Enhanced Sexual Function Through Yoga: Discover the Advantages of Ancient Practice
The growing number of wellness blogs worldwide promote yoga as a means to improve sexual health and experiences. Numerous personal anecdotes affirm this, albeit sometimes dramatically. But do scientific studies support these claims? We delve into the research.
Yoga, an ancient practice with roots dating back thousands of years, is gaining recognition for its numerous health benefits in modern times. These benefits range from mitigating depression and stress, to managing metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid disorders.
Recent research has also explored the complex physiological mechanisms behind these benefits. It appears yoga has the ability to reduce the body's inflammatory response, inhibiting stress-inducing gene expression, decreasing cortisol levels, and boosting a protein that aids brain growth and health maintenance.
The question remains: can yoga's therapeutic effects extend to enhanced sexual experiences? We take a closer look at the evidence.
Yoga Enhances Sexual Function in Women
A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that practicing yoga for 12 weeks can significantly improve sexual function in women, particularly those over 45. The study sampled 40 women who reported on their sexual function before and after 12 weeks of yoga sessions, noting improvements across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. As many as 75% of the women reported an improvement in their sex life after completing yoga training.
The women in this study were trained on 22 yogasanas, or poses believed to bolster core abdominal muscles, improve digestion, strengthen the pelvic floor, and boost mood. Some of these poses included trikonasana (Triangle pose), bhujangasana (Snake pose), and ardha matsyendra mudra (Half spinal twist). The full list of yogasanas can be accessed online.
Yoga Benefits Men's Sexual Function
Men stand to benefit from yoga as well. A 12-week yoga program led by neurologist Dr. Vikas Dhikav, working at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, found significant improvements in male sexual satisfaction. Post-program, the participating men reported improvements in desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
A comparative trial conducted by the same research team also found that yoga could serve as a nonpharmacological alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) in treating premature ejaculation. This 15-yoga-pose sequence ranged from easier poses, such as Kapalbhati, to more complex ones, like dhanurasana (Bow pose).
Yogic Mechanisms for Better Sex
But how does yoga benefit sexual function? A review of existing literature led by researchers at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, elucidates some possible mechanisms.
According to Dr. Lori Brotto, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at UBC, yoga can regulate attention and breathing, reduce anxiety and stress, and encourage relaxation, all of which are associated with improved sexual response. Additionally, the study suggests that psychological mechanisms are at play, such as reduced body objectification and increased physical self-awareness, which may be associated with increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and even desire.
The Role of Moola Bandha
While stories about energy blockages and kundalini energy may lack scientific evidence, concepts like Moola Bandha resonate with skeptics. Moola Bandha is a contraction of the perineal muscles that stimulates the autonomic nervous system in the pelvic region, inducing relaxation and improving circulation in the genital area. Some studies have suggested that practicing Moola Bandha can relieve period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, as well as treating premature ejaculation and controlling testosterone secretion in men.
Many sex therapy centers recommend the Moola Bandha yoga practice for improving sexual awareness and enhancing the female sexual experience. Another yoga pose that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles is bhekasana (Frog pose), potentially easing symptoms of vestibulodynia and vaginismus, two conditions that cause pain in the vestibule of the vagina and involuntary vaginal muscle contractions, respectively.
The Evidence Base for Yoga and Sexual Health
Although the potential sexual benefits of yoga are intriguing, it's worth considering the sizeable gap between empirical, or experimental, evidence, and anecdotal evidence. While the internet is brimming with personal stories, the number of studies specifically examining the effects of yoga on sexual function remains scant.
Having said that, studies focusing on women with sexual dysfunction in addition to other conditions have yielded stronger evidence. For example, a randomized controlled trial found significant improvements in arousal and lubrication in women with metabolic syndrome after a 12-week yoga program. Improvements were not seen in the women who did not practice yoga. Another randomized study found that women living with multiple sclerosis (MS) showed improvements in physical ability and sexual function after three months of yoga training, while control group women exhibited worsened symptoms.
In conclusion, while direct research on yoga's impact on sexual function is limited, the practice's potential benefits on physical, mental, and emotional well-being suggest it could positively impact sexual health. As researchers continue to investigate this aspect further, incorporating yoga into one's daily routine may prove a worthwhile endeavor.
- Yoga practice, such as the 22 poses studied in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, shown to significantly improve sexual function in women over 45, particularly in desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain.
- Men can also benefit from yoga, as evidenced by a study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav in New Delhi, India, which found improved male sexual satisfaction in areas like desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
- The benefits of yoga on sexual function may be linked to its ability to regulate attention and breathing, reduce anxiety and stress, and encourage relaxation, as suggested by a review of existing literature led by researchers at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
