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Why Having Strong Kegel Muscles Improves Mental Health in Women
By Sarah Thomsen
We’ve talked before about the importance of having healthy Kegel muscles in general and how that’s achievable with a simple Kegel routine. But what we didn’t mention is that the benefits of pelvic floor exercises aren’t exclusive to the pelvis area.
As the inevitably linked entities that our bodies are, anything that affects one area will have an impact on the rest of them –whether said impact is positive or negative. Our minds, especially, are the first hand receptors of these impacts, and they will adapt to the methods we decide to keep as routines.
Working towards, and ultimately achieving, strong pelvic floor muscles can ameliorate our mental state by way of association. But to better understand what all of this means, we need to view the actual connection between Kegel muscles and mental health.
Direct correlations between Kegel muscles and Mental Health
The key to really tackle the problem that is altering our pelvis is to spot what is causing the issue and what’s resulting from it. So, to being with, it’s important to understand that the state Kegel muscles are in influences mental health as much as the other way around.
It might sound a little confusing, but fret not; we’ve made sure to explain this in detail.
A weak Pelvic floor weakens the mind
According to some studies, frail pelvic muscles can negatively influence a sane mental state, or heighten the symptoms caused by illnesses such as anxiety.
This is not a shocking fact, considering how physical complications tend to impact our daily lives and our natural development as human beings. Frustration, stress, and sadness can become default emotions as we deal with the fact that our bodies are not working the way they should.
On top of this, we know that talking about our reproductive systems feels shameful due to taboos, adding an extra pressure to the situation.
Mind over matter: How mental state affects Kegel Muscles
As stated above, a weak pelvic floor can cause stress, anxiety and even depression, but can it happen the other way around? Research shows that it definitely can.
Some pelvic dysfunctions and disorders are actually the result of high levels of stress and anxiety; it occurs when people tend to focus the tension on their pelvic muscles by tightening them involuntarily.
We could generally be aware of the physical responses that derive from mental and emotional toll. But things that are so silently linked to areas like our reproductive systems often slip our minds.
Somatic conditions are as real, draining and simply frustrating, as those caused by chemical imbalances or more notorious reasons. Keeping this in mind makes a great difference in terms of our general health.
Strong Kegel muscles equal mental wellbeing
After reviewing all of these connections, we can wholeheartedly affirm that Kegel muscles and mental health have a “symbiotic” type of relationship. But what can we do with this information?
We need to get working on all ends.
Mind and body: Joint training
Learning, or better said, internalizing the idea that our bodies’ systems influence each other is the first step to help them heal and function properly. As soon as we understand one cannot improve if the other is neglected, we need to start taking measures to ensure everything is working properly.
Our minds need to be nurtured as much as our body does, period. In the case of implementing a Kegel routine to strengthen your pelvic floor, it’s especially helpful to a) identify if there’s an underlying mental condition that is causing the problem, or b) if the disrupted mental state derives from an issue with your Kegel muscles.
Whatever the case may be, it’s helpful to consider adding some sort of specialized mental health aid to your already established Kegel routine.
Therapy and overall psychological healing mechanisms could perfectly go hand in hand with your physical Kegel training. Many scholars seem to agree on the fact that women with pelvic floor disorders can benefit from a consistent therapy schedule.
Meditation, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques can also help you decompress and reduce negative effects on your emotional state; these are, of course, personal practices that give you pause and help you balance out your day-to-day life.
You could even implement all of these resources into your life if you feel like it. In the end, what matters is that you take care of your mind and body all the same; the way you ultimately resort to, is in no one else’s hand but yours.
What to expect when you start training: Don't stress, Kegel!
Trying to improve our lifestyle can be frustrating and stressful in itself, so keep in mind one simple principle: take it easy.
We are not machines that can be updated and fixed in a matter of seconds; changes can’t happen unless we are willing to let them advance in time.
In order to obtain the best results when performing your Kegels, you need to start out with a clear, relaxed vision of your own improvement –especially when you’re a newbie.
This may sound easy in theory, but in reality we tend to anticipate results so much, we add unnecessary pressure to the mix.
So how do you do this?
Be kind to yourself and your kegel muscles.
One thing you need to understand is that adding a new routine into your life means adapting to it. It’s normal to have an expectation around long and short-term improvements, but there needs to be patience and dedication for the results to appear.
Because it’s a process, sometimes you won’t even be able to pinpoint the exact moment your body responds to the changes that are being made. You’ll probably notice the changes on your Kegel muscles when they’re most evident, but minor changes might have occurred prior to your realization.
Remember that our bodies need nurturing; think about the meaning of the word “routine”. Constant dedication throughout a period of time is what allows us to really obtain the results we’ve been hoping for.
The last thing you’ll want to do is add more pressure onto yourself. We’ve already established how stress can negatively influence the training process, and that relaxation is the best state to be in while performing your Kegels. So, treat yourself with kindness and work along your personal timing.
Other people’s opinions? Not your problem!
Performing Kegels is all about paying attention to your body, so your personal experience should be free of outside expectations as much as possible.
We’re not saying you shouldn’t talk about Kegel exercises openly, or that a friendly chat about the pelvic floor is out of the question; those are all positive exchanges that we actually encourage.
What we mean by this is that you’ll want to avoid pointless critiques and people who question things just for the sake of it.
No one else gets a say in your life more than you, and if they are trying to, tell them to eff off. If you keep a routine that feels comfortable to you, and if you are experiencing the changes that need to happen, nobody else has the right to an opinion.
Surround yourself with positive influences so that you and your Kegel muscles can thrive!
Here's another blog from our blog hub that talks bout the many benefits pelvic floor exercise provides. Click here to read.
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