Enhancing Sexual Performance: Utility of Yoga Practice
Turning a New Page on the Yoga-Sex Connection:
Strut down the street with your head held high, yelling "I've got the secret to better sex!" The internet's bursting at the seams with wellness bloggers praising yoga for its bedroom benefits and personal accounts of the practice's miraculous takeover of the sack. But does science back up these audacious claims? Let's explore.
Yoga, the ancient art of asanas and no-nonsense self-care, has been making some groundbreaking discoveries in the medical world. From busted stress to anxiety and blood sugar levels, this Eastern practice's all-round excellence is well-documented.
Now, let's dig into the juicy stuff: Does yoga make your deeds of passion more pleasurable?
Firing on All Cylinders: Sexual Satisfaction for Women
One study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine took a deep dive into the bedroom benefits of 12 weeks of yoga for 40 lucky ladies. Their sexual satisfaction was measured on the Female Sexual Function Index, focusing on "desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain."
The results? An astounding 75% of these women reported improvements in their sex lives after their yoga training. They were taught 22 poses, like trikonasana (the triangle pose) and bhujangasana (the snake), known for boosting the core, improving digestion, strengthening the pelvic floor, and—bonus—"mood."
Fulfilment for Men: Pleasing the P x 2
Men, don't feel left out! An analogous study led 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 jollies of men.
After the program's end, the participants reported significant improvements in their sexual function as assessed by the Male Sexual Quotient. This included improvements in "desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, [and] orgasm."
The researchers also found that yoga is an impressive non-pharmaceutical alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) for treating premature ejaculation, with a trial of 15 yoga poses making all the difference.
Sexual Bliss: The Yoga Mechanics
But how, pray tell, does yoga thrust your sex life into overdrive? A study led by University of British Columbia researchers unpacks these bedroom secrets.
Yoga balances the nervous system, regulating breathing and reducing anxiety and stress, the three key ingredients for a good rounds of bumpin' uglies. It also boosts the hormone that keeps the brain young and spry, promoting overall well-being. There's also the psychological angle: By cultivating body awareness, yoga practitioners become more attuned to their physical selves, leading to a boost in confidence and desires.
Moola Bandha: The Secret Pillar of Pelvic Power
Sure, tales about releasing blocked energy in root chakras and awakening the kundalini energy may lack a solid scientific backing, but other yogic concepts might be more palatable to the skeptical bunch. Moola Bandha, for example, is a span of hocus-pocus involving the contraction of the perineal muscles, boosting relaxation, and enforcing pelvic rejuvenation. Some studies suggest that practicing this mystical move relieves period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties, and treats premature ejaculation and testosterone secretion in men.
Remember that while the Internet may be a treasure trove of anecdotal evidence about the implications of yoga on sexual health, the number of well-designed studies investigating these relationships is relatively small. Despite some intriguing findings, more scientific evidence is needed to confirm the full impact of yoga on sexual satisfaction. In the meantime, add some yoga to your daily routine—your pelvic muscles will thank you.
- The study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that after 12 weeks of yoga, 75% of the 40 women participants reported improvements in their sexual satisfaction.
- According to a study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a 12-week yoga program significantly improved the sexual function of men, as assessed by the Male Sexual Quotient.
- University of British Columbia researchers have found that yoga balances the nervous system, reducing anxiety and stress, and boosting the hormone that keeps the brain young, potentially enhancing sexual satisfaction.
- Some studies suggest that practicing Moola Bandha, a yogic technique involving the contraction of the perineal muscles, can relieve period pain, childbirth pain, sexual difficulties, and treat premature ejaculation and testosterone secretion in men.
