Enhanced Sexual Performance: Insights into Yoga's Impact
Nosy Netizens glorify yoga as a secret ingredient for better bedroom action, with numerous personal histories asserting improved sexual experiences - and quite spectacularly, too. But does science back up these steamy claims? Time for a nosy investigation.
Nowadays, the very mention of yoga can conjure up visions of enhanced health—from quelling stress and anxiety, to aiding in metabolic dysfunction and diabetes management. As we delve deeper into its intricacies, current research is shedding light on the complex mechanisms at play.
It turns out, yoga's got tricks up its sleeve that tame the body's inflammatory response, counteract genetic expressions predisposing individuals to stress, slash cortisol, and give a boost to a brain-powering protein—all while making you feel brain-tingling good. Some even claim a little something called 'coregasm' will set your world afire.
Diving into the nitty-gritty, does reaching for the stars during yoga reach new heights in the bedroom? Let's find out.
Yoga, the hidden champion in bedroom adventures
Studies abound on the subject, but one publication in The Journal of Sexual Medicine stands out. It found that yoga indeed grants women over 45 a surge in their sexual function.
40 aging women reported on their sexual prowess before and after a 12-week yoga stint. When the dust settled, their bedroom game had seen significant improvement across the board—desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. A jaw-dropping 75 percent of participants reported an improvement in their sex lives.
These women were schooled on 22 seemingly magical poses that are said to fortify core muscles, bolster digestion, strengthen the pelvic floor, and improve mood, including the triangle pose, the snake, and the half spinal twist.
Can men benefit too? You bet. An analogous study led by neurologist Dr. Vikas Dhikav, of the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, found that a 12-week yoga program yielded significant improvements in male sexual satisfaction.
The men reported noticeable strides in desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm. Two cheers for the power of the lotus position!
A comparative trial from the same research squad found that yoga serves as a non-pharmaceutical powerhouse against premature ejaculation—quite the upgrade from the Prozac prescription.
Secrets to better sexual health through yoga
So how does this ancient practice whisk you off to the promised land? A review by researchers at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, unveils a number of sex-enhancing mechanisms at play.
Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, is the driving force behind this fresh insight.
Dr. Brotto's team explains that yoga bolsters attention, regulates breathing, eases anxiety, and modifies the nervous system to induce rest and relaxation. Each one of these effects has been linked to sexual receptivity.
Psychological factors twist the dials as well. According to the research, female yoga practitioners are more in tune with their bodies, less prone to objectification, and more likely to exhibit sexual maturity and confidence.
Putting rumors to the test: the power of moola bandha
Some fiery tales propose releasing trapped energy in root chakras and propelling "kundalini energy" to produce ejaculation-free male orgasms. While these stories require a stronger degree of scientific evidence, other yogic concepts make more sense.
Moola bandha is one such concept. It involves a perineal contraction thought to activate the nervous system in the pelvic region, promoting relaxation and health in the gonads and the perineal body/cervix. Some studies suggest it aids in pain relief during menses and childbirth, and eases sexual difficulties in women. For men, it's been speculated to repress testosterone secretion.
Interestingly, moola bandha bears a striking resemblance to medically-recommended Kegels—exercises thought to prevent urinary incontinence and promote longer-lasting pleasure in both men and women. In fact, many sex therapy centers advise this yoga practice to spur women's sexual desire.
Navigating the murky waters of evidence
Though it's tempting to jump headfirst into the dreamy world of "yogasms," it's wise to tread lightly. The line separating concrete, empirical evidence from anecdotal evidence is still blurry, and sufficient research on the subject remains scarce.
Most studies, which boast impressive benefits for both sexes, boast small sample sizes and lack a control group. But, newer studies focusing on women with metabolic syndrome or multiple sclerosis are yielding more promising results.
For instance, a randomized controlled trial examining the effects of yoga on women with metabolic syndrome uncovered significant improvements in arousal and lubrication, whereas these improvements were not observed in the control group.
A randomized test looking at the sexual benefits of yoga for women living with multiple sclerosis found that participants who underwent yoga training showed improvement in physical ability and sexual function, while the control group worsened.
"Yoga techniques may enhance physical activities and sexual satisfaction function of women with MS," indicated the study.
Though the evidence supports yoga's positive impact on multiple aspects of sexual health, more scientific proof is needed to substantiate claims of "yogasms."
Until then, let's give yoga a try—our pelvic muscles will surely thank us for it.
- Yoga's beneficial effects on health are well-documented, extending to the area of sexual health. Some studies suggest that regular yoga practice can help boost sexual function, especially in women over 45 and men, by enhancing sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction.
- Yoga has several sex-enhancing mechanisms at play, such as bolstering attention, regulating breathing, easing anxiety, modifying the nervous system to induce rest and relaxation, and improving body awareness, all of which are linked to sexual receptivity.
- While yogic practices like the release of trapped energy or the propelling of "kundalini energy" for ejaculation-free male orgasms require a stronger degree of scientific evidence, other concepts, like Moola Bandha, show promise in improving sexual health for both men and women by activating the nervous system in the pelvic region and promoting relaxation and health in the gonads and perineal body/cervix.
