Enhance your intimate wellbeing with pelvic floor exercises

Why is intimate wellbeing important for your health?

It's obvious that the way we feel about ourselves, our partners, and our intimate relationships have a profound impact on our moods. The bonds we create with those around us are so important and play such a big role in our lives, that in fact one study (that lasted over 40 years!) showed that intimacy and how we feel about being intimate is a key player for overall general health. Our “intimate wellbeing” refers to how close we feel to our partners. Physical intimacy is directly related to sexual wellbeing, and we all want to have a satisfying and fulfilling sex life with the one that we love. And this strong bond and feelings of closeness and intimacy will trickle down to other parts of our lives, as well. It’s so important to make sure our body is ready and willing to participate, and we don’t have any physical hindrances that are prohibiting us from living our best lives.

How is pelvic floor muscle function related to improved satisfaction with sex?

The Pelvic Floor muscles are a basket of muscles that sit like a hammock at the bottom of the pelvis. They attach from side to side (sit bone to sit bone), and front to back (pubic bone to tailbone). One of the main functions of the pelvic floor is to aid in sexual response: they help with the rhythmic contraction of orgasm, help keep the clitoris engorged when aroused, and also have to lengthen and soften to allow vaginal or anal penetration. If there are any problems with the muscles doing their job, sex can be painful, not as enjoyable, fear inducing, and can contribute to feelings of disconnect and isolation. The pelvic floor muscles play a large role in a healthy sex life, and it’s so important to make sure they are working properly!

How do Kegel exercises benefit my intimate life?

Kegel exercises focus on proper control, strength, and coordination of the pelvic floor muscles. Intimate wellbeing can improve when our pelvic floor muscles improve, therefore making sex more pleasurable and fun! Studies show that when there are changes in pelvic floor muscle function, our sexual response follows suit, either positive or negative. For some women, pelvic floor exercises, like Kegels, have been shown to improve their sexual satisfaction, especially after having a baby.

What are the Kegel exercises to enhance intimate satisfaction?

Doing Kegel exercises correctly are hard! It’s tricky to identify the correct muscles, since we can’t see them and probably haven’t paid close attention to them before. Think about trying to stop urine, hold in gas, and lift your pelvic muscles up towards your head. Don’t hold your breath, squeeze your butt, or clench your thighs or tummy muscles. Sometimes it’s easier to find these muscles if you start lying down or sitting. Try to exhale slowly while lifting the muscles, and inhale when you are releasing them. Try and hold for a few seconds, then slowly build up your tolerance.

Perifit keeps your pelvic floor strong

Perifit was created to give you instant feedback about your pelvic floor, if you are doing them correctly, and how your training is going. It’s a fun and easy app that gives you visual information about your pelvic floor, what progress you are making, and tells you exactly how to train your pelvic floor. You get to work on your pelvic floor at home, with fun games, and see results that make a difference in your overall pelvic health and sexual wellbeing. Stop the guesswork of pelvic floor exercises, and use something that is comfortable, easy, and fun. You deserve it.

Article written by
Marcy Crouch, PT, DPT, WCS

Board Certified in Women's Health Physical Therapy

Creator and founder of The DT Method™️: The Standard for Birth Prep & PostPartum Recovery
@thedowntheredoc

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References:

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