It’s no secret that our sex lives change as we age. Some of us simply stop having it, whereas others try to bring sexy back as our bodies start to age. However, some women are turning to an unlikely source to tighten up their vagina and make it feel virgin again: kegel exercises.
What Are Kegel Exercises?
Your pelvic floor includes a series of muscles and tissues that form a “sling” at the bottom of your pelvis and hold your lower organs in place. Over time, these muscles can weaken and cause a loss of bladder and bowel control. However, kegel exercises can help prevent these and other related health issues.
Typically, kegel exercises involve simple moves that help you practice clench and release actions with the muscles in your pelvic floor. Over time, these movements strengthen your pelvic floor and surrounding areas (like your vagina).
The nice thing about Kegel exercises is that you can perform them anywhere, like your living room or in line at the grocery store. While that may sound a little ridiculous, it’s all in the execution.
How Can I Do Kegel Exercises?
Although you may think that any exercise involving your pelvis and vagina would be inappropriate to do in public, the truth is these exercises are fairly unobtrusive and very easy for anyone to do.
According to Mayo Clinic, kegels are easy to do and just require a few bits of information before you start:
To start, you should try stopping urination midstream or suppress gas so that you can feel which muscles make up your pelvic floor. Once you know which muscles you’ll be exercising, you can move on to visualization.
When beginning kegel exercises, it’s best to visualize a marble or other small object in your pelvic floor. The goal is to “lift” this marble, and you do this by tightening the muscles in that area. Try doing this for just a few seconds, then relax for the same time. You should repeat this tightening and relaxing movement 10 to 15 times and try to do this at least 3 times per day.
You may find that it’s easiest for you to perform this exercise while lying down, but over time you can start doing this exercise in any position. However, it’s important that you do them at a time when you can completely focus on the exercise so that you do not strain other muscles like your abdomen, thighs, or buttocks. Exercising the wrong muscles can negatively impact your pelvic floor and can even cause painful injuries.
What Do Kegels Do For My Vagina?
Although kegels work your pelvic floor muscles, the truth is that the entire vaginal area is a network of muscles, so working out your pelvic floor will in turn also benefit your vagina. In fact, working out your pelvic floor will tighten the vagina because it’s tightening all of the muscles surrounding your vagina, too.
For the most part, tighter vaginal muscles help improve your sex life. In other words, strong pelvic and vaginal muscles help the vagina contract and relax more efficiently, which helps you experience better (and more frequent) orgasms. What’s more, stronger muscles in this area help make sex feel more smooth and provide enhanced lubrication.
For aging women who have already experienced childbirth, kegels can help you avoid pelvic organ prolapse or other age-related conditions that impact your pelvis and vagina. Furthermore, for those who struggle with “leaking” when they cough or sneeze, kegels can do wonders for strengthening your pelvic floor and helping reduce incontinence.
What To Do If Kegels Are Hard
Kegel exercises can be difficult to master at first, so don’t be afraid to consult a doctor or other healthcare provider if you find that it’s hard for you to do the exercises. In some instances, doctors will prescribe vaginal cones or biofeedback to help women work on their pelvic floor muscles. The cones provide something for you to “hold in place” throughout the day, whereas biofeedback helps you and your doctor measure your pelvic floor activity.
Additionally, some women benefit from using a device like the Elvie Trainer Exerciser. This device connects to your smartphone and helps you measure your kegels and provides a better way for you to track your progress.
Sex doesn’t have to suck as we get older, and kegel exercises can help improve the pleasure you and your partner experience during intercourse. So get out there and start exercising those pelvic muscles, ladies!
Previously Published on Moms.com
Feature Image by We-Vibe WOW Tech on Unsplash
