Why Sleep Matters And How It Can Affect Your Fertility

It is not alien knowledge for any of us that sleep is a crucial function for the overall well-being of our mental, physical, and emotional health. Too much and too little sleep can have significant negative impacts on the overall health of your body. 

Sleep helps in the restoration and strengthening of the body from the day’s activities. Thus, not getting adequate sleep can be detrimental not only for your mental and physical health but for your fertility health as well. 

Just like the sun and moon cycle that follows a 24-hour routine, research shows that your body functions, too, follow a similar 24-hour pattern through the sleep and wake cycle. The body produces and regulates the secretion of crucial hormones during sleep. Though in most cases, maintaining a healthy sleep cycle can be done easily, some people face difficulties in sleeping due to other underlying reasons, which need to be corrected first to get good sleep.

Disturbances in your sleep cycle can impact several essential elements of your life, like:

• Difficulty in concentrating

• Mood swings

• High blood pressures

• Excessive weight gain

• Difficulty in balancing and coordination

• Negative impact on your libido

• Depression

• Ovulation and conception

Both men and women need to fulfill their daily sleep requirements to protect their bodies from the health risks listed above. Some of these damages could be permanent. You may not see a direct or an evident after-effect of your disturbed sleep cycle. Ailments and diseases may start cropping up only after a while. And so, an essential body function as sleep must not be neglected. 

Let’s see why sleep matters so much and how it can affect your fertility. 

Sleep And Fertility Health

Erratic sleep cycles can be damaging for overall health and fertility, both in men and in women. Not sleeping enough can force your body into stress mode and cause fluctuations in your weight. Moreover, sleep helps in the regulation of crucial hormones like cortisol, insulin, leptin, etc. 

Sleeping involves the same part of the brain that is responsible for releasing your reproductive hormones - cortisol and melatonin. A disturbance in your sleep can lead to significant irregularities in the production and regulation of these hormones. Cortisol, for example, plays a crucial role in your reproduction process. Any change in your cortisol levels due to a lack of sleep can mess with your menstrual cycle and negatively affect your chances of conception. 

FSH or the follicle-stimulating hormone is another crucial element for sperm production in men and proper ovarian function in women. Disruptions in your sleep cycle can lead to insufficient production of this hormone, thereby damaging your sperm count and sperm quality for men and the ovulation process for women. 

In men, testosterone is responsible for maintaining their sex drive. Testosterone production happens mainly at night, during sleep. A broken sleep or insufficient amount of sleep can lower the testosterone levels in your body and therefore, lower your libido. 

Your lack of sleep can lead to mood swings and irritability, which can create a tense environment between you and your partner and lower your drive for sex, thereby reducing your chances of conception.

Several health disorders can result from the lack of a healthy sleep cycle, like diabetes, blood pressure, weight gain, etc., which can all affect your fertility health and reduce your chances to conceive.  

Apart from the amount of sleep you get, your sleep timings, too, play a significant role in your overall well-being and fertility.

How Much Should You Sleep?

For a fully-grown adult, a healthy sleep cycle ranges anywhere between 6 - 9 hours. Sleeping too much or too little are both unhealthy and can affect your fertility. 

A study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation showed that from a group of women, those who maintained a sleep cycle of 7 - 8 hours had 25 percent more successful conception rates compared to those who got 9 hours and more of sleep every night. Those with less than 7 hours of sleep had 15 percent lower success rates. 

How Can You Improve Your Sleep?

• Maintain Sleep Timings
  Try to go to sleep when it’s dark, say around 10 or 11 pm, and wake up when the sun is out, say around 6 or 7 am. This makes it easier to set a definitive sleep routine and also makes it easier for you to go to sleep on time and wake up on time. You can also use black-out curtains to make the room pitch dark.
  
  

• Watch Your Caffeine
  If you’re trying to get pregnant, your caffeine levels must already be in check. However, to improve your sleep cycle, cut off your caffeine at least 4 - 6 hours before you go to bed. Caffeine is a mental stimulant that makes the brain active and you should give the brain some time for the effect to wear off.
  
  

• Indulge In Physical Activities Outdoors
  Going out in the sun is good for your mind and your body. Make sure you step out at least once or a few times in the day to help improve your mental health and sleep quality.
  
  

• Stay Away From Melatonin Supplements
  Do not take any sleep-inducing supplements, even if the label reads “natural ingredients only”. Such supplements can, directly and indirectly, affect your fertility.
  
  

• Be Stress-free
  Keeping a calm mind is very important to get a good night’s sleep. If your mind is filled with thoughts and emotions, you will find it difficult to sleep in peace. Try activities that will help release your stress like meditation, yoga, sports, etc. 

Preparing your body for conception and pregnancy requires a lot of care in several bodily functions and conditions. Sleep is one of the most important ones. 

For more such advice on how best to prepare you and your partner for a baby, visit a fertility clinic. There could be innumerable things you could discover through such consultations. Archish IVF has a panel of doctors and fertility specialists who can guide you through an extensive list of do’s and don’ts to help you welcome your baby in your best health possible - physically, mentally, and emotionally.