Enhancing Sexual Health Through Yoga: Exploring Its Practical Advantages
Yo, let's get down to the nitty-gritty of whether yoga is the key to unlocking the bedroom door to bliss. While the web is flooded with wellness bloggers promising a better bang through yoga, is there actual science backing this bonkers claim? Well, buckle the fuck up, because we're diving in.
In our modern world, research into the benefits of the ancient practice of yoga is on the rise. From reducing stress and anxiety to aiding throat screws and wiping out diabetes, yoga has a hell of a lot going for it. But the question remains: can it get your rocks off?
Recent studies have dived deep into the intricate mechanisms behind these health bonuses. It turns out that yoga lowers the body's inflammatory response, quiets the bass in your genetic stress expression, dials down cortisol, and boosts the protein that helps the brain stay youthful and healthy. Aces in our eyes, right? But the pièce de résistance is when it feels absolutely fucking divine. Some sources suggest connecting with your body through yoga can lead to what they call the legen-wait for it-dary "coregasm."
So, with an orgasm spiel like that, let's dive into whether the ancient practice of writhing around naked in a bath of your own sweat can take your sex life to new heights.
Busting myths with facts: Yoga and female sexual health
One famous study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine sheds some light on the matter. This study subjected 40 women over the age of 45 to 12 weeks of yoga and self-reported on their sexual function before and after.
After their 12-week Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ride, the sexual function of these ladies improved across the board, according to the Female Sexual Function Index: "desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain."
An impressive 75 percent of these ladies reported improved sex lives after their yoga training. These women were schooled on 22 poses, er, yogasanas, said to strengthen their pelvic floor, boost digestion, and flex their mood like a rubber band. A few of these poses include trikonasana (a.k.a. the triangle pose), bhujangasana (the snake), and ardha matsyendra mudra (half spinal twist). You can find the full list... here... if you're curious (wink-wink).
Keep it in your pants, bros: Yoga and male sexual health
Dudes don't get left out of the loop. A study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, showed that a 12-week yoga program could leave some men feeling all warm and tingly downstairs.
By the end of this program, the men reported significant improvements in their sexual satisfaction, thanks to the Male Sexual Quotient. Their improvements covered desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and you guessed it, orgasm.
A follow-up trial by the same team found that yoga could even beat Prozac when it comes to treating premature ejaculation. This study involved 15 yoga poses, with some poses like Kapalbhati and Dhanurasana on the easier end of the spectrum and others like Halasana and Sirsasana on the more advanced side.
Channeling sexual energy through yogic mechanisms
So, how does yoga wrap its dreadlocked arms around your sexy time, you ask? A review of existing literature led by researchers at the University of British Columbia helps us understand some of its sex-enhancing mechanisms.
Dr. Lori Brotto, professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at UBC, is the first author of this review. Brotto and her peeps explain that yoga affects attention, breathing, and relaxation while lowering anxiety and stress levels. This, in turn, can help improve arousal and even orgasms.
There are also psychological factors at play. Female practitioners of yoga are less likely to objectify their bodies, according to Dr. Brotto and her team. This reduction in objectification may lead to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and perhaps desires.
The power of moola bandha
Newsflash for the skeptics out there: yogic concepts can be a little weird (think of the time you heard about sticking your energy through your root chakra and milking out orgasms that don't involve ejaculation). But one concept, the moola bandha, might tickle your fancy.
Moola bandha involves contracting the pelvic floor muscles in a way that stimulates the nervous system, promoting relaxation. This soothing effect on the body can reportedly help with period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women. It could also treat predatory ejaculation and regulate testosterone secretion in men.
Funnily enough, many sex therapy centers recommend this yoga practice to help women build awareness of their feelings of arousal in their lady parts, thus enhancing their sexual experience. Whether it's moola bandha or BDSM, anything that gets people feeling their sexual pleasure can only be a good thing, right?
In fact, another yoga pose that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles is bhekasana, aka the "frog pose." This pose may help ease symptoms of vestibulodynia (vagina throat) and vaginismus (spasming vagina muscles) in women, making it easier for ladies to enjoy that good ol' fashioned penetrative sex.
Looking at the evidence: Yoga for sexual health
While the notion of a yoga-induced climax might get your heart racing, it's worth noting that the number of empirical, or experimental, studies backing the benefits of yoga for sexual health remains relatively small.
The web is crawling with anecdotal stories of orgasms elsewhere, but the number of studies actually testing the benefits of yoga for sexual function is quite scarce.
That being said, some studies have yielded impressive results. For example, a randomized controlled trial examined the effects of yoga on women with metabolic syndrome. Not only did these ladies see improvements in their sexual health, but they also saw improvements in blood pressure, prompting researchers to suggest that yoga might be a good treatment for both sexual dysfunction and metabolic risk factors.
A study on women living with multiple sclerosis found similar improvements. These ladies participated in 3 months of yoga training and showed gains in physical ability and sexual function.
In conclusion: Yoga in the bedroom
The jury's still out on whether yoga can give you orgasms like a real-life X-Men member, but it's clear that the practice has some beneficial effects on sexual health. Turns out, yoga reduces anxiety, improves hormonal balance, boosts blood flow, and may help improve your mental and emotional connection with your body.
So, while a solid, scientific understanding of how yoga affects sexual health remains unclear, there's enough evidence to suggest that yoga just might help you tap into a new level of pleasure and intimacy. Strap on your mat, light a couple of candles, and give it a shot. Your pelvic muscles will thank you - and who knows? Maybe you'll even discover your inner sex ninja.
- Research into the benefits of yoga extends beyond stress reduction and disease prevention, reaching into the realm of sexual health.
- A study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that a 12-week yoga program significantly improved the sexual function of postmenopausal women.
- In another study, a 12-week yoga program led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav improved sexual satisfaction in men, demonstrating benefits for male sexual health as well.
- Yoga's mechanisms for enhancing sexual health entail improved attention, relaxation, and reduced anxiety levels, which can lead to increased arousal and better orgasms.
- The yogic concept called moola bandha, which involves contracting the pelvic floor muscles, promotes relaxation and may help with period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women.
- Studies suggest that yoga may potentially improve sexual health in various ways, such as by reducing anxiety, improving hormonal balance, and boosting blood flow, though more research is needed to fully understand its sexual health benefits.
