Sexual dysfunction is a serious problem for a major segment of the male population.
Around 52% of men between the ages of 40 to 70 have mild or moderate erectile dysfunction (ED). While 30% to 60% of patients with ED also struggle with premature ejaculation (PE).
Many factors can trigger ED, including hypertension and obesity. People can also develop this dysfunction after having a chronic illness, like diabetes or heart disease. Stress, tension, agitation, nervousness, anxiety, and depression only add more fuel to the fire.
That’s where yoga can come in handy. Research shows that a simple yoga exercise can help men enjoy better sexual health. It can soothe the emotional and psychological concerns for improved sexual intercourse. Want to learn more? Here is how yoga can completely revamp your sex life.
What’s Triggering ED?
Erectile dysfunction happens when the man has trouble maintaining or achieving an erection. The primary cause of ED is arterial dysfunction, with heart disease as the most frequent comorbidity. Problems with hormones or blood flow often cause this type of dysfunction.
Experts link erectile dysfunction to many risk factors, such as:
- Metabolic syndrome
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- Heart problems
- Sedentary lifestyle
But, stress is an even bigger problem. Since achieving an erection depends on physical and mental stimulation, visualizing becomes incredibly difficult whenever stress gets in the way. Those who struggle with this type of dysfunction often have low self-esteem and confidence.
How Does Stress Affect ED?
- Like an unstable romantic relationship, professional and personal stress is the number one reason for erectile dysfunction in middle-aged men.
- Around 90% of adolescent men have psychological erectile dysfunction. They are very anxious or nervous before intercourse.
- Losing a romantic partner can trigger psychological stress.
Mental health problems, especially stress and depression, can get in the way of the central nervous system. These stressors directly impact the way your brain alerts the body’s physical response. When a man tries to have an erection, mental instability stops the brain from sending any messages to the organ. As a result, there isn’t enough circulation to the penis.
The more prolonged anxiety and stress remain, the bigger the risk of developing chronic or ongoing erectile dysfunction. Those who struggle with ED for a long time are more vulnerable to behavioral changes, which can also worsen the anxiety.
How Can Yoga Help?
Plenty of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options exist for this type of dysfunction.
For instance, people who want a non-pharmacological approach are doing kegel exercises to manage the dysfunction. These are essential for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. Because they target the bulbocavernosus muscle, they could prove useful for erectile dysfunction.
They give the body quite the workout and are good for weight loss. Doing any aerobic exercise can also come in handy. The exercise you select can help speed up the blood flow to the penis and keep the reproductive organs in a healthy shape.
When it comes to pharmacological options, Viagra is the go-to choice. Just like any other sexual medicine on the market, it can also cause unwanted side effects.
Yoga is unique. Most people don’t realize that yoga not only works on the outside but manages the issues that are happening on the inside. What that means is, it can relieve both physical and mental complaints.
According to statistics, yoga is great at managing erectile dysfunction. It can help both women and men. Experts from Harvard Medical School claim that yoga can alleviate depression, anxiety, joint pain, and more. To top it all off, it can help with arousal, orgasm, desire, and satisfaction. Plus, it is drug-free, making it a powerful alternative.
Based on a pilot study, scientists evaluated 65 males between the ages of 24 and 60. The volunteers took part in a yoga camp for a 12-week yoga session. Results indicate that after completing the sessions, the scores of sexual function drastically improved.
Volunteers had better sexual desire, performance, confidence, erection, orgasm, and ejaculation control. Plus, they synchronized with their sexual partner a lot easier. In other words, yoga seems to be an efficient method for boosting all domains of sexual functions.
The key to its effectiveness lies in establishing the perfect mind-body connection. To control your erection, you need to focus on neurological and psychological factors. The main thing you need to concentrate on is the signaling pathway.
Yoga calms the mind, helps with stress, which is why it can enhance sexual pleasure. Do have in mind that yoga is not a therapy for treating a disease but a practical health management tactic.
5 Convenient Yoga Poses to Try
To manage erectile dysfunction, the first thing you need is to promote blood circulation. It would help if you relaxed your mind and exercise. With better blood flow, particularly to the pelvic region, you can get stronger erections. Picking the perfect yoga exercise can help. Here are the best yoga poses to try.
1) Seated Forward Bend
This posture is also known as Paschimottanasana. You can use it to relax the pelvic floor and ease the tension from a sedentary lifestyle. Although it is a relatively simple posture, it can still boost blood flow to the penis and calm the nerves. It engages the back, calves, and hamstrings.
How to do the posture:
- Sit on a yoga mat with the legs in the front. Each leg should be stretched straight with the calves touching the floor. Strengthen the spine and inhale.
- Tilt the upper body forward as you exhale and hinge at the hips. Keep exhaling slowly as you deepen the forward bend. Try to bring the belly as close to the thighs as possible by keeping the spine straight.
- Grab the shins or ankles (whichever is the easiest to reach). Hold the position for a couple of seconds and release.
2) Perfect Pose
To deepen the internal connection with the body and spirit and enhance the energetic flow, you should activate the Mula Bandha (root lock). With it, you can manage erectile dysfunction, boost sexual potency, and revamp your sexual energy.
Based on research, the bandha can control testosterone secretion, may improve testosterone levels, relieve involuntary ejaculation, and prevent an inguinal hernia. The Perfect Pose is another classic yoga pose for the pelvic muscles. It can help you activate the root lock.
When maintained for an extended period of time, it can stimulate flexibility and ease the dysfunction. Often known as the Siddhasana, this classic stretch is a great way to engage the lower muscles and help with erection.
Although it isn’t your conventional erectile dysfunction treatment, like the male enhancement pill, yoga can definitely come in handy for stimulating sexual health. The reason people choose to do this pose is that it will target the groin muscle, spine, lower back, and hip muscle. All of this makes it a key feature in promoting blood flow to the perineal muscles.
How to do the posture:
- Sit on a yoga mat and stretch each leg forward. Place the hands at the sides.
- Take up a meditation position. To do that, bend each knee and bring it towards the heel of the opposite knee. But, make sure to keep the back straight the whole time.
- Lift the left foot and position it just above the right ankle. The left heel should be brought into the groin area. Take it slow, and don’t force the legs to bend too much.
- Maintain balance by sliding the toes between the calf muscles.
- Place a hand on each knee or let the hands rest while you sit upright.
- Keep this position for 1 min or longer.
3) Standing Forward Bend
Often referred to as Uttanasana, this simple workout is a great option for stretching the back. The intense stretch targets the calves and hamstrings. Most importantly, it can ease stress and help with insomnia. There is not much evidence whether it may help with impotence, but it can be of use because it can ease the stress.
How to do the posture:
- Stand firmly on the ground. Position the left and right leg slightly apart. Then, place the hands on the hips.
- Bend the upper body forward and exhale as you hinge from the hips towards the ground. This yoga position is known as the “Swan Dive.”
- Try to bring the palms flat on the ground. If you can’t, bring the fingertips in line with your toes. Hold this position for a couple of seconds.
- Slightly bend the knee to engage and quads. Then, inhale and lift yourself up to return the body to the starting position.
4) Half Lord of the Fishes
When you want to do yoga for erectile dysfunction, this is a yoga asana pose you shouldn’t miss. The asana is meant to stimulate blood flow and better digestion. Therefore, it can benefit the pelvic area, spleen, liver, pancreas, and thigh muscle.
The twist is meant to help you become more flexible and calm the mind. For some individuals, it may speed up metabolism, relieve back pain and fatigue. All of these health problems can get in the way of your sex life. So, implementing something as therapeutic as this can help you turn the tide.
How to do the posture:
- Sit on the ground and stretch each leg forward.
- Bend the left leg at the knee and place it over the right leg, with the left foot touching the floor.
- Slowly inhale and exhale, then turn the upper body toward the left side and stretch the right arm forward. Try to position the arm towards the right elbow.
Note: This yoga posture is excellent for flexible individuals since they can twist and bend the body with ease. But, for a beginner yoga enthusiast, it may prove difficult. So, take your time when you stretch the muscle and work with your body. To boost your chances for success, do other stretches before you try this one. That way, you can warm up the muscles and restore balance in the system.
5) Corpse Pose
Sometimes referred to as Shavasana, this posture is a classic in every yoga class. But, don’t let its simple nature fool you. The corpse pose is more than capable of easing the stress and calming the anxiety.
Remember, most of your problems with sexual functioning come from stress. So, you must work with your stressors to enhance sexual activity. That’s exactly what you can achieve with the Shavasana.
It doesn’t actually engage the pelvic floor muscles as the other options do, but it targets the mental stressors more efficiently. The reason for its benefits lies in the breathing patterns. With breathing and relaxation, you can keep your mind at ease.
This yoga practice is meant to target all the stressors that ail the body from the inside. Even though you won’t be doing a typical active exercise, you can still obtain the necessary results. Breathing can help you manage the dysfunction. As long as you put in the effort, you can start noticing some results with the dysfunction.
How to do the posture:
- Lie comfortably on a yoga mat with the back touching the floor. Stretch the arms to the side.
- Close your eyes and picture each section of the body relaxing. Begin with the toes, then move towards the ankles, calves, knees until you’ve reached the head.
- Focus all your attention on your breathing while still being relaxed. Maintain this position ideally for 15 min.
Yoga Poses You Shouldn’t Do
Yoga can have a significant positive impact on a male’s intimate performance. However, when you do them incorrectly, you risk overexerting the muscles, stretching and straining the body. Anything that might result in injury is best to avoid. Such as handstands or headstands. They don’t engage the lower body muscles and won’t help with the dysfunction.
It’s best to try stretches you are comfortable with and avoid hurting yourself. Whatever position you choose to do, make sure not to push yourself too hard and stretch the muscles. If you are afraid of possible injury, consult with a yoga instructor. They can show you the ropes so that you’ll avoid any future injuries.
Final Thoughts
Plenty of studies support the beneficial properties of yoga for erectile dysfunction. Compelling research shows that yoga can ease dysfunction and promote flexibility, circulation, relaxation, and desire. Even though it may not be as fast-acting or impactful as typical sexual medicine, it is worth trying. Just remember not to overexert the lower body muscles, and you can reap the benefits. All the options listed here can help you achieve the desired results.
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