Improved Sexual Wellbeing through Yoga Practice: Exploring the Positive Impacts on Sexual Function
Let's dive into the lowdown on how yoga might just be the key to unlocking better nights between the sheets. The web is bursting with wellness blogs swearby yoga for a more satisfying sex life, backed by personal accounts – some borderline enviable – of enhanced sexual experiences. But does the research agree? We're here to find out.
Yoga is taking the world by storm, gaining recognition for its numerous health benefits, such as tackling stress, depression, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Recent studies have shed light on the intricate mechanisms behind these benefits.
Yoga has been found to lower inflammation, counter genetic markers linked to stress, reduce cortisol levels, and boost a protein that keeps the brain youthful and healthy [1]. It's safe to say that it just feels terrific. Some even claim that it can lead to what's known as a "coregasm," a yoga-induced orgasm that's reportedly quite the mind-blower.
But can yoga's sensual poses actually improve our sex lives? Let's delve in.
Yoga Gets Women Going
One frequently cited study unveiled in The Journal of Sexual Medicine hints at a promising yes. The research focused on 40 women over 45 who participated in a 12-week yoga program. The ladies reported on their sexual function before and after the sessions.
When the whistle blew, the women's sexual function had significantly improved across all categories of the Female Sexual Function Index, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. A whopping 75 percent of the women raved about improved sex lives post-yoga training [2].
The women were tutored on 22 yogic poses, or yogasanas, such as trikonasana (the triangle pose), bhujangasana (the snake), and ardha matsyendra mudra (half spinal twist). You can find the complete list here.
Yoga Keeps Men Satisfied
It's not just the ladies who benefit from yoga; men can reap rewards too. A study spearheaded by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, explored the effects of a 12-week yoga program on the sexual pleasure of men.
After the study concluded, the participants reported notable improvements in their sexual satisfaction, as measured by the standard Male Sexual Quotient [3].
Researchers discovered enhancements in desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm [3].
To top it off, a comparative trial conducted by the same research team found that yoga is a viable and nonpharmacological alternative to Prozac for treating premature ejaculation [3].
The routine included 15 yogic poses, ranging from simpler positions like Kapalbhati (a breathing exercise) to more challenging ones like dhanurasana (the "bow pose").
Yoga's Secret Sauce
So, exactly how does yoga boost one's sex life? A review of existing literature published by researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, sheds some light on the sex-enhancing mechanisms behind yoga.
The review was penned by Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at UBC.
Dr. Brotto and her colleagues explain that yoga offers stress reduction, regulates breathing, and calms the nervous system, resulting in relaxation and improved sexual response [1].
There are also psychological factors at play. Female yogis have been found to be less likely to objectify their bodies and more in tune with their physical selves. This awareness may contribute to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desires [1].
One of the concepts that might make even the most dubious skeptics wonder is moola bandha.
"Moola bandha is a contraction of the perineal muscles that stimulates the nervous system in the pelvic region, promoting parasympathetic activity in the body," write Dr. Brotto and her colleagues in their review.
Research suggests that practicing moola bandha can alleviate period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, in addition to addressing premature ejaculation and controlling testosterone secretion in men [1].
Moola bandha is similar to the modern, medically approved Kegel exercises, which help prevent urinary incontinence and extend sexual pleasure for women (and men) [4].
Some sex therapy centers recommend moola bandha to help women become more aware of their sexual sensations in the genital area, thereby improving desire and overall sexual satisfaction [4].
Another yogic pose that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles is bhekasana, or the "frog pose." Besides enhancing sexual experiences, this pose may help ease symptoms of vestibulodynia, a condition characterized by pain in the vestibule of the vagina, as well as vaginismus, which involves involuntary contraction of the vaginal muscles, making penetrative sex challenging [5].
Level of Evidence
While the potential sexual benefits of yoga undoubtedly tempt us into excited speculations, it's essential to recognize the vast divide between the abundance of anecdotal evidence and our scarce empirical evidence.
However, more recent studies, which have focused on women dealing with sexual dysfunction alongside additional health issues, have produced stronger evidence [6][7].
For instance, a randomized controlled trial examined the effects of yoga on women with metabolic syndrome, a group at higher risk of sexual dysfunction. The study revealed "significant improvement" in arousal and lubrication for these women after a 12-week yoga regimen, compared to those who did not practice yoga [6].
A 3-month randomized trial also looked into the sexual benefits of yoga for women grappling with multiple sclerosis (MS). Women participating in yoga training showed improvements in physical ability and sexual function, whereas women in the control group experienced worsening symptoms [7].
"Yoga techniques may improve physical activities and sexual satisfaction function of women with MS," the study concluded [7].
Although more definitive scientific evidence is needed to substantiate the sexual benefits of yoga, the seeds have clearly been sown. While we await more conclusive data on the existence of "yogasms," there's enough reason to give yoga a shot and see what it does for our pelvic muscles – and maybe our sex lives.
- The study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that a 12-week yoga program significantly improved sexual function in 40 women over 45, as measured by the Female Sexual Function Index.
- Dr. Vikas Dhikav's research revealed that a 12-week yoga program led to notable improvements in sexual satisfaction for men, as measured by the Male Sexual Quotient.
- A review of existing literature published by researchers at the University of British Columbia indicated that yoga can boost one's sex life by reducing stress, regulating breathing, and calming the nervous system, resulting in relaxation and improved sexual response.
