This might come as a shock to you, but yes, your sleep cycle and pattern influence your fertility directly. Several studies have indicated that a huge number of people are unaware of the connection between fertility and sleep.
While trying to convenience people to focus on exercise, diet, and medical interventions, the most important factors have been overlooked by many. Sleep plays a crucial role, not just in maintaining overall health, but your reproductive health. From controlling hormone regulations to the quality of eggs and sperm, it has significant effects.
This blog will highlight the role of sleep, its impact on reproductive health, and strategies to rest your way to better reproductive health.
Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, luteinizing, and follicle-stimulating hormones are crucial hormones that help in regulating the ovulation period. Proper sleep aids in balancing these. As per the study by Human Reproduction, women with a lack of proper sleep tend to have higher cortisol levels. A high level of cortisol prevents eggs from being released from the ovaries, which directly causes infertility issues.
When it comes to men, testosterone is produced while resting and sleeping. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to a low level of testosterone, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Ovulation is the phase where a woman releases mature eggs for the fertilization process. Irregular or disturbed sleep impacts estrogen and LH, which are important for the ovulation phase. Women with less than 6 hours of sleep experience irregular ovulation than others, and this makes them less predictable to know about the window, causing difficulty in conceiving.
Poor sleep hygiene can cause hormonal imbalance, as melatonin and testosterone are crucial for eggs and sperm. Decrease in these hormones causes oxidative stress, and damages the DNA, resulting in damaged eggs and decreased levels of sperm motility and count. Over time, these cause the issue of infertility, or the reduced chances of successful conception.
Our body’s natural circadian rhythm plays a crucial role in regulating reproductive hormones, which balance ovulation, menstruation, and maintain healthy sperm morphology. Irregular sleep influences the 24-hour internal clock, leading to cognitive issues, daytime alertness, metabolism, and mood. These cause fluctuation of hormones, disturbing the physiological process.
Irregular sleep impacts the immune system, along with the body’s mechanisms, like altered cytokine production, changes in blood vessel function, and increased levels of stress hormones. Chronic inflammation directly impacts the functions of the ovaries, the quality of sperm, and can also cause issues like PCOS and endometriosis.
A couple considers IVF treatment to get the positive results, but they don’t know that their sleeping pattern is impacting their natural process of conceiving, and now IVF. For example, having sleep of less than 7 hours contributed to reduced chances of successful IVF by 15%, as per reputed studies. Some studies also stated that couples who take 7 to 8 hours of sleep on a regular basis have a higher success rate.
It is a condition that causes interruption in breathing while sleeping, and this can have a negative impact on both men and women. It is directly linked to hormonal fluctuations, irregular menstrual cycle, and reduced level of sperm quality because of the reduced testosterone. On the other hand, chronic insomnia is proven to increase cortisol levels in the body to some extent, where men and women experience some drastic changes in the body, like immense hormonal imbalance, irregular periods, etc.
More than 50% of obesity cases occur because of having sleep for less than 5 hours. It increases hunger level, ghrelin, and reduces the level of satiated hormones like leptin, which causes a craving for salty and sugary food. These can compromise egg and sperm quality, trigger PCOS, delay egg maturation, inhibit ovulation, and shift the production of testosterone to estrogen.
It is necessary to take a minimum of 7 to 9 hours of sleep to improve the restorative process of the body, like repair of cells, regulating hormones, and supporting the immune system, potentially improving circadian rhythm.
It is crucial to stick to the plan because following a schedule can create an environment for your mind to be relaxed. Also, your mind and body become habitual to the pattern, and this can help in improving sleep pattern hygiene.
Alcohol is a sedative, and it disturbs sleep architecture, reduces REM sleep, and causes nightmare awakenings. And those who have a sleep disorder, their issues can be increased. While caffeine causes issues with the chemical pattern of sleep.
Melatonin production in the body is dependent on exposure to light, like blue light, which is mainly emitted from electronic devices. Using a phone before bed increases the production of melatonin twice as usual, which delays the process of the circadian rhythm.
Extensive research has been conducted, which shows that yoga does help to improve sleep by 55%. You can either do yoga during the day or evening, or practice specific yoga poses just before bed can help to relax the mind and calm the nervous system, which helps in improving sleep hygiene. Those who have issues of stress and anxiety must practice yoga on a regular basis because it assists in reducing stress and promoting relaxation through breathwork.
Our body’s circadian rhythm is very important to regulate the system and control the production of melatonin. Exposure to natural light signals the mind to wake up and start producing dopamine, histamine, and neuropeptides.
This may sound a little off to you, but this technique is helpful. First, find a comfortable position in which your body freely lies for sleep. Practice a deep breath and close your eyes. Then start scanning your body from head to toe. It is like imagining your whole body rhythm while breathing. If you notice any stiffness or pressure in your body, try to release while exhaling. After practicing for some days, you will feel the calmness in your body.
Whether or not you are trying to conceive naturally or looking for options for fertility treatment, one thing that you need to keep in mind is that having proper sleep is not an option, it’s a mandate for everyone. It should not be neglected, because it has direct as well as indirect impact on the reproductive health of men and women. Try to adopt healthy habits in your life to improve your sleep pattern.
A -well-rested body can do wonders, and underestimating its power can do the reverse. Apart from that, a fertility center like Aveya Fertility Center can help you know more about the link between sleep and the reproductive system. Also, if you are looking for guidance related to reproductive health, then they are the ones. Aveya Fertility Center experts have extensive experience in the fertility field, helping a number of people.