Enhancing Intimacy through Yoga: Insights into Its Effects on Sexual Performance
Yoga's Benefits for Sexual Health
An exploration into the research behind the claim that yoga can enhance sexual experiences.
The growing popularity of yoga as a wellness practice has seen numerous blogs and personal accounts tout its potential for improving sexual function. However, does the scientific evidence support these claims? Let's delve into the studies.
The ancient practice of yoga has garnered attention for its numerous health benefits, including alleviating conditions such as depression, stress, anxiety, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid problems. Recent research has sought to understand the mechanisms behind these benefits.
Yoga appears to lower the body's inflammatory response, counteract stress-related genetic expressions, reduce cortisol levels, and promote brain health by increasing a specific protein. Yet, it is the potential impact on sexual function that has generated immense interest.
Sexual Function Improvement in Women
A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine suggested that yoga could indeed improve sexual function, particularly for women aged 45 and older. The research involved 40 women who self-reported on their sexual function before and after 12 weeks of yoga sessions. Following the sessions, women reported significant improvements across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. An impressive 75 percent of the women reported improvements in their sex lives after completing the yoga training.
The women were trained in 22 poses, or yogasanas, believed to strengthen the pelvic floor, core abdominal muscles, improve mood, and aid digestion. Examples of these poses include the triangle pose, snake pose, and half spinal twist. A complete list can be found here.
Sexual Function Improvement in Men
Yoga doesn't solely benefit women. A study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, examined the effects of a 12-week yoga program on the sexual satisfaction of men. At the study's conclusion, participants reported significant improvements in their sexual function as evaluated by the Male Sexual Quotient. Improvements were observed in desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm.
The researchers also found that yoga could be a viable alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) in treating premature ejaculation in a comparative trial. The 15-pose regimen included easier poses, such as Kapalbhati, and more complex ones, such as dhanurasana or the bow pose.
Yoga's Mechanisms for Better Sex
Understanding how yoga improves sexual function is essential. A literature review led by researchers at the University of British Columbia's Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology sheds light on some potential mechanisms. Yoga regulates attention, breathing, lowers anxiety and stress, and activates the part of the nervous system that promotes relaxation, all of which are associated with improved sexual response. Psychologically, female yoga practitioners are less likely to objectify their bodies and more aware of their physical selves, which may lead to increased sexual responsibility, assertiveness, and desire.
One concept, Moola Bandha, may offer practical explanations for the skeptics. Moola Bandha refers to a perineal contraction that stimulates the pelvic nervous system and enforces parasympathetic activity in the body, potentially influencing gonad and perineal body/cervix function. Some studies have suggested that practicing Moola Bandha might relieve period pain, childbirth pain, sexual difficulties in women, treat premature ejaculation in men, and control testosterone secretion.
Another pose, Bhekasana or the frog pose, helps strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, potentially easing symptoms of vestibulodynia and vaginismus in women. These are conditions characterized by pain in the vestibule of the vagina and involuntary vaginal muscle contractions, respectively.
The Evidence
While the potential sexual benefits of yoga are exciting, it is crucial to consider the disparity between empirical (experimental) and non-empirical (anecdotal) evidence. The internet hosts numerous anecdotal accounts, but the trials examining the benefits of yoga for sexual function are still relatively sparse. Most studies, which found improvements for both men and women, have a small sample size and lack a control group.
However, more recent studies focusing on women with sexual dysfunction alongside other conditions have yielded stronger evidence. For instance, a randomized controlled trial demonstrated significant improvements in arousal and lubrication in women with metabolic syndrome who underwent a 12-week yoga program. Improvements were not seen in the non-yoga group. Another randomized trial conducted on women with multiple sclerosis revealed that those who undertook 3 months of yoga training showed improvements in both physical ability and sexual function, while those in the control group experienced worsening symptoms.
In summary, while direct studies on yoga's impact on sexual function are limited, evidence indicates that yoga can positively affect pelvic floor health (crucial for sexual function and urinary control), mindfulness, overall well-being, and relaxation—all factors closely linked to enhanced sexual function. The claim that yoga can improve sexual function is supported by current research, particularly when considering the holistic benefits of the practice. Integrating yoga into daily routines may prove beneficial for pelvic muscles and potentially contribute to a more satisfying sexual life.
- The study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine showed that yoga could improve sexual function in women aged 45 and older, as evidenced by substantial improvements across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index after a 12-week yoga program.
- Similarly, a study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav discovered that yoga could enhance sexual function in men, with participants reporting improvements in their sexual satisfaction as measured by the Male Sexual Quotient.
- Understanding yoga's mechanisms for better sexual function is essential, and research has suggested that yoga positively affects pelvic floor health, promotes mindfulness, and enhances overall well-being—all crucial factors contributing to improved sexual function.
