Improved Sexual Health: The Role and Advantages of Yoga Practice
Yoga as a sexual enhancement tool is quite the trend nowadays, with countless wellness blogs claiming improved sexual experiences through the practice. But does science back up these bold claims? Let's dive in and find out!
Yoga, an ancient practice, is gaining traction in modern research owing to its numerous health benefits. From reducing stress and depression to helping with conditions like metabolic syndrome and diabetes, yoga has shown some remarkable results. But what about sexual function? Let's investigate!
Yoga: A Secret Weapon for Better Sex?
Wellness blogs are rife with stories about improved sexual function through yoga. But can science back it up? Let's see!
A Study Shows Yoga's Impact on Women
One significant study, published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, looked at the effects of 12 weeks of yoga on 40 women who reported reduced sexual function. After the sessions, the women showed considerable improvement across all aspects of the Female Sexual Function Index - desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. A staggering 75% of the women reported an improvement in their sex lives after yoga training. The women were trained on various poses, including trikonasana, bhujangasana, and ardha matsyendra mudra, believed to improve core strength, digestion, pelvic floor strength, and mood (details can be found here).
Men's Turn to Unleash Marks of Approval
Yoga isn't just for the ladies; it brings benefits for gentlemen as well. A similar study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, found that a 12-week yoga program significantly improved the sexual satisfaction of male participants. Improvements were seen in desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, orgasm, and more (for further details, check this report).
Yoga's Mechanisms for Sexual Bliss
But how exactly does yoga boost our sex lives? A review by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, gives us some insight. Yoga regulates attention, breathing, and lowers anxiety and stress levels - all of which contribute to improvements in sexual response. There are also psychological factors at play, with yoga potentially leading to increased sexual responsibility, awareness, and assertiveness (you can find the review here).
Yogic Concepts: Moola Bandha and Beyond
While fantastical tales about unleashing blocked energy and moving "kundalini energy" may lack rigorous scientific evidence, other yogic concepts like Moola Bandha could make more sense. Moola Bandha stimulates the pelvic region, activates the nervous system, and balances, stimulates, and rejuvenates the area through increased awareness and circulation. Some studies suggest it may help with period pain, childbirth pain, sexual difficulties in women, and premature ejaculation in men (there's a video demonstrating the movement here).
In conclusion, while the internet abounds with tales of remarkable sexual benefits, concrete scientific evidence is more scarce. However, the existing research suggests that yoga can indeed enhance sexual function for men and women, primarily by reducing stress, improving overall well-being, and strengthening pelvic floor muscles. Stay tuned for future research that may answer questions around the elusive "yogasms"! In the meantime, incorporating yoga into your daily routine just might yield some unexpected pelvic pleasures. ;)
- Despite the growing popularity of yoga as a sexual enhancement tool, scientific research is starting to catch up, revealing yoga's vast health benefits, including improved sexual function.
- A 12-week study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine demonstrated that yoga had a positive impact on the sexual health of women, improving all aspects of the Female Sexual Function Index. Similarly, a study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav found that a 12-week yoga program increased the sexual satisfaction of male participants.
- The mechanisms through which yoga boosts sexual function involve regulating attention, breathing, and reducing anxiety and stress levels. Additionally, yogic concepts like Moola Bandha, which stimulates the pelvic region, may help alleviate sexual difficulties in both men and women.
