Enhanced Sexual Performance through Yoga Practice: Insights into Yoga's Effects on Sexual Function
Yo, here's the spicy lowdown on the yoga-sex connection! The internet's buzzing with bloggers touting yoga as the key to a better bang- session, and it seems like folks are feelin' the benefits firsthand - but is there scientific backing to these claims? Let's dive in and investigate!
Nowadays, more researchers are delving into the myriad health perks of the ancient yoga practice. Apart from mind-blowing benefits like battling depression, stress, and anxiety, not to mention metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid issues, yoga also does some intriguing things to your body that could take your sex life to the next level.
So, what gives? Well, it turns out that yoga works its magic by lowering your body's inflammatory response, messing with those pesky genes that make us stressed, cranking down cortisol, and giving a solid boost to a protein that helps keep the old brain cells healthy. And let's face it, when the brain's firing on all cylinders, everything's better - including your action between the sheets.
But, hey, enough with the science stuff. Can yoga's yummy positions really make your romps more exciting? Let's check out the research!
Yoga boosts sexual function in ladies
A study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine looks at 12 weeks of yoga and its impact on the sexual function of 40 ladies aged 45 and beyond. These gals self-reported on their sexual life before and after the yoga sessions, and guess what? After 12 weeks, their sexual life had significantly improved in all categories of the Female Sexual Function Index: "desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain." Not too shabby, eh? Around 75% of these women reported an improvement in their sex life post-yoga!
The ladies in the study were taught 22 poses, or yogasanas, which are rumored to strengthen their pelvic floor, aid digestion, improve mood, and boost core abdominal muscles. Some moves included trikonasana (the triangle pose), bhujangasana (the snake), and ardha matsyendra mudra (half spinal twist). Want to give 'em a try? Check out the full list here!
Yoga gets the guys going
Men ain't left out in the loop! An analogous study by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, examined the effects of a 12-week yoga program on the sexual satisfaction of men. At the end of the study, the participants reported a significant improvement in their sexual function, as scored by the standard Male Sexual Quotient. improvements were seen across all aspects of male sexual satisfaction: "desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm."
Sexy yoga mechanisms
So, how does yoga rev up one's love life, you ask? A review of existing literature by researchers at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, sheds some light on the sex-enhancing mechanisms of yoga. Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at UBC, is the first author of the review.
Dr. Brotto and her buddies explain that yoga regulates attention, breathing, and emotions, lowering anxiety and stress, and activates the parasympathetic nervous system that tells your body to chill, relax, and enjoy the ride. These bodily responses are all linked to improved sexual response.
There are also psychological factors at play: "[Female practitioners of yoga] have been found to be less likely to objectify their bodies" and more aware of their sensations, which could lead to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desire.
If you're into the woo-woo stuff, you might find the Moola Bandha concept intriguing. Practicing Moola Bandha, a perineal contraction, enforces parasympathetic activity in the pelvic region and is thought to directly impact the gonads and perineal body/cervix, which could potentially improve sexual function. The video below shows how to learn this practice for pelvic floor muscles.
The truth behind the hype
While the idea of unleashing blocked energy in root chakras and sending "kundalini energy" up and down the spine to cause ejaculation-free orgasms may sound far-fetched, other yogic concepts are more grounded in reality.
In conclusion, it's easy to get carried away by the tantalizing potential sexual benefits of yoga, but it's essential to remember the extensive discrepancy between empirical (experimental) evidence and anecdotal evidence on Internet blogs. More evidence is needed to confirm the far-reaching sex-enhancing powers of yoga. However, there's enough compelling research to encourage regular folks to try yoga and reap its possible sexual benefits.
Trying yoga out for yourself could be a highly enriching experience - and whatever happens down there, your pelvic muscles will undoubtedly thank you for it. So, go ahead and bend, twist, and stretchyour way to a happier love life! If nothing else, you'll have a hella better understanding of your body and self - which never hurts in the bedroom, right?
- The study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that yoga significantly improved the sexual function of 40 women aged 45 and above, as recorded by the Female Sexual Function Index.
- The study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav showed that a 12-week yoga program improved the sexual function of men, as scored by the Male Sexual Quotient.
- A review by researchers at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia found that yoga regulates attention, breathing, and emotions, lowering anxiety and stress, and activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which can improve sexual response.
- The review also suggests that yoga enhances female assertiveness, awareness of sensations, and sexual responsibility, leading to increased sexual desire.
- Practicing Moola Bandha, a perineal contraction, can enforce parasympathetic activity in the pelvic region and potentially improve sexual function, according to the review.
- While some claims about the sexual benefits of yoga may sound far-fetched, there is enough compelling research to encourage people to try yoga and possibly reap its sexual benefits, despite the need for more empirical evidence.
