Enhanced Sexual Performance through Yoga: Insights into Its Impact
The internet is awash with wellness blogs extolling the virtues of yoga for improved sex lives, with many personal testimonies attesting to its impact - often dramatically so. However, does scientific research corroborate these claims?
Modern research is only just beginning to unravel the numerous health benefits of the ancient practice of yoga. Among conditions where yoga appears to offer relief are depression, stress, anxiety, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid problems.
Recent studies have gone deeper, exploring the mechanisms behind these reported advantages. The findings show that yoga can lower the body's inflammatory response, counter genetic expressions that predispose individuals to stress, reduce cortisol levels, and boost a brain-nourishing protein.
Beyond these health benefits, yoga seems to be simply enjoyable. Some even speak of sought-after 'coregasms' during yoga sessions. Connecting with one's body can be replenishing, restorative, and physically pleasurable. But can yoga's inviting poses have a positive impact on our sex lives? Let's examine the evidence.
Yoga enhances sexual function in women
A study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine provides one notable piece of evidence. This research examined the influence of 12 weeks of yoga on the sexual function of 40 women, who self-reported on their sexual experiences before and after the yoga sessions.
Post the 12-week period, the women had experienced significant improvements across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. As many as 75 percent reported improvements in their sexual lives after yoga training.
The women were trained on 22 poses, or yogasanas, believed to improve core abdominal muscles, promote digestion, strengthen the pelvic floor, and enhance mood. Notable poses include trikonasana (triangle pose), bhujangasana (snake pose), and ardha matsyendra mudra (half spinal twist). The complete list of asanas can be accessed here.
Yoga improves sexual function in men
Yoga benefits men as well, according to a study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India. This research studied the effects of a 12-week yoga program on the sexual satisfaction of men and found significant improvements in their sexual function, as evaluated by the standard Male Sexual Quotient.
Improvements were noted in desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm. Additionally, a comparative trial by the same team of researchers found that yoga is a viable and nonpharmacological alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) for treating premature ejaculation.
This trial included 15 yoga poses, ranging from the relatively straightforward Kapalbhati to the more complex dhanurasana (bow pose).
Yoga's sex-enhancing mechanisms
But how does yoga improve one's sex life, exactly? Research led by Dr. Lori Brotto of the University of British Columbia, Canada, sheds some light on this question. The review explains that yoga regulates attention and breathing, lowers anxiety and stress, and affects the nervous system in ways that can induce relaxation and improve sexual response.
There are also psychological factors at play. Dr. Brotto and her colleagues found that female yoga practitioners are less likely to objectify their bodies and more aware of their physical selves. This awareness may contribute to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desires.
One potential yogic concept that is less controversial among skeptics is the Moola bandha, a contraction of the pelvic muscles that stimulates the autonomic nervous system, enforcing parasympathetic activity in the body and directly influencing the gonads and pelvic region. Some studies have suggested that practicing Moola bandha can relieve period pain, childbirth pain, and sexual difficulties in women, as well as treat premature ejaculation in men and regulate testosterone secretion.
Moola bandha is similar to medically recommended Kegel exercises, thought to prevent urinary incontinence and help both women and men enjoy sex for longer. Many sex therapy centers recommend this yoga practice to help women become more aware of their sensations of arousal in the genital area, thereby improving desire and sexual experience.
Another yoga pose that strengthens the pelvic floor muscles is bhekasana (frog pose). In addition to improving sexual experience, this pose may help alleviate symptoms of vestibulodynia (pain in the vestibule of the vagina) and vaginismus (involuntary vaginal muscle contractions that prevent women from enjoying penetrative sex).
The reliability of the evidence
While the potential sexual benefits of yoga can be exciting, it's crucial to remember the vast difference between the amount of empirical (experimental) evidence and anecdotal (non-empirical) evidence. The internet thrives on the latter, but the number of studies that have actually evaluated the benefits of yoga for sexual function remains modest.
Additionally, many of the studies mentioned above - which found improvements in sexual satisfaction and function for both men and women - have relatively small sample sizes and lack a control group. However, more recent studies focusing on women with specific sexual dysfunctions and other conditions have yielded stronger evidence.
For example, a randomized controlled trial examined the effects of yoga in women with metabolic syndrome, a population with a higher risk of sexual dysfunction overall. For these women, a 12-week yoga program led to "significant improvement" in arousal and lubrication, while such improvements were not observed in the women who did not practice yoga.
Improvements were also noted in blood pressure, suggesting that yoga may be an effective treatment for sexual dysfunction in women with metabolic syndrome as well as for addressing metabolic risk factors.
Another randomized study looked at the sexual benefits of yoga for women living with multiple sclerosis. The participants underwent 3 months of yoga training consisting of eight weekly sessions. Importantly, women in the yoga group "showed improvement in physical ability" and sexual function, while women in the control group experienced worsening symptoms.
"Yoga techniques may improve physical activities and sexual satisfaction function of women with MS," the study concluded.
While more concrete evidence linking yoga to improved sexual function is still needed, the signs suggest that yoga could be a valuable addition to our daily routines. Trying it out for ourselves may prove immensely beneficial - not just for our pelvic muscles but for our overall well-being too.
Scientific research has found that yoga may have a positive impact on sexual health, as indicated by several studies. For instance, a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine showed significant improvements in sexual function among women who participated in a 12-week yoga program. Similarly, a study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav found improvements in sexual function among men who underwent a 12-week yoga program. These benefits are thought to be due to yoga's regulation of attention, breathing, and stress levels, as well as its influence on the nervous system and pelvic muscles, such as the Moola bandha and Bhekasana poses. However, while the potential sexual benefits of yoga are promising, more empirical evidence is needed to confirm these findings.
