Couples Yoga: More Than Just Physical Benefits
Yoga is a powerful practice with ancient roots that continue to have relevance to this day. It has a host of benefits that aren’t confined only to the physical. It has the capacity to improve mental wellbeing and can even have a bearing on personal relationships. Couples therapists even recommend partner yoga to boost sex life and strengthen bonds. It goes beyond individual benefits and can help couples build healthy relationships. The word yoga itself means a union, joining or connection. When you practice it with a partner, you can bond better and strengthen intimacy. Take a look at why and how
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4 Ways Couples Yoga Can Better Your Relationship
1. It Improves Sex Life
Yoga is not sexual but it can deepen intimacy, which can lead to better sex life. A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that women’s sexual scores were higher after completing yoga sessions. This improvement occurred across all Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) domains. Women over the age of 45 reported better sexual improvement compared to those under 45 years.
Men also benefit from yoga. Another study, also published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, found that men’s sexual function significantly improved after doing yoga. The participants were in the age range of 24 to 60 years.
Researchers at Loyola University Health System say that partner or couples yoga may help people who are struggling with sexual dysfunction. According to psychologist and yoga instructor, Susan Walsh, of Loyola’s Sexual Wellness Clinic, this form of yoga can clear negative energy that develops in marriages over time. It can help couples reconnect and become more comfortable with touch and intimacy.
How exactly does yoga improve sexual health? Yoga focuses on regulating attention and breathing. It also regulates a part of the nervous system that tells the body to relax and lower the heart rate. These can influence sexual function.
2. It Builds Trust
Trust is one of the foundations of any relationship, romantic or otherwise. In couples yoga, most poses are centered around two people and both assist each other. You learn to make yourself vulnerable and put trust in your partner to help you perform the poses. This trust can extend to everyday life in your personal relationship and teach you to support each other.
3. It Creates A Shared Experience
Life’s many responsibilities often come in personal relationships. A disconnect can develop between couples and can open the way for unhappiness. Couples yoga creates the perfect setting for a shared experience because you’re doing it together. That calmness and trust that are created help you connect on deeper levels. When combined with meditation, yoga can help you reach a higher consciousness with your partner. This shared journey brings you closer together and can improve your relationship.
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4. It Opens You To The Power Of Touch
In couples yoga, touching and being touched tells the other that they’re being acknowledged and cared for. There’s an increase in awareness, both of the self and your partner. It helps you feel closer and paves the way for tenderness. You become more comfortable in each other’s presence.
Much has been said about the power of touch. Some say it reduces pain, hastens wound healing and provides comfort. Others say it lowers glucose levels and improves immune systems. In fact, research actually shows these. Sweden’s Institute for Postgraduate Dental Education tested 10 patients with fibromyalgia and found that 8 of them benefited from touch therapy.
Meanwhile, the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine said that it found evidence of faster growth in premature babies, lower glucose in children with diabetes and better immune systems in people with cancer. Some believe that the power of touch has more to do with the power of the placebo effect. Whatever the reason, there appears to be pretty solid proof that people benefit from it.
Couples yoga and yoga as a whole have the capacity to change lives. For many, the well-rounded aspect is what makes it so attractive. It doesn’t just improve your physical health but it also makes you more focused and relaxed. These are two things that we always need to be able to balance the various aspects of our lives, including personal relationships. Stay tuned for our next blog as we list out a few couples yoga poses you and your partner can try!