Biohacking: Does it really slow ageing process and enhance human performance? Experts explain

Ishaan Arora 13 June 2022 11:50 AM

This article is a repost which originally appeared on News9

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Biohacking aids in the alleviation or reduction of symptoms associated with mental health such as depression and anxiety.

Highlights

‧ The term biohacking gained a lot of popularity after former Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey told his followers that he benefitted both mentally and physically from biohacking.

‧ Biohacking is typically safe as long as you don’t go too far and follow your doctor or specialist’s guidelines.

‧ Experts advocate that individuals who don’t understand, health, nutrition, neuroscience, and brain function should not try biohacking.

So you’re sick of being average? You desire more from your life and job. Netflix, wine, margaritas, reels, and nachos have all made you want to stay in bed. Sure, you’ve heard of productivity hacks, but what if one told you that the solution to your problem is ‘biohacking’, also known as ‘do-it-yourself’ biology.

The term biohacking gained a lot of popularity after former Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey told his followers that he benefitted both mentally and physically from biohacking. Jack stated that biohacking enhanced his productivity, pointing out that he only eats one meal per day during the week and doesn’t eat at all on weekends. Some even claim that biohacking can help with almost anything – right from weight loss to cognitive function. However, the best biohacking results come from recognising what works for your body and avoiding what doesn’t. So to understand the real science behind biohacking, News9 spoke with some of the best experts in the world and here`s everything you need to know about it.

What is Biohacking?

Kolkata-based psychiatrist Dr Era Dutta explains, “Biohacking is the attempt at augmenting your performance, health and wellbeing through specific interventions. The term is meant to create the association of hacking – meaning creating a shortcut way through for your biology.”

“You can ‘biohack’ your mind, your body, your nutrition, exercise, sleep and more,” she continues. The beauty of biohacking is that it is DIY – do it yourself (with or without guidance). The process involves testing, monitoring and trying various combinations.

“Biohacking means different things to different people and is truly a very broad concept,” explains Vijeta Goyal, a Bangalore-based wellness consultant. “The notion is as follows: manipulating the biochemical processes in your body to bring about the best healthy version of yourself. The primary goal is self-improvement,” Vijeta adds.

Biohacking, according to Mumbai-based neurologist Dr Parthvi Ravat, is a technology-assisted strategy for modifying “homeostasis,” which refers to the body’s internal environment. “Simply put,” she says, “it is the use of science to support our bodies in boosting physical and mental performance, as well as battling various disorders.”

According to Shreya Gupta, a Chennai-based life coach, biohacking is something you instruct yourself to do. “It’s as if you tell yourself to exercise, so you get yourself a Fitbit or an Apple Watch to motivate yourself,” Shreya adds.

Biohacking is a science-based method of assisting our bodies in improving physical and mental performance as well as combating various ailments.

What are the most widely used bio-hacking tools?

In today’s world, we have access to commercially available tools and devices which are far more powerful than what even the most advanced clinics and researchers had only a few decades ago, remarks Supriya, a Delhi-based holistic health coach. Blood tests and health monitors give an extra edge in determining whether or not something is wrong with our bodies, Supriya explains.

“These days, I’m experimenting with taking ice-cold showers with water that’s 10 degrees celsius, and I’ve noticed a significant improvement in the condition of my skin and hair, and I’m tracking how it affects my natural hormone levels,” she further adds.

According to Dr Era Dutta, the most prevalent tools are:

Nutrition

Eliminating foods like gluten, and dairy; intermittent fasting.

Mental health

Cold baths, Wimhoff method, breathing pattern work, cryo chambers and meditation

Sleep

Melatonin supplements, white noise apps, weighted blankets, light therapy

Nootropics

A nootropic is claimed to be a class of substances that can boost brain performance. They can range from the more globally tried and accepted omega 3 fatty acids to Ginkgo Biloba to the more controversial use of ADHD stimulants, and micro-dosing of psychotropics.

Vitamins

Supplements of vitamins, infusions for better overall health. For example Vitamin B complex, micronutrients etc.

Adaptogens

Adaptogens are plants and mushrooms that help your body respond to stress, anxiety, fatigue, and overall well-being like Ayurvedic herb ashwagandha

Apps and technology

Wearable rings that monitor your body stats, EEG headsets that measure waves during meditation, sleep, mood changes etc.

More extreme

Nutrigenomics focuses on how the food you eat interacts with your genes and manipulates them.

According to Vijeta Goyal, biohacking comes in many forms. Some of them are as listed below:

Changes in lifestyle and diet

These include more conventional behaviours like yoga and meditation, eating consciously and healthily, spending time in nature, engaging in enjoyable exercise, and sleeping well, which you may not even realise are part of biohacking.

Technology

Don’t we appreciate our smartwatches, fitness trackers, and smart clothing? Have you ever considered your fitness tracker or weight-loss app to be biohacking? Biohacking is defined as the use of wearable technology to track your steps, remind you to drink water, or stand up and stretch – and it may be highly beneficial.

Grinders

Many people believe implanted technology to be the next step, although it has yet to become ubiquitous. Grinders, in general, aid in the optimisation of bodies by chemical injections, implants, and anything else that can be injected into the body to help humans grow smarter, quicker, and better.

Nutrigenomics

Nutrigenomics is the study of how food interacts with and influences your genes.

How safe are these tools?

Everything is safe when done in moderation and with care, as Dr Era Dutta demonstrated. “Isn’t it true that even in computer hacking, radical shortcuts don’t work? Similarly, staying away from extreme fads, conducting thorough research, knowing your own body and mind, and, most importantly, enlisting the assistance of a field expert when necessary are all essential components of biohacking properly.”

“Some kind of biohacking can be harmless,” Vijeta argues. “Sporting wearables, for example, or adopting lifestyle changes may be safe if done under the supervision of a scientific professional. Some biohacking techniques, such as grinder, are potentially harmful or illegal,” she adds.

What role does biohacking play in Human Performance Enhancement?

Biohacking, according to Vijeta, is supposed to assist you to achieve permanent, good change if utilised carefully and under professional guidance. “Physical, behavioural, or emotional improvements, such as lowering weight or reducing depressive symptoms, may reduce your chance of acquiring an illness to which you are genetically predisposed. Blood pressure and gut microbes are two examples of improved biological processes,” she explains.

“The whole idea of the human race is to be better, live longer, healthier and happier,” explains Dr Era adding that although biohacking hasn’t undergone concrete trials, it is meant to be the path.

However, according to statements made by its most trusted user, Jack Dorsey it can help with:

1 Alleviating or reducing symptoms of mental health issues like depressive symptoms, and anxiety features (this can be in conjunction with treatment)

2 Alleviating or reducing chronic health issues like diabetes, arthritis, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, blood pressure, migraine etc.

3 Obesity and weight loss

4 Helping in ace concentration, creativity and peak productivity

5 Reducing gut-related issues

Are biohacking promises such as longevity and slow ageing true or simply a fad?

Shreya says that the human brain is so powerful. “So, if you keep pushing yourself, you can accomplish your goals. I told myself in 2014 that I would establish a morning routine that included getting up, getting ready, and then just leaving my room. Since then, I haven’t missed it “she explains. “It all relies on your mindset and beliefs. So all you have to do now is educate your mind and force yourself to do it.”

How can biohacking be incorporated into daily life, and who should abstain from it?

With technologies like smartwatches, continuous glucose monitoring, health tracking devices, easy access to sophisticated testing, and so on, biohacking is simple for anyone to get into, remarks Supriya. She further continues: “Someone working, for example, may utilise biohacking to figure out when they have the greatest energy and when they have the least energy during the day. We can determine how much sleep we require to be the most creative and productive.”

Supriya further advocates that people who have high anxiety should not get into biohacking. “This is because if you’re tracking a biomarker and it’s out of range, you’ll look up the reasons online and find that there’s a potential you’re suffering from a deadly condition. This can frighten a lot of people, leading to them deteriorating their health as a result of their concern.”

Can biohacking be dangerous if you lack scientific training?

Supriya further points out that individuals who don’t understand, health, nutrition, neuroscience, and brain function should not try biohacking. “We are experimenting with our bodies and without the correct supervision or understanding, it may be harmful.”

Dr Parthvi believes that even silicon valley scientists and common biohackers are ignorant of the advantages and disadvantages. “It would be prudent to wait and see where this goes before attempting various biohacking tactics,” she advises.

Takeaway

Biohacking is typically safe as long as you don’t go too far and follow your doctor’s or specialist’s guidelines. However, be cautious in general. Experimenting on oneself without taking all of the necessary safeguards might lead to undesirable consequences.

What Your Hips Can Tell You About Your Emotions

The Powerful Connection Between Your Hips and Your Emotions

Medically reviewed by Joslyn Jelinek, LCSW — Written by Julianne Ishler on June 17, 2021

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Healthline

Edited for content

Our Takeaways:

· Hip tightness can lead to pelvic floor disorders

· The core muscle often implicated in hip misalignment is the psoas group deep within the core

· Poor posture can lead to emotional stress and fatigue

Perhaps you’ve heard your yoga teacher refer to the hips as the body’s emotional junk drawer.

While folded over in pigeon pose, you may have wondered if there’s any truth to this statement.

It turns out, the answer is pretty incredible.

To get the link between the hips and emotions, understanding the mind-body connection is key.

When you’re stressed, your emotional and physical health can both suffer. People with trauma or other mental health conditions like anxiety and depression often experience physical symptoms as well.

Through it all, there may just be a common link: the hips.

Of course, each body is different. Where one person holds stress in their body may not be exactly the same for another.

However, neuroscience and somatics point to the hips as a potential storage vessel of emotions. They also offer a window into emotional healing. Here’s how.

Getting to know your hips

To look at how the hips can store emotions, it’s important to first understand their function and anatomy.

The hip is the area on each side of the pelvis. The joint itself is one of the largest and most unique joints in the human body, responsible for bearing weight, stabilizing the core, and moving the upper leg.

The tighter your hips are, the less mobility your body has. This can result in pain and hinder daily activities like walking and climbing stairs. Tight hips can also cause an anterior tilt of the pelvis which results in poor posture and misalignment of the head and neck.

This goes to show how important the hips are when it comes to how the entire body functions.

The big story within the hips revolves around the iliopsoas muscle— a deep muscle group located toward the front of the inner hip.

The psoas is the deepest support of our core, according to Martha Eddy, a leading somatic educator, author, and founder of Dynamic Embodiment.

“The pelvis is full of our creative, reproductive organs and contains the centrally located psoas muscle that connects the upper and lower body (the breath and diaphragm to the legs) making the core of our body important both physically and emotionally,” Eddy says.

Many types of pain can be linked to a dormant or tight psoas muscle, especially because it stabilizes the spine and affects posture. In this case, your lumbar spine may lose its natural arch by becoming overly flattened or overly curved.

According to a 2021 study, prolonged sitting is one of the main causes of limited hip extension and the associated pain and discomfort.

In fact, poor posture is linked to depression, fatigue, stress, and headaches.

Stress and the body

Here’s the interesting part: Nestled into the psoas are the kidneys, responsible for filtering toxins in the body, as well as the adrenal glands, which control the fight, flight, or freeze response.

This is how we begin to understand where emotions come into the picture.

The fight, flight, or freeze response is your body’s natural reaction to perceived danger. When you’re under any kind of mental or emotional stress, your psoas muscle responds by tightening.

Eddy notes that even after the stress is gone, the tension may still linger in the body and hip area, contributing to things like headaches and lower back pain.

“When someone is really traumatized, certainly the hips are an area that’s holding it,” Eddy says. “That gut pain and fear make you curl up and hide, so you’re going to be contracted.”

How emotions get stored

Neuroscience also offers a look at how emotions become stored in the body.

In 1985, neuroscientist Candace Pert found Source that small proteins known as neuropeptides activate the circuits linked to emotions.

She famously stated that “your body is your subconscious mind,” and that the physical body can change depending on what we’re feeling.

Pert’s research suggests that emotions are electrochemical signals that carry emotional messages throughout the body. They are then expressed, experienced, and stored within the body and mind.

This can influence activity in the brain and change the cell to either have a positive or negative effect on the body.

Pert’s work proposes that each cell carries a kind of consciousness that stores memories and emotional states.

Current research supports this as well.

A 2021 study noted that cell consciousness can be explained by the presence of nano brains and that cells are “highly sensitive” and respond to sensory stimuli as well as internal and extracellular electromagnetic fields.

The researchers concluded that eukaryotic cells, or the cells that make up plants, animals, fungi, and single-celled organisms, are “cognitive and intentional.”

The link between the emotions and the hips

Because of this research, we can begin to understand the relationship between the emotions and the body.

According to a 2019 study, certain emotions are associated with specific areas of the body. Interestingly, these correlations are universal across cultures and sex assigned at birth.

A 2017 study noted that emotions are associated with specific organs in East Asian medicine. The study also noted that East Asian medicine uses “somatic” language when referring to emotional disorders, while Western medicine prefers “neural” language.

This implies that both lenses may be useful in understanding emotional health.

Considering the psoas link to the fight or flight response, it’s understandable that stress might get “trapped” there.

Furthermore, the hip region is associated with the sacral chakra, an energetic center believed by some to house creative energy and sexuality. It’s also linked to how you relate to your emotions and the emotions of others.

A blocked sacral chakra is said to lead to emotional instability as well as reductions in pleasure. When the hips are tight and contracted, it’s possible that sacral energy that’s not expressed remains stuck.

“Your body is your subconscious mind.”

— Candace Pert, neuroscientist

Ways to release old emotions in the hips

There are several ways to release fear, trauma, and stress associated with tight hips. These include:

  • somatic exercises
  • yoga
  • stretching
  • mind-body practices
  • massage
  • somatic experiencing therapy

Somatic exercises

Somatics offer a way to enhance the mind and body connection.

These body-awareness practices involve focusing on your inner experience as you perform intentional exercises.

Somatic exercises include:

  • rolfing
  • shaking
  • Body-Mind Centering
  • Alexander Technique
  • Feldenkrais Method
  • Laban Movement Analysis

Eddy notes the importance of movement for releasing held emotions. By expanding your internal awareness, you can listen to the cues your body sends about where you may be storing stress or imbalance.

In her work through Dynamic Embodiment, Eddy also focuses on movement as a way to activate the lymphatic system to aid the transit of white blood cells throughout the body.

When it comes to the hips specifically, Eddy says the key is to get the spine moving.

“You want to contract and lengthen [the psoas] and get it moving like an accordion,” Eddy says, emphasizing full body involvement. “Not just with the leg but with the whole spine.”

Eddy notes that African dance is a wonderful way to create fluidity as it involves the movement of the entire spine. She also recommends sideward movements like twists and rotating the body to activate the psoas.

Yoga, stretching, and mind-body practices

Practicing yoga is another way to release tension in the hips and get the full body moving.

Some good options include:

  • sun salutations
  • pelvic stretches
  • hip flexor stretches

The flowing postures and synchronistic breathing of sun salutations help move the spine and open up hip flexors.

In addition, pelvic stretches like a ground bridge with pelvic tilt can be therapeutic if you’re experiencing psoas pain.

There are also plenty of hip flexor stretches and exercises you can add into your daily routine, such as lunges and seated butterfly stretches.

Other practices that can aid releasing tension and increasing the mind-body connection include:

  • qi gong
  • tai chi
  • aikido
  • dance
  • Pilates

Massage the arch of the foot

Eddy notes that the arch of the foot correlates to the psoas muscle in reflexology. You can tell the state of your psoas by observing the arch alone, she says.

“If you’re massaging your foot and this arch in the foot is collapsed, then you might have an overstretched psoas, or if it’s really held tight, you might have a tight psoas,” Eddy says. “Working this lateral arch of the foot in reflexology means you’re going to be working with the lower back or down [in the hips].”

By applying pressure to the arch of the foot, which is where the psoas and adrenal glands spots are located, you can also release some of the tension in your hip area.

Listening to your body

Through somatic experiencing, a type of therapy that emphasizes the mind-body connection, you can learn to notice and make peace with bodily sensations.

Working through the pain and physical symptoms can help you get in touch with their underlying psychological causes.

“That work is embodiment work, it’s where you sense it, you feel it, you then also move from it,” Eddy says. “And then either embracing it, working with it, or negotiating with it to make changes…whatever the cause, it will reveal itself in its deepest level.”

Takeaway

If you experience stress and anxiety regularly, get acquainted with how it feels and where it may be held in your body.

While you might notice and talk about your experience with a mental health professional, it’s another thing to use movement to release stored tension.

The hips are an important storage vessel of emotional stress because of the psoas’ link to the adrenal glands and the location of the sacral chakra.

Next time you’re in yoga class doing hip-opening postures, you might just notice that there’s a lot more going on than just a simple stretch.

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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Medically reviewed by Joslyn Jelinek, LCSW — Written by Julianne Ishler on June 17, 2021

The Best Exercise that Helps to Treat Depression Problems

The Best Exercise that Helps to Treat Depression Problems

This article is a repost which originally appeared on KISSPR

Edited for content.

Choosing exercise to help deal with depression is a great idea. Not only does this discharge feel-good endorphins, but in addition, it allows for social interaction and gives structure to our days.

Exercise is as great for your general mental health as it is for the physical body. Get into routine workout habits when you have conditions like anxiety or depression. Some exercises may conduct an essential part in getting the better of symptoms. The physical and psychological elements of the human body operate hand-in-hand and influence each other also. As soon as we take better care of a single stage of our bodies, we all take better care of the whole system.

How does exercise deal with depression?

High-intensity exercise induces your system to deliver Endorphins instantly, which might help improve our mood degrees. But, low-intensity exercise over the years releases neurotrophic proteins (growth hormones); those enable nerve cells to grow and create new contacts. Scientists have discovered the area which will help improve mood, i.e., along with the hippocampus, is smaller.

Another extra benefit of exercise is that it may help us keep our minds off regular stresses, leading to less anxiety. Exercise can enhance our physical look and also give us a feeling of achievement, improving self-confidence. Explore the best tips from Top Rated Buyer Guides to fight depression and live a healthy and active life.

Best Exercise To Get Fight Depression:-

Going to get a Jog

Runners frequently describe the euphoric feeling. Called a Running has long-term health advantages too, having overcome depression and nervousness. If you can’t run as a result of an injury or other medical problem, look at trying cycling instead.

Yoga

The main health benefit of yoga is It Is, and The action of managing your breathing and ideas during yoga makes it possible to exercise, cleaning out the darker emotions, and focusing on the current. Learning the presents also gives you a feeling of accomplishment and provides you with knew goals to work towards, which will provide you with a feeling of purpose with every excess session. Yoga can also help enhance general sexual function or men’s wellness disease. Fildena 100mg treatment is improving men’s sexual wellness and additionally Super P Force.

Power Training

Going to the lifting weights and fitness centre Might Not Be everybody’s Cup of java, but the gradual process of building strength makes strength training a concrete kind of exercise to exploit discipline and self-control. Strength training is a great discipline for overcoming depression since it’s all about continuous improvement and achieving aims, making for an immensely satisfying experience.

Cardiovascular Exercise

Tasks that increase an individual’s heartbeat are fantastic. Aerobic exercises such as running are so well-known for their effect on an individual’s manner the expression runner’s high is well known. These briefer studies were randomly chosen some individuals to perform aerobic exercise, though other participants received medical attention.

Participants who’d exercised two to 3 times per year a Week were likely to find a decrease in depression signs versus individuals who didn’t have aerobic exercise. There was a more pronounced positive influence once the participants conducted an aerobic exercise 5 times each week. On the other hand, both aerobic bands’ changes were too small to rule out the chance that it was due to opportunity.

Breath pressure off

Studies indicate taking deep breaths in which you exhale more than you inhale the autonomic nervous system.

I’ve understood this workout increase self-esteem, decreases anxiety, and allows you to sleep better. For all those health benefits and lots more, weight training is a superb means that will assist you to decrease depression and anxiety.

Laugh

Experts say bliss may lead to physical changes in your It burns off calories. 1 study from Vanderbilt University allegedly discovered 10-15 minutes of bliss may burn 50 calories. Have a moment each day to check in the grin, mirror, and laugh. Force it in case you must. Just watching yourself will create more laughter!

Rest

Sleep and rest are all depression-prevention pursuits. It will boost your mood, hormones, hunger, and energy level if it is possible to modulate your sleep. “These variables help you’re going to bed at precisely the same time each night, waking up in the same time daily, while it’s a weekday or a weekend.”

Take these measures to encourage sleep quality and diminish Melancholy:

  • Establish a sleeping routine.
  • Sleep in serene, uncluttered surroundings.

If you are a patient of melancholy, it is Vital to Begin any physical action under supervision. Begin a workout regime just following your doctor’s recommendation, and make sure a fitness trainer monitors your regimen and monitors your progress.

Get forward by setting targets –not only physical ones since you Would do if you’re aiming at weight reduction but psychological goals like exercising. Manage yourself if you adhere to Your strategy, so you keep on track. And happier with routine exercise.

 

Sexercise: What is it? Benefits, exercises to try, and more

The benefits of sexercise and how to practice it

Medically reviewed by Janet Brito, Ph.D., LCSW, CST — Written by Zawn Villines on December 13, 2020

This article is a repost which originally appeared on MEDICALNEWSTODAY

Edited for content

Sexercise is exercise to improve sexual performance and function, which may make sex more satisfying for a person and their partner or partners.

Celebrity trainer Jason Rosell coined the term sexercise, using it for a specific set of practices to improve a person’s sexual experience.

Physical fitness can affect sexuality by making sex easier and more comfortable, reducing the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) and arousal issues, and helping people feel more confident in their bodies.

Exercise may also reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, that can cause sexual issues.

A person may use the term sexercise to refer to a wide range of activities, while any exercise specifically to improve sex counts as sexercise.

Benefits of sexual activity for health

Healthful, consensual sexual activity of all varieties can improve health.

Some benefits of sex include:

  • Better heart health: Sex involves exercise, which can improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and decreasing the risk of heart disease. A 2020 study found that, following a heart attack, people who had sex more than once per week had a 27% reduction in their risk of dying.
  • A healthier immune system: Regular sex may boost immunity, reducing a person’s risk of acquiring infections and certain illnesses.
  • Better emotional health: Sex – and the exercise that sex involves – may reduce the risk of depression and anxiety.
  • Better self-esteem: People who have satisfying sex may feel good about themselves.
  • Healthy relationships: A strong, healthy sexual connection with a partner may improve the relationship.
  • Better sleep: Sex may help some people fall asleep faster.
  • Stress management: Sex can be a suitable self-care tool that helps relieve stress.

It is important to note that sex in itself does not necessarily improve health.

Non-consensual, painful, or unpleasant sex may cause severe emotional distress, physical injuries, and other health issues.

Benefits of fitness for sexual performance

Exercise can improve sexual performance in many ways:

  • Reducing ED: In people with penises, regular exercise – especially aerobic exercise such as running or walking – may reduce ED. A 2017 meta-analysis found moderate to high-intensity aerobic exercise provided optimal benefits.
  • Counteracting side effects of certain antidepressants on the libido: A 2013 study of females taking antidepressants found that exercising right before sex improved both arousal and global sexual function.
  • Exercise may reduce the risk of chronic medical conditions: These conditions can interfere with sexual performance. For example, diabetes has links with ED, arousal disorders, and some other sexual issues.
  • Improving sexual function: Certain exercises may strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which a person uses during sex. Kegel exercises can help a person orgasm more easily and help with urine leakage and incontinence.
  • Increasing endurance and strength: This may make certain positions and types of sex easier. More endurance may help a person be less tired during prolonged sex sessions.

Exercises to improve sexual performance

Three categories of exercise can help improve sexual performance:

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise increases the heart rate. It can help a person maintain a moderate weight, improve blood pressure, boost overall physical fitness, and may help with ED and general sexual performance. Some exercises to try include:

  • Swimming: Offers an intense but low-impact workout for people with joint or muscle pain.
  • Walking: An ideal starting exercise for people who struggle with more intense workouts.
  • Intense aerobic exercise: Includes running or jogging, jumping rope, skiing, and using a stair-climber machine.

Pelvic floor exercises

Pelvic floor exercises strengthen the pelvic floor – a group of muscles that support the bladder. These muscles also contract during an orgasm. Try the following to work them:

  • Performing Kegels:
    • Locate the right muscles when urinating.
    • Stop passing urine mid-flow for a few seconds, then start again.
    • Repeat a few times daily.
    • Next, try tensing and releasing the same muscles used to stop urinating several times per day.
    • Work up to tensing the muscles for longer: 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, or longer.
  • Exercising the multifidus of the pelvic floor:
    • Lie on the stomach, face down, with the forehead in the hands.
    • Lift the pelvis slightly back to point the tailbone toward the ceiling.
    • Hold for 5–10 seconds, working up to three sets of 10 repetitions.
  • Performing squats: Squats help strengthen the body, and in high repetitions, they can provide an intense cardio workout. They also help strengthen the abs and pelvic floor. Not everyone can do a squat at first. Try squatting down as much as possible without bending the back or taking the heels off the floor, then build up to deeper squats.

Strength and flexibility training

Improving general strength and flexibility may make certain sexual positions easier and more comfortable. Some options include:

  • Yoga and pilates: Both focus activities on improving flexibility and functional movement. People can even adapt some yoga positions into sex positions.
  • Lifting weights: Try lifting weights to improve the strength of various muscles and muscle groups. For example, a person who wants to lift their partner might try bench presses and other exercises that strengthen the upper body.
  • Bodyweight exercises: A person does not need weights to strengthen their muscles. Bodyweight exercises, such as leg raises, knee tucks, and squats strengthen the core, lower body, and pelvic floor. Pushups, pullups, and dips target the upper body, potentially making certain positions easier.

Sex positions that couples can use as exercise

Every sex position may present an opportunity for exercise if it meets one of two conditions:

  • The speed and intensity of the sexual activity are intense enough to elevate the heart rate.
  • The activity is physically challenging. For example, it requires stretching or involves a person lifting additional weight.

Some examples of specific positions that might help sexual partners get a workout include:

  • Positions that require a partner to fully or partially lift another: For example, a person who wraps their legs around a partner while the partner holds them in a standing position requires both partners to bear extra weight.
  • Positions that increase physical intensity and encourage partners to move more: For example, if a person is up against the wall with their legs wrapped around their partner, and the other partner is holding them, the couple is both supporting weights. They may also have to move more to increase stimulation and adjust the position.
  • Positions that encourage gentle stretching: It is important not to force the body into an uncomfortable position. However, extending the legs over a partner’s shoulders or getting into yoga-like positions may increase the challenge of sexual activity.

Summary

Exercise is great for overall health, including sexual health.

For most people, exercise is a safe way to improve well-being and sexual performance.

However, those who do not exercise should talk with a doctor before beginning a new fitness routine.

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