The importance of slowing down

Using our breathe can completely change the way we experience pleasure.

Sex and self-pleasure can often be goal oriented. This means we often jump into the experience focused on reaching climax, an orgasm. If we really want to, for many individuals, the deed can be complete rather quickly.

But why would you want to minimise the time you spend experiencing pleasure? Why not extend the journey as long as you can? Breath is the formula to slowing down the experience, or propelling it.

Something as simple as breathing can alter our physiology and states of consciousness. Using our breathe can boost our sex lives and self-pleasure practices. For most people, holding their breath and tensing their body appears to be a common response when approaching an orgasm.

Holding the breath may place stress on the body and also limits the amount oxygen moving in the body. These may impact of the quality of your orgasm. Training ourselves to consciously breath during sex and self-pleasure may positively impact on the pleasure experienced by extending and intensifying the orgasm.

Pranayama is an ancient yogic breathing technique used to move energy around the body and to support activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (PSN). Breath can be used to slow down the mind-body and drop into the PSN to induce a relaxed state.  There are many different pranayama techniques they can be used however one of the most common techniques is equally extended inhales and exhales. By inhaling for a count of 5 and exhaling for a count of 5 the body will slow the heartrate, increase oxygen supply at a steady rate and allow for increase sexual arousal. This breathing technique supports the mind-body into a state of relaxation which naturally reduces negative emotions and worries which may subconsciously limit the pleasure experienced during sex and masturbation.

Not only does a slower and deeper breathing has also been found t0 slow down the orgasm and allow the individual to last longer in the bedroom.

We can’t control many of our physiological functions, however we can consciously control our breathe. Conscious breathe is something we can implement within our own self-pleasure practice to enhance pleasure experienced. It has been suggested by researchers that couples breathing can increase intimacy and pleasure when the breath is practiced together.