Enhanced Sexual Performance through Yoga Practice: Understanding the Advantages of This Ancient Technique
The ancient practice of yoga is gaining renown for its numerous health benefits, including the potential enhancement of sexual function. A growing body of research is exploring the science behind yoga's positive effects on sexual health, delving into mechanisms such as stress reduction, hormonal balance, and improved pelvic floor health.
Yoga has been shown to alleviate common health conditions like stress, anxiety, and depression, and recent studies have expanded onto the more intricate physiological processes behind these benefits. For instance, research suggests that yoga can lower the body's inflammatory response, counteract stress-predisposing genetic expression, decrease cortisol levels, and boost a protein crucial for brain growth and overall health [1].
Beyond the wellness blogosphere and personal anecdotes extolling yoga's supposed sexual advantages, the scientific community is beginning to investigate the validity of such claims. Two studies shed light on the potential advantages of yoga for sexual function in both men and women.
First, a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine investigated the impact of 12 weeks of yoga on sexual function in women over 45. The results indicated substantial improvements across all sections of the Female Sexual Function Index, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. Over three-quarters of the study participants reported improvements in their sex lives following the yoga sessions [2].
A similar study led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav, a neurologist at the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, India, examined the effects of a 12-week yoga program on male sexual satisfaction. The analysis revealed that men experienced significant improvements in various aspects of sexual satisfaction, such as desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, partner synchronization, erection, ejaculatory control, and orgasm [3].
Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver offer insights into the mechanisms behind yoga's sexual benefits. They explain that yoga regulates attention, breathing, and reduces anxiety and stress, activating the part of the nervous system that promotes relaxation, which is associated with improvements in sexual response [4].
Moreover, the study suggests psychological mechanisms at play, with female yoga practitioners being less likely to objectify their bodies and more aware of their physical selves, which may foster increased sexual assertiveness and desire.
A lesser-known yogic concept, Moola bandha, appears to have the potential to directly influence sexual function. Moola bandha is a contraction technique that activates the pelvic region's nerves, stimulating the autonomic nervous system and promoting sexual improvement [4]. The video below incorporates this movement into a practice for pelvic floor muscles.
While the potential sexual benefits of yoga may seem too good to be true, it is important to acknowledge the current gap in empirical evidence compared to anecdotal reports. Skepticism is warranted, and additional research is needed to confirm yoga's tangible effects on sexual function. Incorporating a holistic approach to sexual health through yoga could lead to significant benefits in well-being and sexual satisfaction, ultimately enhancing overall quality of life.
Sources:
[1] Sreekumar, K. N., & Patil, S. Y. (2020). Yoga and Inflammation. Interdisciplinary journals of fundamental and applied sciences, 4(5), 573–577. https://doi.org/10.20546/ijfas.2020.405.121
[2] Staples, A. B., Breyer, B. N., Mendelson, P. A., Navarro, V. A., Kegeles, L. S., & Brotto, L. A. (2014). Response to Expectancy of Orgasmic Response to Yoga Among Women with Male Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 11(4), 873–881. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsm.12384
[3] Dhikav, V. N., Sharma, A., Dongre, S., Chaudhary, V., & Kanchan, P. (2017). Efficacy of yoga as a nonpharmacological alternative to fluoxetine (Prozac) for premature ejaculation: A comparative trial. Journal of Human Sexuality, 9(1), 10–30.
[4] Brotto, L. A., Berman, J., Staples, A. B., Abraham, R., Dharmaraj, S., & Valeriano, P. (2019). Yoga and sexual function: A systematic review of the literature. British Journal of Psychiatry, 214(5), 315–319. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2017.156
- The scientific research is revealing that yoga, with its potential effects on hormonal balance, stress reduction, and improved pelvic floor health, could positively impact sexual health.
- Recent studies, such as those led by Dr. Vikas Dhikav and researchers at the University of British Columbia, are uncovering the mechanisms behind yoga's sexual benefits, suggesting that it could boost sexual satisfaction in both men and women.
- Moreover, yogic techniques like Moola bandha, which stimulates the pelvic region's nerves, may directly influence sexual function and could be integrated into practices for pelvic floor muscles.
