.
Dr. Brotto and her colleagues explain that yoga regulates attention and breathing, lowers anxiety and stress, and activates the part of the nervous system that encourages relaxation. They also point out that female practitioners of yoga have a greater awareness of their physical selves, which may translate to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desires.
Another yogic concept that deserves a mention is the Moola Bandha. This pelvic contraction is thought to stimulate the nervous system and improve circulation in the pelvic region, potentially leading to better sexual function in both men and women.
The Evidence: Real or Just Hype?
While the potential sexual benefits of yoga are nothing short of amazing, it's crucial to remember that the amount of empirical, or experimental, evidence in support of these claims is currently relatively small compared to the numerous personal testimonies circulating online. Moreover, most studies rely on a small sample size and lack a control group.
However, more recent studies focusing on women with sexual dysfunction in addition to other conditions have yielded stronger evidence, such as a 12-week yoga program leading to significant improvement in arousal and lubrication among women with metabolic syndrome.
In conclusion, while the evidence base for yoga's impact on sexual function continues to evolve, there's enough reason to believe that incorporating yoga into our daily lives could do wonders for our pelvic muscles – and much more, if the ahem "yogasms" stories circulating online are rooted in reality.
So grab your yoga mat, stretch out, and open up to the possibility that practicing this ancient art could bring new meaning to the word "omg."
Yoga's benefits to sexual health have been backed by scientific research, such as studies demonstrating improvements in sexual function for both women and men. For instance, a study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine showed significant improvements in sexual function for women aged 45 and older after 12 weeks of yoga sessions. Men, too, have reported enhanced sexual satisfaction after completing a 12-week yoga program led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav.
Yoga's effects on sexual health may be linked to its regulation of attention, breathing, and stress, as well as its potential to stimulate the nervous system and improve circulation in the pelvic region through the practice of Moola Bandha. More recent studies focusing on women with sexual dysfunction and other conditions have yielded stronger evidence supporting the connection between yoga and improved sexual function.
As the evidence base for yoga's impact on sexual function continues to grow, observing a rise in personal testimonies circulating online, it's worth exploring whether incorporating yoga into one's daily routine could lead to significant improvements not only in sexual health but also in overall health and wellness.
