Is There a Right Age to Start Kegel Exercises?
Kegel exercises involve contracting your pelvic floor muscles, which can build up strength over time. There are many benefits of Kegel exercises for women, ranging from heightened sexual pleasure to vaginal health, but at what age should you start?
Women can start practicing this exercise in their twenties and continue it well into their senior years. After all, the sooner that you start practicing Kegel exercises, the sooner you will reap the benefits (and there are lots!). This type of exercise is especially useful for:
- Pregnant and postpartum women. Pregnancy can stretch and loosen the pelvic floor. Performing Kegel exercises during pregnancy and after childbirth helps to maintain pelvic floor support and strengthen these muscles after pregnancy.
- Patients with bladder incontinence. Incontinence is when urine is leaked while laughing, coughing, and sneezing, and it can usually occur from stress. Kegel exercises help to prevent these leaks.
- Young women. Regular Kegel exercises help to keep muscles toned and in good condition, as well as contribute to a more satisfying sexual experience.
Even if none of these situations apply to you, this exercise is a valuable preventative tool with a range of benefits!
Benefits of Practicing Kegel Exercises for Women
- Improves the quality of life. Studies show that urinary incontinence can cause some individuals to become depressed.1 Kegel exercises can prevent regular incontinence incidents, helping the individual to become more confident.
- Heightens sexual pleasure. Toning the pelvic floor muscles can benefit sexual health and arousal. Additionally, you can draw blood flow to the pelvic floor, which is important for arousal.
- Promotes easier childbirth. Research has found that women who have been performing Kegel exercises while pregnant experience an easier labor than those who have not.2 We usually associate these exercises with tightness, meaning a delivery would be more of a struggle. However, these results show that women can be more in control of their body by simply performing the exercise regularly.
How to Do Kegel Exercises
The first step is to identify your pelvic floor muscles. The best way to do this is to imagine you are urinating and that you want to stop the stream of urine. To do this, you will need to contract the muscles. Tighten these muscles but do not tense anything else. If you are doing it correctly, there should be no visible movement of your body lifting. Practice a series of contractions for a couple of minutes, a couple of times a day, holding for five seconds and then releasing. For more detailed information, check out How To Kegel
Many women find it helpful to use a Kegel exerciser like PeriCoach. This is a pelvic floor exerciser that is inserted into the vagina and is paired with your smartphone so that you can see your pelvic floor muscles working in real-time! Women often are not sure they are performing Kegels correctly. PeriCoach alleviates that worry, helping you get your vaginal health back on track to improve your confidence, comfort, and sexual satisfaction. The best pelvic floor trainer for you is only a few clicks away.
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