Hear the word “meditation” and your mind probably conjures up images of monks doing what they do best. You know, sitting cross-legged beside a still pond, hands on knees, thumb and forefinger pressing together — that kind of thing. Perhaps for some of the more imaginative of you, that same monk is also levitating a meter or so off the ground, on account of his considerable meditative prowess.
You wouldn’t be wrong in conjuring up this image. Monks and priests of various religious orders have made meditation a part of their daily rituals for thousands of years, and in doing so have no doubt found inner peace. But in recent years the modern Western world has begun to awaken to the idea that meditation doesn’t have to be limited to robed disciples sitting beside tranquil pools in the mountains of some ancient land. Meditation can be employed by anyone, and the benefits it ushers into our lives are far-reaching and profound.
You may be surprised to discover, however, that one of those benefits is better sex. Much better sex. The removal of stress that meditation offers, along with increased mindfulness and a greater connection with your partner, can skyrocket your sex life from mundane to magical. Here’s a more in-depth look into the science behind it.
1. Alleviate stress for better orgasms
In today’s modern world, stress is all too common. Stress is woven into the very fabric of every single day, from the rush to get out the door in the morning, to the chaos and frustration of the morning and afternoon commute, to work, financial, family and social pressures. Most people are subject to elevated stress on a regular basis, to the point where it has become chronic — and chronic stress is deeply damaging to our health.
As most people know, stress triggers the release of the hormone cortisol (commonly known as the “stress hormone”) in the blood. Increased cortisol levels can make it very difficult for females to achieve orgasm and cause erectile dysfunction in men. It makes sense: when you’re body is under stress, it thinks that it is in danger. It would be a little counter-productive for a person to immediately start humping the nearest member of the opposite sex whenever they were being chased by a bear or saber-toothed tiger, so their sex drive is the first thing to go under stress.
If stress is the great constrictor of sex drive, it stands to reason that relaxation is the great amplifier of sexual prowess. For this reason, meditation can be a powerful tool in the bedroom. It calms the mind and relaxes the body, allowing your body to purge the stress-induced cortisol and adrenaline from your veins. It helps you achieve orgasm easier, get larger and more “on-cue” erections, and get far more enjoyment from the act of sexual intercourse.
2. Have more energetic sex
How many times have you used tiredness or lethargy as an excuse for not having sex? You know, when the plan is to have a saucy round of sexy time when the lights go out, but as soon as you get horizontal you just want to sleep? It’s more common than you might think, with a National Sleep Foundation poll finding that 20 percent of respondents had lost interest in sex because they were too sleepy or exhausted.
Luckily, there’s an easy solution. Meditation provides your body and mind with an intense, deep rest which leaves you feeling revived and energized after just ten minutes. This means that a short round of meditation before bed could leave you feeling revved up and ready to rumble between the sheets after the lights go out.
3. Achieve symmetry with your partner
One of the most simple approaches to meditation is to focus on your breathing. One such approach, known as coherence breathing, involves breathing in and out at preset times in order to reach a state of restfulness and calm. Other methods, such as yoga, guided meditation or even intense exercise can help to relax your mind and let your thoughts flow without conscious direction.
Doing this every day, for anything from 10 to 20 minutes, can help to calm your brain and encourage stillness both inside and out. This, in turn, moves you out of that constant stress mode, allowing cortisol and adrenaline levels to retract from your bloodstream and allowing you to concentrate more on the object of your desire. A more still, focused mind means better sex. Much better.
A notable offshoot of this practice is that it dramatically increases the function of mirror neurons between you and your partner. Mirror neurons are curious little guys which allow you to experience different emotions or drivers based on what you see in others. They’re what make you cringe when you see someone in a movie do something embarrassing, and they’re also what turn you on when you see others getting aroused. The fact that meditation increases the function of mirror neurons in your brain means you’ll be more in tune with your sex partner, and you’ll have a whole lot more enjoyable time if they’re also enjoying themselves. It’s a reciprocal arrangement with limitless pleasurable possibilities!
4. Decrease distraction for single-minded passion
We’re constantly being told to learn from our mistakes and plan for the future. The result is that for the majority of Americans, the left side of our brain is considerably more developed than the right. The purpose of our left brain is to consider the events of the past, make plans and take steps for the future. In short, an over-developed left brain means more dwelling in the past and more worrying about the future.
Aside from the fact that this simply adds to the already elevated stress levels in our everyday lives, it also means that we lack the ability to consciously enjoy the present. This has negative connotations for sex, which requires you to be fully engaged in the present moment in order to get the most from it and have the best orgasms.
Meditation works to expand and reinforce the right side of our brain, which is responsible for cultivating that elusive present. Increased length and frequency of meditation mean that your brain can achieve more of a balance between left and right, which allows you to have increased attention and focus on each moment. A distraction-free lover who is dedicated to the task is definitely preferable to someone who is away with the fairies when they’re actually supposed to be focusing their force of will on the person in front of them.
It’s important to remember that certain types of meditation may not be for everyone. For this reason, it’s critical that you shop around and find a meditation strategy which suits you best. There are many tools out there to help you along this path, including easy self-guided meditation apps or classes run by meditation gurus. You’ll be meditating like a pro in no time.
— Liivi Hess
Great sex isn’t the only reason to take up meditation. Here are 7 more reasons why you should give it a go!
