Kegel Exercises and Menopause: A Complete Guide
Kegel exercises may be familiar to you already, at least in theory, but if you are at or nearing menopause, it really is time to get working those pelvic floor muscles. Age and dropping estrogen levels can wreak havoc on that all important muscle group and if you are now a member of the ‘pee when you sneeze’ club, you will know what I mean.
The pelvic floor muscles play a crucial roll in your body but can become thinner and dryer as our estrogen drops. When those muscles are weak, you may experience symptoms such as.
- Incontinence (accidental peeing)
- Pelvic organ prolapse (when an organ slips down from its usual position in the body)
- Discomfort during penetration
- Difficulty in reaching orgasm
Let’s look at how to do Kegels properly and at the end we have some suggestions for fantastic, tried and true products that may help to make your pelvic floor exercises easier and, dare we say, more enjoyable.
START BY ISOLATING YOUR PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES
What’s the point of doing Kegel exercises if you’re not using the correct muscles? To figure out what exactly you’re looking for, try these tips.
- Try to stop yourself peeing mid-stream. Those are your pelvic floor muscles. DON’T use this method to exercise them, however. It can lead to bladder issues.
- Find the muscles that you use to stop from passing gas – don’t pretend you don’t know what we’re talking about!
- Remember that you should have a feeling of pulling up, rather than bearing down as you would for a bowel movement.
- While sitting, envision sitting on a marble and trying to pick it up with your pelvic floor muscles
- Make sure all your other muscles are relaxed – your thighs, stomach and buttocks should still be unmoving
- Put a finger in your vagina. You should feel some contracting of the vagina.
- Keep a hand on your stomach to make sure you’re not engaging your stomach muscles
HOW TO DO KEGEL EXERCISES
- Start by laying down so you can really get the feel for what you’re doing. You can work up to sitting or standing once you are more comfortable isolating the correct muscles.
- Contract your muscles 3 to 5 seconds
- Relax 3 to 5 seconds
- Repeat this cycle 10 times
- Add 1 second each week, working your way up to holding then relaxing for 10 seconds at a time
- Work your way up to 30 to 40 repetitions throughout the day.
- Make it a part of your daily routine.
- For a challenge or to monitor your progress, you can download Kegel exercise apps or try vaginal Kegel balls and exercisers.
SOME OF BETTY’S FAVORITE KEGEL EXERCISERS
If you need that extra motivation and guidance with your Kegel exercises, there are hundreds of devices on the market to help you along. The variety is confusing, but the basic idea is always the same: holding something in your vagina which you can contract around. These devices can be incredibly helpful if you’re having trouble isolating the correct muscles or if you want to have something you can work against to know you’re doing the exercises correctly.
The other tremendous bonus of a Kegel exercise device is that it can stimulate your g-spot as well as all those sensitive tissues internally, so it can be incredibly arousing as well as beneficial.
Here are a few of Betty’s favorites you can consider if you want to try some Kegel exercisers.
Wellness Kegel Ball Training Kit
With 6 differently weighted balls and 2 options for straps, this set is a fantastic and affordable introduction to Kegel exercises You can wear one ball or a set of balls as you work your way up and each strap has a handy pull cord make of stretchy silicone for easy retrieval.
Fantasy For Her Train-Her 3 Piece Silicone Kegel Trainer Set
This set is the ultimate in simplicity for a beginner. The shape makes them easy to insert and each color is a different weight. They are sleek, one-piece ovals with a silicone retrieval cord and couldn’t be easier to use.
Wristband Remote Silicone Remote Control Vibrating Kegel System
This system is great if you want some vibration with your exercises. The bonus of vibration is that it can help stimulate the delicate tissues and muscles internally to get that blood really flowing. It also feels amazing against your g-spot. This set has a remote control that looks like a sports watch so you can do your Kegel exercises by day and indulge in some date night naughty fun time in the evening as well.
kGoal Smart App Compatible Interactive Kegel Trainer
If you love tech and want accountability in your Kegel Exercises, the kGoal may be for you. This interactive system has a free app that gives you guidance, tracking, biofeedback, and games while you exercise. It also has an adjustable inner portion for ultimate comfort.
If you want to see more of our Kegel exercisers, please click the image below
