Impact of Sleep on Fertility

Sleep and sleep disturbances are increasingly recognized as the most important factor for infertility, particularly in the context of menstruation and pregnancy.

But in terms of fertility in particular, the factors that are barely known are sleep quality and quantity. That is to what degree and by what mechanisms sleep disturbances are related to fertility. So, the relationship between sleep and fertility is unknown. 

Role of sleep in our life

Sleep plays an important role in our lives, affecting the quality of living, overall health, including hormonal health, physical and mental health, as well as fertility. Getting a good night's sleep helps refresh and restore your brain and organ systems and helps maintain the right hormonal balance in the body.

Lack of sleep affects fertility-related hormones

According to a research, one-third of the population of the developed countries are not getting proper sleep. If you are one of them and are also concerned about your fertility. then the information below may surprise you:

-In both females and males the part of the brain that regulates the sleep-wake hormones also triggers the release of reproductive hormones.

-Secondly, the hormones that trigger ovulation are also related to sleep-wake hormones. For example, if you are a woman, then long-term sleep deprivation can affect your fertility hormones, such as as LH (luteinizing hormone).

What else?

Long-term or chronic sleep deprivation can affect more than the fertility hormones in other indirect ways as discussed below:

Making you irritable and moody

With time, this will disrupt your relationship with your partner and thus, provide you with lesser opportunities to get pregnant.

Increase the risk of diseases that can affect your fertility

These include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Guidelines to follow:

1) Honor your personal needs. Although 8 hours are sufficient for adults, the figure varies from person to person and age.

2) Getting out every day is good for your health, at least for an hour. Split it up if you could not. Then break the time a few minutes for a morning walk or just in the evening, walking with your dog in the neighborhood.

3) Stop working odd hours. This will help your body maintain a healthy pattern and help you to meet your sleep requirements easily. Working at night or night shifts can have an impact on fertility as per a report.

4) Try to follow the same time table every day as to go to bed at the same time daily and waking up in the morning at the same time so that your body gets used to it and feels relaxed.

5) Before bed, stop reading books, watching movies or anything that can disturb your mind. Instead, try to relax your mind so that you can have a good sleep. Adopt relaxing habits such as a massage from your partner or spiritual exercises.

6) Try dimming out the lights or use less light to make your body relaxed and have a good sleep.

7) Keep a time difference between alcohol or caffeine intake and sleep. Once you are trying to become a mom, you need to avoid these habits but if you do occasionally then make a difference of at least 5 hours before going to bed.

Fertility and sleep are interconnected as proved by many types of research but it is not necessarily the lack of sleep that is the reason behind infertility. So, better to go for other investigations and also follow your instincts, as it won't lie to you at all.

Disclaimer : Content presented here is for information purposes only, please consult with your doctor for any health queries

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