The art of yoga has a lot of benefits for the human body, however, it could also be exactly what you need to reignite the spark in your relationship. I mean, regular yoga practice can benefit your health, so there’s no reason why it can’t provide more benefits in the bedroom. It appears that the one thing your sex life needs is fewer fantasies and more yoga poses.
Can yoga really help my sex life?
According to a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, yoga was found to help boost sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual satisfaction. Yoga not only reduces stress levels, but it also improves flexibility and circulation to the pelvic area, and as a result, it serves to enhance your sexual health.
Now, you may not be an avid yogi, but there’s no reason why you can’t adopt a few yoga poses, especially if you’re looking to boost your sex life. What’s more, a lot of these poses will help to boost other areas of your health. Therefore, try adding these 7 poses into your daily routine, and watch as they improve the quality of your sex life.
7 Yoga Poses For Your Sex Life
1. Cat Pose (Marjaryasana) and Cow Pose (Bitilasana)
Often performed together, the cat-cow pose helps strengthen kegel muscles as well as tone the hips and pelvis. As a result, there is increased sensation and blood flow to the vagina, which then serves to lead to more intense orgasms. What’s more, the cat-cow pose helps to relax you, loosening up your spine, and getting you in the mood.
How do I do it?
1. Get on all fours, and make sure that your shoulders are directly over your wrists and your hips over the knees. It’s also important to keep your spine neutral.
2. Inhale into Cat, looking up and arching your back.
3. Exhale into Cow by tucking your chin into your chest and dropping your belly.
4. Move slowly between the two for 1 minute.
2. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
A spine and core-strengthening pose, the cobra pose helps to stimulate the body’s reproductive organs. How does this affect your sex life? Well, for one, a stronger core can help to boost your stamina.
Also, by stimulating your reproductive organs, one then enhances the health of your sexual organs, which then helps to enhance sexual arousal. Furthermore, it may also help to improve infertility (1).
How do I do it?
1. Lie on your stomach and place your hands, palms down, under your shoulders.
2. Push your pelvis to the floor and inhale as you lift your chest up off the ground by straightening your arms.
3. Hold the pose for about 40 seconds.
3. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
The bridge pose helps to increase both circulation and respiration – both of which can help to boost your stamina during sex. If that wasn’t enough, this position also helps to strengthen the muscles in your pelvic floor, helping to reduce pain during sex as well as enhancing pleasure.
How do I do it?
1. Lie on your back, resting your arms at your sides with your palms facing up.
2. Bend your knees and plant your feet hip-width apart (your knees should be in line with your ankles.)
3. Put your arms flat on the floor with your palms against the ground and spread your fingers.
4. Tighten your abs, and then, inhale as you slowly, but firmly, lift your hips away from the floor. Make sure to keep your shoulders and head on the floor.
5. Breathe and hold the pose for 5 breaths.
6. exhale and slowly roll the spine back to the floor.
4. Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)
Stress not only affects your general health, but it can also affect your performance in the bedroom. In fact, research published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that, amongst a group of women, high levels of chronic stress resulted in decreased sexual arousal. Additionally, a BBC online survey found that stress was rated as the biggest problem in the bedroom by more people than any other factor.
That said, the happy baby pose is a great popular relaxation pose, and it can help to relieve both stress and anxiety. It does this by stretching out the hamstrings and spine all while calming the nervous system. What’s more, it also doubles as a variation of the missionary position, so you can even try this position in the bedroom.
How do I do it?
1. Lie on your back
2. Exhale as you bend your knees towards your stomach.
3. Inhale as you reach up to grab the outside of your feet, widening your knees in the process (if you can’t reach your feet, you can use a belt or towel and loop it over your feet).
4. Flex your feet, and gently push your feet up into your hands as you pull your hands down.
5. Eagle Pose (Garudasana)
This pose requires intense concentration, but once you’ve mastered it, it’ll result in increased blood floor around your pelvic region, which then means better orgasms and performance. What’s more, it’ll also help to increase your flexibility and endurance – both of which can help to enhance your sex life.
How do I do it?
1. Stand up straight, making sure that the major joints of your body are aligned down the center.
2. Bend your knees slightly, lift your left foot up and, while balancing on your right foot, cross your left thigh over the right one.
3. Then, point your left toe toward the floor, press the foot back, and then hook the top of the foot behind the lower right calf.
4. Stretch your arms straight forward, then cross your left arm over the right, fold your forearms at the elbows, and then wrap around each other to bring your palms together.
5. Lift your elbows towards the sky and stretch your fingers toward the ceiling.
6. Hold the position for five breaths, release, and move on to the other side.
7. It is important to actively squeeze the inner thighs together whilst in the Eagle pose.
6. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Another relaxing position, downward facing dog helps to calm both the body and mind. Additionally, this position also improves your flexibility and boosts your confidence.
How do I do it?
1. Start on your hands and knees with your fingers spread wide.
2. Make sure that you align your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
3. Ground your palms to the ground and exhale as you lift your knees away from the floor, all while shifting your stomach towards your thighs.
4. Lift your hips higher as you straighten your legs, and be sure to keep your toes forward.
4. Draw your shoulders away from your ears and gaze towards your thighs. Your body should be making an upside-down “V” shape.
5. Hold the position for five to 10 breaths.
7. One-Legged Pigeon (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
Tight hips can make sex uncomfortable, as well as boring, since you’ll be unable to try different positions. However, the pigeon pose helps to release any tension in your hips, helping to stretch and open them up.
How do I do it?
1. Start on the floor on all floors.
2. Pick up your right leg and move it in front of your body so your lower leg is at a 90-degree angle from your body.
3. Stretch your left leg out behind you on the floor with the top of your foot facing down and your toes pointing back.
4. Exhale as you lean forward, shifting your body weight. Use your arms to support your weight. If this is uncomfortable, try folding up a blanket or a pillow and putting it under your right hip to keep your hips level as you stretch.
5. Release and repeat on the other side.
Yoga is an amazing tool that you should be incorporating in your daily life. Regardless of whether you’re celibate or sexually active, yoga can provide benefits both inside and outside the bedroom.
References
Dhikav, V., Karmarkar, G., Gupta, R., et al (2009). Yoga in Female Sexual Functions. The journal of sexual medicine. 7. 964-70. 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01580.x.
Hamilton, L. D., & Meston, C. M. (2013). Chronic stress and sexual function in women. The journal of sexual medicine, 10(10), 2443–2454. doi:10.1111/jsm.12249
Kumar, V., Pandey, A., Meenakshi, P., (2015). YOGA – A THERAPEUTIC ADJUVANT IN FEMALE INFERTILITY. world journal of pharmaceutical research. https://wjpr.net/download/article/1425553529.pdf
