Sexual Pleasure, Health, and Best Practices as per Ayurveda

What does Ayurveda say about Sex?

Sexual health is one of the significant indicators of good physical and mental health. Although we are not taught this in school, according to Ayurveda, the ability to perform sex and having a robust sexual appetite are signs of good health. 

For our bodies to function optimally, the Doshas must be in balance. However, practices like smoking, poor nutrition, insufficient water intake, improper diet, inadequate consumption of healthy oils and fats, and lack of healthy secretions in and out of the body can lead to Dosha imbalance and debility. Such imbalances can cause dryness in the body which further aggravates aging. 

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Here is where sex comes into the picture. Sex promotes the body's health secretions, as it is a form of physical exercise that results in mild or rigorous sweating and, ultimately, orgasm. It promotes liquidity, fluidity, mobility, and healthy secretions. So, experts suggest not enduring a "dry spell" for too long. Pent-up sexual energy needs to be released. 

It is essential to remember that, like all other things, sex should also be enjoyed in moderation and not overused or misused. Also, sex is not a one-stop solution to lifestyle concerns and disorders. Sex should be done per the guidelines in Ayurveda to extract maximum benefits and pleasure.

Also read: Six Effective Ayurveda Herbs for Male Sexual Health and Pleasure

Benefits of Sex as per Ayurveda

Sex promotes good health as well as longevity for both men and women. It serves many additional benefits:

Sex and the Effects of Seasons

Like all other things, sex is also affected by seasonal changes. Vagbhata, the author of Ashtanga Hridayam, written over 2,500 years ago, provides recommendations on how much sex we can have in each season.

Also read: 10 Ayurvedic Strategies for this Pitta Season

These recommendations are based on the principle: of “like increases like” and “opposites decrease.” Just as we sport hats and sip soup in winter to balance the cold and wear shorts and eat salad in summer to balance the heat, we can create a routine with sex that balances the qualities of the season.

During the winter season

A person can indulge in sex daily as much as they like considering the chill in the air during the winter season. Sex helps keep the body warm. Sex can deplete your Ojas (vigor), which is responsible for strength and immunity. Strong ojas support stable bodily tissues, a stable mind, clear consciousness, and better stress resilience. So, if you want a daily sexual practice in the winter, you must have a nourishing, Ojas-building lifestyle. It is advised to use natural aphrodisiacs as ayurvedic herbs and tonics to ensure healthy and pleasurable regular sexual activity. 

During summer and rainy seasons

As per Ashtanga Hridayam, a person can have sex once every two weeks during the summer and rainy seasons. Vaghbata wrote this routine when most people were growing their food. The summer and rainy seasons were crucial in sowing and ensuring an abundant harvest. This activity required a great degree of physical labor, which ultimately meant losing energy, preventing people from having sex. 

However, this recommendation is relevant even today, considering how tiresome the summer and rainy seasons can be in India. During summers, we lose many Ojas due to excessive sweating in the intense heat. And during the rainy season, the Vata is already very active. Ayurveda suggests indulging in cooling practices, sex not being one of them. 

Also read: Five Effective Ayurveda Herbs for Female Sexual Health

During spring and fall seasons

According to Ashtanga Hridayam, the body is medium in strength in the spring and fall seasons, most robust in the winter, and weakest in the summer. This is directly related to the power of Agni, which in turn builds Ojas. So, you can have sex every three days in spring and fall—the moderate times of the year, when the strength of agni and the body are at medium capacity.

The Best Time to Have Sex

As per Ayurveda, nighttime is the ideal and best time for sex instead of morning or noon. Let’s start by understanding that the 24 hours of our day are divided into Vata, Pitta, and Kapha hours that guide our day. 

Kapha: 6 AM to 10 AM and 6 PM to 10 PM

Pitta: 10 AM to 2 PM and 10 PM to 2 AM 

Vata: 2 PM to 6 PM and 2 AM to 6 AM 

Ayurveda advises having sex during the Kapha hours (6 AM to 10 AM and 6 PM to 10 PM) because the body is naturally winding down and preparing for bed. Sex increases secretions and lubrication in the body, which is the primary trait of Kapha Dosha. This leads to laziness and lethargy, making it ideal for the body to rest and ultimately fall asleep. 

Also read: Understanding Kapha Dosha: Symptoms, Body Type, Treatment, Diet and More.

For the same reason, however, sex in the morning is not recommended because it can result in laziness, tiredness, and thus, greater difficulty getting out of bed. This is particularly true of people whose dominant dosha or body constitution 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.

Pre and Post-Sex Regimen

Pre-sex regimen

1. Ensure hygiene and cleanliness: Have sex only when your and your partners’ private parts are clean and healthy. This helps prevent infections and associated complications.
2. Take consent: Always take each other’s consent before engaging in any sexual activity. 
3. Arrange the set-up: Set the mood and calm yourself by taking deep breaths. 
4. Keep it light: Have a light meal 2-3 hours before sex. Avoid having sex on an empty stomach. 

Post-sex regimen   

1. Urinate: Peeing after sex reduces UTIs preventing the spread of bacteria from the rectum.  
2. Wash yourself: Wash your private parts with lukewarm water. There is no need to use a soap/cleanser as the vagina is self-cleansing with an acidic pH that destroys any microorganisms entering it.  
3. Wipe it clean: Wipe with a clean cotton cloth. Leaving the private parts moist can be unhygienic.  
4. Nap or rest: Since sex is physically demanding, taking some rest or nap post-sex is advised. 

Foods for a Healthy Sex Life

A healthy diet could help restore, rejuvenate and develop sexual Dhatu, primarily by ensuring that the ideal weight is maintained. Obesity, lethargy and lack of stamina could all create troubles. It is recommended to have nutrient-dense foods that are easy to digest and aid physical and mental growth.

Also read: Debunking Food Myths that You Still Believe to be True

Eat:

1. Pure milk every day
2. Honey
3. Cow ghee
4. Nourishing nuts like walnuts, almonds, and cashews in appropriate quantities
5. Fresh fruits, particularly sweet ones like bananas
6. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds

Avoid:

1. Excessive salty, sour and spicy food
2. Junk food
3. Sauces like vinegar and chilli
4. Fried food
5. Refined sugar
6. Excessive amounts of citrus fruits

Along with consuming the right foods, lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, following the circadian rhythm and practicing mindfulness are also important. 

Dos and don'ts for a happy and healthy sex life

Dos

1. Sex position: According to Ayurveda, an ideal sex position is where the woman is lying with her face directed upward. This also helps avoid any foreseeable injury. 
2. Have a single partner: Loyalty and faithfulness are crucial to keeping a relationship stable and intact. Ayurveda advises having sex with a committed partner instead of multiple partners to avoid an unprotected energy flow.  
3. Consume B-Feral Gold Malt (for men): This powerful herbal jam boosts men’s sexual stamina, improves immunity and helps overcome the psychological causes of erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation, performance, and stamina. 
4. Consume Nari Sondarya Malt (for women): Amrutam Nari Sondarya Malt improves women’s sexual health by increasing libido, controlling hormonal imbalances, enhancing the mood, reducing stress and anxiety and treating a wide range of gynaecological issues like PCOS, irregular or painful periods, infertility and more. 

Don’ts

1. Engage in non-consensual or violent sex: Ayurveda prohibits engaging in sex of non-consensual or violent nature. This involves attempts at sexual activities by violence, threat or coercion, irrespective of the relationship between partners. Other practices include rape, child abuse, and violent acts that may have long-term implications for one’s health and wellness. 
2. Cheating, adultery or infidelity: According to Ayurveda, loyalty is a Satvik trait. Cheating, adultery, and infidelity increase the 'Rajas guna' in the body. This also causes Vata imbalance. In this context, Rajas can be an individual's motive-driven and self-centered nature.  
3. During pregnancy or immediately after childbirth: Pregnancy and childbirth (up to 3 months in normal delivery and up to 6 months in cesarean section) are phases in a woman's life where Vata dosha gets highly elevated. Sexual activity during these phases may trigger bleeding or alter the Vata dosha present in the uterus. Hence, it is suggested to be avoided.  

4. During menstruation: Ayurveda advises against having sex during periods because it obstructs the flow of Apana Vayu. This will be elaborated more in detail below.  
5. During fasting or on an empty stomach: Fasting or not eating enough aggravates Vata dosha. And since sex is a Vata aggravating activity, it might lead to gas, bloating or constipation when done on an empty stomach. 
6. After a heavy meal: This may sound contradictory, but sex is not advised after a rich meal. After a heavy meal, blood circulation is redirected to the organs of digestion. Hence, the reproductive organs might not get enough blood to sustain an erection. Also, sexual intercourse requires physical labor, which may affect the process of digestion. It is suggested to have sex 2-3 hours after your meal, so the food is digested well. 

Also read: Compatible and Incompatible Food Combinations in Ayurveda 

7. When feeling physically weak or grief-stricken: Grief, anger, and anxiety all increase Vata. Physical debilitation from excessive exercise, sports or gym aggravates Vata and causes weakness in the body. Debilitation due to some diseases like tuberculosis, AIDS, Rheumatic Arthritis, etc. reduces the overall strength of tissues, including the reproductive fluids. It is best to recover fully before having sex. 
8. When there is nature's call: Suppressing the need to eliminate or urinate triggers an altered response to the brain. Keeping the bladder and bowels empty before sexual activity gives more pleasure. Suppressing urination can sometimes lead to peeing during sex.   

9. With children or animals: Sexual activity with children or an animal is unacceptable and also against the law. In almost all cases, it emotionally traumatizes the victim and alters their thought process. Ayurveda prohibits it and firmly believes it to be against the rules of nature.  
10. During festivals and days of religious significance: Ayurveda does not advocate having sex on days of prime significance such as festivals, various eclipses, on a full moon or new moon nights, to name a few. It is believed this could lead to a Doshic imbalance. 
11. Have sex using only sexual organs: Ayurveda believes in having sex using only sexual organs. Thus, oral and anal sex and other similar pleasures are a big No, as per Ayurveda.

Ayurveda’s take on Sex during Periods

Have you ever wondered if it is safe to have sex during periods? Well, here is your answer.

During menstruation, a woman’s body is weak and needs rest. She undergoes the monthly process of cleansing toxins and regaining hormonal balance. It is highly advised that women take ample rest and not engage in physically demanding activities; sex is one of them. 

Also read: Five Ways to Manage PMS-related Mood Swings

This is because, during menstruation, the Apana Vayu or Vata is very active in women. This sub-dosha of Vata is responsible for download or outward movement and aids ejaculation, elimination, urination and menstruation. In simpler words, it directs blood flow outward and downward, ultimately eliminating it from the body. 

During sex, a woman undergoes penetration which obstructs the download movement of the menstrual blood. This vitiates the Apana Vayu and can reverse its flow. This can lead to painful disorders like endometriosis, difficulty conceiving, premature orgasms, and more. Having sex during periods may also cause excess bleeding and create hormonal imbalances.   

Ayurvedic Herbs to Improve Stamina For Last Longer in Bed  

Ashwagandha

Scientifically known as Withania Somnifera, Ashwagandha is one of Ayurveda’s most powerful natural aphrodisiacs. Ashwagandha is derived from Sanskrit works Ashwa meaning ‘Horse’ and Gandha meaning ‘Smell’, suggesting that it confers the strength and virility of a horse. Ashwagandha has many uses as an adaptogenic herb and promotes balance in key body systems, including the endocrine, reproductive, and immune systems and overall energy metabolism.

Shatavari

Known as the queen of herbs, Shatavari is a natural remedy to enhance female libido and fertility. It improves the functioning of the female reproductive system and has been recommended by Ayurveda for all stages of a woman’s reproductive cycle. This powerful herb supports a woman’s natural transitions of menses, ovulation and fertility and aids in childbirth and menopause. Shatavari is also beneficial in dealing with concerns like hot flashes and vaginal dryness. 

Also read: Five Potent Shatavari Recipes for Female Health

Brahmi

It is said that the herb Brahmi was derived from Lord Brahma and represented the creative energy of the earth. A rejuvenating herb for brain and nerve cells, its scientific name is Bacopa Monnieri and it has been used as a ‘brain tonic’ for thousands of years. Brahmi is a natural mood enhancer and has stress-relieving effects. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that protect your immune system helping you achieve balance and optimal health. If you are experiencing difficulties in your sex life due to excess stress or anxiety, consuming Brahmi herb can help you manage your mood and regulate your emotions.  

Shilajit

One of Ayurveda’s most renowned natural ingredients and herbs, Shilajit is the most sought-after herb for male sexual health. Consuming Shilajit is beneficial in increasing libido, improving sperm count and motility, and overall stamina.  A study was done to check the effects of Shilajit on testosterone levels. Men between the age of 45-55 were given Shilajit for 90 days and at the end of the study, the researchers noticed significant changes in the levels of testosterone. When taken moderately, Shilajit herb also improves your ability to last longer in bed. 

Also read: Know Your S's: Sex, Sexual Health and Shilajit

Saffron

Saffron or Kesar is known for its skin-brightening properties and is a popular ingredient in most herbal skincare recipes. But did you know that consuming Saffron or Kesar strands can actually boost your sex life? There is a reason why our elders insisted on drinking spiced turmeric and saffron milk at night before sleeping. Saffron is supremely helpful in improving sexual dysfunction like lethargy or general debility. It adds vigour and bolsters happy hormones in your body aiding in arousal and stamina. 

Consult an Ayurveda Doctor

Imbalances are unique to each person and require customised treatment plans to curb the issue from the root cause fully. We recommend consulting our Ayurveda Doctors at Amrutam.Global who take a collaborative approach to work on your health and wellness with specialised treatment options. Book your consultation here today.