Last Updated:- 27th April 2023
Ayurveda and Sex
What does Ayurveda have to say about sex? Is it good or bad? How often should we have it? When should we have sex? What sorts of things can we do to improve our sex life? What specific herbs or remedies improve sexual performance, particularly in mend? Are some people more sexually compatible than others? In this article, we explore these questions and more.
Sex in Ayurveda
Although we are not taught this in school, the ability to perform sex and having a strong sexual appetite are signs of good health, according to Ayurveda. Sex promotes good health as well as longevity. In Ayurveda, one of the main causes of aging is dryness in the body, which may be caused by smoking, poor nutrition, not enough water, improper diet, not enough consumption of healthy oils and fats, and lack of healthy secretions in and out of the body. Sex promote the body's health secretions, as it is a form of physical exercise that results in mild or rigorous sweating and ultimately orgasm.
Sex is a gift we have to stay young by promoting liquidity, fluidity, mobility and healthy secretions. So it is advisable not to endure a "dry spell" for too long. Pent-up sexual energy needs to be released. But, we should also keep in mind that like all other things in life, sex is to be enjoyed in moderation and not overused or misused. There is a time and place for it. There are limits.
Sex is a gift we have to stay young by promoting liquidity, fluidity, mobility and healthy secretions. So it is advisable not to endure a "dry spell" for too long. Pent-up sexual energy needs to be released. But, we should also keep in mind that like all other things in life, sex is to be enjoyed in moderation and not overused or misused. There is a time and place for it. There are limits.
When is the best time to have sex?
In general, the best time to have sex is in the evening, between the hours of 6 pm and 10 pm. This window is the time of Kapha in Ayurveda. It is a time when the body is naturally winding down and preparing for bed. Many people feel naturally sleepy after experiencing an orgasm. This is because orgasm increases Kapha (fluidity, liquidity, secretions) in and of the body, which results in lethargy and tiredness.
Eminent Ayurvedic doctor, Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar, writes the following
"Ayurveda believes that nighttime is the ideal time for sex, rather than the morning and daytime. It also encourages more sex during the colder months of the year rather than during the hotter months, when there’s a greater loss of energy and fluids from the body. Few books on health today dare to talk about sex, which is often relegated to books dedicated solely to the subject. But I bring this up because I want you to keep in mind the value that an active sex life brings to your life, and your ability to achieve and maintain an ideal weight. Just as we need water, food, and oxygen to live, so do we need to practice one of the greatest creative forces through which we can express and share our love." - Tip No. 20 in the 'seminal' book, The Hot Belly Diet
When we perform an any activity that increases Kapha during the hours of Kapha (6 am to 10 am, and 6 pm to 10 pm), the effects of that activity are multiplied. Thus when have sex in the evening, we experience even more Kapha than without having sex. This extra boost of Kapha, generally but not always, helps us to fall sleep and sleep better. For the same reason, however, sex in the morning is not recommended because it can result in laziness and tiredness, and thus greater difficulty getting out of bed. This particularly true of people whose dominant dosha or body consistution is Kapha. A person who is Kapha is generally overweight, loves food, loves sweets, loves dairy, has a slow metabolism, has great difficulty losing weight, and loves sex. People who are Kapha by nature should avoid sex in the morning.
Eminent Ayurvedic doctor, Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar, writes the following
"Ayurveda believes that nighttime is the ideal time for sex, rather than the morning and daytime. It also encourages more sex during the colder months of the year rather than during the hotter months, when there’s a greater loss of energy and fluids from the body. Few books on health today dare to talk about sex, which is often relegated to books dedicated solely to the subject. But I bring this up because I want you to keep in mind the value that an active sex life brings to your life, and your ability to achieve and maintain an ideal weight. Just as we need water, food, and oxygen to live, so do we need to practice one of the greatest creative forces through which we can express and share our love." - Tip No. 20 in the 'seminal' book, The Hot Belly Diet
When we perform an any activity that increases Kapha during the hours of Kapha (6 am to 10 am, and 6 pm to 10 pm), the effects of that activity are multiplied. Thus when have sex in the evening, we experience even more Kapha than without having sex. This extra boost of Kapha, generally but not always, helps us to fall sleep and sleep better. For the same reason, however, sex in the morning is not recommended because it can result in laziness and tiredness, and thus greater difficulty getting out of bed. This particularly true of people whose dominant dosha or body consistution is Kapha. A person who is Kapha is generally overweight, loves food, loves sweets, loves dairy, has a slow metabolism, has great difficulty losing weight, and loves sex. People who are Kapha by nature should avoid sex in the morning.
Is morning sex good or bad?
To some extent, we have already answered this question about. However, let us consider the effect of sex on the doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha.
If the sex is vigorous, that is, it involves a lot of physical movement, then the sex is equivalent to physical exercise, which increases vata (the air principle) in the body. This may be a good thing, as Ayurveda encourages us to exercise in the morning, between 6 am and 10 am, in order to weaken the grip of kapha (the water principle). Too much kapha can result in tiredness, laziness, and lethargy, and so it is best to exercise or have rigorous sex in the morning, in order to counteract kapha. This may run counter to conventional lines of thought in Ayurveda (as reflected above in Dr. Suhas's commentary), but at the end of the day, we must use our mind in such a way so as to deploy energy in a way that benefits us and enables us to take advantage of (a) nature's rhythms and cycles and (b) our inherent capacity, strength and urge to perform.
For men, it may be particularly enabling to have sex around 5:00 am or 5:00 pm, for the simple reason that vata is at its peak at those points in the day. Vata increases the flow of blood to the penis and, therefore, a man's erection is likely to be strongest during the time of vata, i.e. between 2:00 am and 6:00 am in the morning and between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm in the late afternoon. This is consistent also with modern medical research, which has shown that cardiovascular strength peaks around 5:00 pm, and so this is the best hour for cardio exercise. For a woman that expects her man to perform well during sex, it helps to understand how vata works and accordingly initiate sex at the right hour.
If the sex is vigorous, that is, it involves a lot of physical movement, then the sex is equivalent to physical exercise, which increases vata (the air principle) in the body. This may be a good thing, as Ayurveda encourages us to exercise in the morning, between 6 am and 10 am, in order to weaken the grip of kapha (the water principle). Too much kapha can result in tiredness, laziness, and lethargy, and so it is best to exercise or have rigorous sex in the morning, in order to counteract kapha. This may run counter to conventional lines of thought in Ayurveda (as reflected above in Dr. Suhas's commentary), but at the end of the day, we must use our mind in such a way so as to deploy energy in a way that benefits us and enables us to take advantage of (a) nature's rhythms and cycles and (b) our inherent capacity, strength and urge to perform.
For men, it may be particularly enabling to have sex around 5:00 am or 5:00 pm, for the simple reason that vata is at its peak at those points in the day. Vata increases the flow of blood to the penis and, therefore, a man's erection is likely to be strongest during the time of vata, i.e. between 2:00 am and 6:00 am in the morning and between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm in the late afternoon. This is consistent also with modern medical research, which has shown that cardiovascular strength peaks around 5:00 pm, and so this is the best hour for cardio exercise. For a woman that expects her man to perform well during sex, it helps to understand how vata works and accordingly initiate sex at the right hour.
Should you have sex during Panchakarma?
To the best of my knowledge, there is no rule in Ayurveda that says one should not have sex during panchakarma. However, the timing of sex, the amount of sex, and the vigour and rigour of sex are all things to be considered if desiring to have sex during panchakarma.
During panchakarma, particularly during snehapana (ghee drinking) and virechana (purgation), any kind of rigorous physical activity is strongly discouraged. These are times when the body needs to rest and use its resources for the detoxification process. Another time to avoid sex is right after having an internal basti (medicated enema) because again the body needs rest and may be prone to involuntary excretions (from the anus) that may make sex unpleasant.
Finally, morning and daytime sex should be avoided during panchakarma, as these activities increase kapha (tiredness), which is to be avoided during panchakarma, insofar as possible.
During panchakarma, particularly during snehapana (ghee drinking) and virechana (purgation), any kind of rigorous physical activity is strongly discouraged. These are times when the body needs to rest and use its resources for the detoxification process. Another time to avoid sex is right after having an internal basti (medicated enema) because again the body needs rest and may be prone to involuntary excretions (from the anus) that may make sex unpleasant.
Finally, morning and daytime sex should be avoided during panchakarma, as these activities increase kapha (tiredness), which is to be avoided during panchakarma, insofar as possible.
Can Yoga really help in improving sex life?
In The Hot Belly Diet, Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar writes, "I should also point out the sexual benefits that yoga can provide. Multiple studies have shown that yoga can prompt an increase in sex hormones. Which probably explains why recent studies in India looking at married couples who took up yoga revealed that, across the board, they experienced a improvement in desire, arousal, orgasm, and overall satisfaction."
See also: Wellness Resorts for Couples
It depends. Let us consider the effect of sex on the doshas. If the sex is vigorous, that is, it involves a lot of physical movement, then the sex is equivalent to physical exercise, which increases vata (the air principle) in the body. This may be a good thing, as Ayurveda encourages us to exercise in the morning, between 6 am and 10 am, in order to weaken the grip of kapha (the water principle). Too much kapha can result in tiredness, laziness, and lethargy, and so it is best to exercise or have rigorous sex in the morning, in order to counteract kapha. This may run counter to conventional lines of thought in Ayurveda (as reflected above in Dr. Suhas's commentary), but at the end of the day, we must use our mind in such a way so as to deploy energy in a way that benefits us and enables us to take advantage of (a) nature's rhythms and cycles and (b) our inherent capacity, strength and urge to perform.
For men, it may be particularly enabling to have sex around 5:00 am or 5:00 pm, for the simple reason that vata is at its peak at those points in the day. Vata increases the flow of blood to the penis and, therefore, a man's erection is likely to be strongest during the time of vata, i.e. between 2:00 am and 6:00 am in the morning and between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm in the late afternoon. This is consistent also with modern medical research, which has shown that cardiovascular strength peaks around 5:00 pm, and so this is the best hour for cardio exercise. For a woman that expects her man to perform well during sex, it helps to understand how vata works and accordingly initiate sex at the right hour.
See also: Wellness Resorts for Couples
It depends. Let us consider the effect of sex on the doshas. If the sex is vigorous, that is, it involves a lot of physical movement, then the sex is equivalent to physical exercise, which increases vata (the air principle) in the body. This may be a good thing, as Ayurveda encourages us to exercise in the morning, between 6 am and 10 am, in order to weaken the grip of kapha (the water principle). Too much kapha can result in tiredness, laziness, and lethargy, and so it is best to exercise or have rigorous sex in the morning, in order to counteract kapha. This may run counter to conventional lines of thought in Ayurveda (as reflected above in Dr. Suhas's commentary), but at the end of the day, we must use our mind in such a way so as to deploy energy in a way that benefits us and enables us to take advantage of (a) nature's rhythms and cycles and (b) our inherent capacity, strength and urge to perform.
For men, it may be particularly enabling to have sex around 5:00 am or 5:00 pm, for the simple reason that vata is at its peak at those points in the day. Vata increases the flow of blood to the penis and, therefore, a man's erection is likely to be strongest during the time of vata, i.e. between 2:00 am and 6:00 am in the morning and between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm in the late afternoon. This is consistent also with modern medical research, which has shown that cardiovascular strength peaks around 5:00 pm, and so this is the best hour for cardio exercise. For a woman that expects her man to perform well during sex, it helps to understand how vata works and accordingly initiate sex at the right hour.
How to Practice Sex Yoga
To practice sex yoga, it is important to have an open mind and be willing to explore new experiences with your partner. Start by practicing traditional yoga poses together and gradually introduce sexual positions into your practice. Remember to communicate with your partner and listen to their needs and desires.
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