The Dos + Don'ts of Sexual Well-being: Ayurvedic Insights on Timing, Seasons + Age
Just like in nature, there are seasons where flowers turn into fruits and blossom, and there are seasons where nature rests. This is nature's intelligence, one in which you can follow, so that you’re following the universe’s seasonal rhythm.
Similar to how the study and embodiment of the seasonal knowledge - rtucharya - informs the best dinacharya, or lifestyle practices and diet for each of the seasons for health maintenance, the seasons also inform best practices for health and longevity regarding our sexual behaviour.
So what does Ayurveda have to say about sexual health?
Actually, Ayurveda has a lot to say on the topic of sexual health - referred to as Vajikarana. It’s important for all sexually active adults between roughly the age of 16 - 55 be consuming some form of tonic, or rasayana foods and herbal preparations to nourish the tissues and specifically shukra - your sexual essence.
Following ayurvedic principles around sex and the seasons is about protecting and harnessing your shukra, or innate sexual vitality, which is connected to your immunity. It’s not just about protecting your sexual vitality - Ayurveda guides us on how to safeguard against fatigue and depletion, as well as other signs of sexual imbalances such as erectile dysfunction.
A holistic view of sex in the Ayurvedic perspective takes into consideration the whole - both your inner world, constitution (dosha) and inner season (phase of your menstrual cycle), with the energy of the outer season or environment.
Please use this information as guiding principles. Tune in with yourself, and with your partner to validate and experience Ayurveda’s unique perspective on sex and the seasons for yourself!
Sexuality and Seasonal Cycle
Seasonally, sexual activity is best in the Winter and Spring when Kapha dominates, as during this time your reproductive secretions and the water element is more abundant. These cooler seasons are naturally abundant with kapha energy, which is also a time when nature is enhancing shukra within our vessels. This is also considered the best time to conceive, from an energetic perspective.
The healthiest two seasons of the year are Early and Late winter (from May through til August in Australia), so during these seasons sexual intimacy can be enjoyed daily if desired, and supportive for your overall state of health. This is due to Kapha, or the qualities of earth & water being highest in the body during these seasons.
During the Spring & Autumn seasons when health is moderate, sex can be as frequent as once every few days.
Sexual activity is more depleting in the Summer and Rainy seasons as these are dominant in Pitta & Vata energy which means reproductive vitality is at it’s lowest. During these seasons it’s suggested to engage in sexual intimacy once every two weeks to ensure your sexual essence, or shukra, is not overly depleted.
If you’re having regular sex at ‘inappropriate times’ then it’s definitely recommended to take some tonic, rasayana herbal formulations in higher dosage to support your health maintenance than what is usually recommended for most adults.
Sex And The Moon
Have you noticed your sexual energy and libido changes in relation to the moon cycle?
Sexual energy is generally higher when the moon is waxing than when it’s waning. Your libido or sexual energy is unique to you and can have so many other layers to explore, however if you don’t notice a desire for sexual intimacy anytime throughout your cycle, it could be an indication that your hormones may benefit from some balance. This is of course in the exception for menopausal women and those who are following a spiritual practise, as in both of these situations the life-force will be redirected to other functioning in the body.
As per Ayurveda, sex is not advisable during a woman’s menstrual period as apana vayu is active and is pushing the life-force downwards, so anything that disrupts this flow, tends to aggravate Vata and therefore create imbalances.
Sex & Time of Day
Ayurveda understands that there are different energies predominating at different times of day. You may have heard of this before referred to as The Dosha Clock. This understanding of the day and night-time’s energies can help to inform our lifestyle and activities which are supported at each time of day. The same goes for sex.
Bear in mind, that the best sex happens when we aren’t thinking! Where your mind goes, your energy will flow - so if you are trying to control the circumstances or thinking of ‘rules’ whilst having sex, then it will actually block the natural circulation of energy between you and your partner. I’m sure we’ve all experienced our own version of this in the past..
The most important thing is your mental attitude toward sex, as it is your mind that unbalances your internal energies and hence your doshas. Ultimately, it is your mental attitude which determines if something is an obstacle, not the action itself!
Having said all this, as per ayurveda it is said that sex at night is the least disruptive to your energy. In other words, you loose less energy when you have sex with your partner in the evening.
In addition to the evening being the best time to enjoy sex with your partner, it’s also recommended to wait at least two hours after eating to have sex so that your meal can be properly digested and the sexual activity does not cause indigestion. This means, depending on what time you have dinner, that the best time for sex is roughly between 7.30-10pm.
The second-best time for having sex is the morning time between 6-10am, as it is also a kapha-abundant time of day, as mentioned earlier in understanding sex and the seasonal rhythms.
Sexuality & Age
Yep, you guessed it - there is a natural change in our energies, or doshic influence on us as we age. This means that it’s natural for sexual frequency and desire to change as we age.
There should be no sex when we are children during the Kapha age of life, ideally up until a few years post-puberty or the onset of menstruation for women. However during the transition from Kapha or childhood blossoming into becoming a young woman or a young man can be the time where we enjoy the most frequent sex. This is roughly from the age of 18-25 years old.
During middle-life, during the Pitta age of life we can enjoy moderate frequency, and moving into the Vata phase of life, reduced frequency of sex is considered is a natural consequence of shifting hormones and change in stage of life. Moving fully into the Vata phase of life post-menopause or beyond the age of 70 for men, it’s ideal to abstain to preserve the bodies vital shukra, or sexual essence.
Reference: Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom, Archarya Shunya
Please remember that all of the information shared here is recommended to harness and preserve your sexual essence, or shukra, and this is important not only for your sexual health, but your overall health and immunity, for the long-term. For your longevity!
If you’d like more support with your libido, balancing your hormones in preparation to conceive, or for transitioning menopause - book an Ayurveda Consultation today!