Improved Sexual Performance through Yoga: Scientifically Proven Advantages
Yo! Check out the wild claims about yoga boosting your sex life, huh? Let's dive in and see if there's any truth behind it!
Nowadays, research is probing into the manifold benefits of the old-school practice of yoga. From helping with depression and anxiety to aiding metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid problems, the list goes on.
Some studies even claim yoga tames the body's inflammatory response, knocks out stress genes, plunges cortisol levels, and kicks up a protein that keeps the brain healthy. Plus, it just plain feels fantastic. And yeah, some folks say they've felt an, ahem, special sensation during certain yoga poses they call a "coregasm."
So, on to the question: Can yoga's yummy poses do the dirty for you? Here's what we found.
Yoga gets the engine revving – for the ladies
One study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that, yup, yoga can perk up your sex life, especially if you're 45 or older.
In the study, 40 women practiced yoga for 12 weeks and reported improvements in their sexual function across the board: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. An astounding 75 percent of women claimed their sex lives had improved!
They learned 22 poses believed to strengthen core muscles, enhance digestion, toughen up the pelvic floor, and cheer everyone up. Some poses included trikonasana, bhujangasana, and ardha matsyendra mudra. Carpe those asanas right here!
Yoga works wonders – for the guys
Guess what? Yoga ain't just for the ladies. Another study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, dug into how a 12-week yoga program affected the male satisfaction of a group of men.
At the end of the study, the guys reported a significant improvement in their sexual function in various aspects: desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm. Woohoo!
In a separate comparative trial led by the same crew of researchers, yoga proved to be a viable, non-pharmaceutical solution for treating premature ejaculation when compared to fluoxetine (Prozac).
The trial included 15 diverse yoga poses, from the easy (Kapalbhati) to the tricky (dhanurasana, or the "bow pose").
The behind-the-scenes action: how yoga pumps up your sex life
Maybe you're wondering how yoga boosts your bedroom game exactly? A review of existing literature led by researchers at the University of British Columbia helps us figure it out.
Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at UBC, is the first author of the review.
Dr. Brotto and colleagues explain that yoga calms the mind, lowers anxiety and stress, and relaxes the body. These effects, in turn, help set the stage for a better sexual response.
But there are psychological mechanisms at play too! Female yoga practitioners tend to be less likely to objectify their bodies and be more aware of their physical selves. According to researchers, this mindset may lead to greater sexual responsibility and assertiveness – or even pique desire!
Tapping into ancient wisdom: the magic of moola bandha
Sure, there's plenty of hype about unleashing blocked energy and moving cute-sounding "kundalini energy" during yoga, but there's not a lot of hard science behind it. However, other yogic concepts seem more grounded in reality.
Moola bandha is one such concept. It involves a perineal contraction that activates the nervous system in the pelvic region and enforces relaxation. When practiced, it's thought to directly influence the gonads and perineal body/cervix.
Studies have suggested moola bandha relieves menstrual pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, as well as treating premature ejaculation and controlling testosterone secretion in men.
So while some yogic ideas might seem a little wacky, there's definitely something to the moola bandha. Bonus points if it helps treat premature ejaculation!
So, is this science or hype?
While the tantalizing potential sexual benefits of yoga have us all hot and bothered, it's crucial to remember that there's a massive divide between the amount of real, empirical evidence and anecdotal, Internet-bred stories.
The web is bursting with anecdotes, but scientifically rigorous studies investigating the sexual benefits of yoga are awfully scarce. However, more recent studies have yielded stronger evidence in women with sexual dysfunctions.
For example, a study on women with metabolic syndrome revealed that a 12-week yoga program resulted in significant improvement in arousal and lubrication, while a separate 12-week study focused on women with multiple sclerosis discovered that yoga techniques might enhance physical abilities and sexual satisfaction.
So while we need more research to fully back up the benefits of yoga for our bonk-sessions, there's definitely something to this whole yoga thing! Why not give it a shot and see what happens to your pelvic muscles (and maybe your love life)? You never know, it could be the spice your sex life needs!
- As research explores the myriad advantages of yoga, it has been found to potentially boost sexual health.
- A study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine discovered that practicing yoga for 12 weeks improved sexual function across multiple aspects in women aged 45 and older.
- Another study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav showed that a 12-week yoga program significantly improved sexual function in men, particularly in intercourse satisfaction, performance, and confidence.
- The benefits of yoga on sexual health can be attributed to its stress-reducing and anxiety lowering effects, which set the stage for a better sexual response.
- Moola bandha, a yogic concept involving pelvic contractions, is thought to directly influence the gonads and could potentially treat sexual difficulties in both men and women.
- While there is a need for more scientific research to fully substantiate the sexual benefits of yoga, the current evidence suggests that yoga could indeed improve one's sex life and is worth trying.
