Sleep and Fertility: How Quality Rest Impacts Reproductive Health
Published September 26, 2023.
Getting enough sleep is important at all stages, whether we are trying to conceive or not. During sleep, our bodies work to maintain balance, especially when it comes to our hormones, which is essential for fertility. But it often gets overlooked due to our busy lifestyles.
When we don't prioritize sleep and give our bodies a chance to naturally restore, rebuild, and balance themselves, fertility can become even more challenging.
Averjill Rookwood—full spectrum doula and founder of The Corporate Doula—delves into this, providing insight into how quality rest impacts reproductive health.
The Importance of Sleep for Fertility
We go to bed late, take naps throughout the day, and disrupt our natural 24-hour circadian rhythm. This rhythm helps regulate our hormones and functions based on our sleep patterns.
For example, if our circadian rhythm expects us to sleep from 9 p.m. to 5 or 6 a.m., our body knows when to make or fix certain hormones. Proper sleep is crucial for the balance of hormones, including luteinizing hormone, which is necessary for ovulation and pregnancy.
"Getting eight hours of sleep on most nights is essential, particularly if you're trying to conceive a baby. Although some people believe that 5 or 6 hours of sleep is sufficient, our body does most of its repair work during the final stage of sleep."
The Importance of Prioritizing Rest and Health
Melatonin is a sleep hormone that has a calming effect and helps sleep better. While it's available in different forms like gummies, tablets, drops, and pills, our bodies can produce it naturally if we allow ourselves to enter a state of restorative balance.
Insufficient melatonin levels can lead to restlessness and upset, affecting well-being beyond just sleep quality.
Our health is also influenced by our diet. Eating late at night can disrupt hormone production, which can affect the quality of our sleep. When we don't give our bodies enough time to recover due to lack of sleep and late-night eating, it can have a negative impact on our overall health.
» Find out what the 5 Best Foods to Boost Libido During Ovulation are
The Impact of Work Accessibility on Personal Lives
While many of us try to guard against our jobs intruding into our personal lives, the 24/7 accessibility of work is a new challenge that our parents and grandparents didn't have to face. Today's technology blurs those boundaries.
This constant need to be connected and the fear of missing out, combined with the stress and anxiety of daily job demands, can hinder the restorative benefits of sleep. In turn, chronic anxiety and sleeplessness can deeply affect fertility.
"It has reached a point where I find myself talking to some of my clients who are on vacation, telling them to stay away from their work laptops. I ask them, "Why did you bring it with you? Why are you checking your emails on your phone?"
Creating a Schedule for Rest and Fertility
Establishing boundaries as a couple is an important step, particularly when it comes to balancing work and rest. For example, using a laptop at 11:30 p.m. can disrupt a good night's sleep. Both partners should agree on the same approach and take responsibility for achieving restful sleep as a shared objective.
Let's establish a schedule, nothing too rigid, just a loose plan. For instance:
- When do we plan to have dinner in the evening?
- What time would we like to aim to go to bed?
» Learn more about when and how often to have sex during ovulation
Creating a Restful Bedroom Environment
Before settling in with your favorite TV show or movie, make sure to activate the sleep mode if you plan on falling asleep with the TV on. It's important to set boundaries with technology, so use it to your advantage. However, be sure to establish a cut-off time to prioritize a good night's rest.
"Have you ever thought about the impact of watching the news before going to bed? If the last thing you see or hear is negative news every night, it can be distressing. We should be able to rest peacefully without any stress or worry."
Sleeping Comfortably During Ovulation
It's possible that you experience trouble while sleeping during ovulation, from physical to emotional. For instance, tender breasts can make it uncomfortable to sleep in your usual position, especially if you sleep on your side or stomach.
So, can ovulation make you feel depressed or emotional? Yes, you may experience symptoms, like:
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Irritability
You may need to modify your sleep routine during this week to ensure a good night's rest. Interestingly, this can also be an opportunity to break any negative sleep patterns you may have developed.
"During ovulation, your body is working harder, so it's natural to need some extra sleep. The quality of your sleep during this time should be a priority. It's important to maintain a consistent rhythm and avoid any disruptions."
Do Sleeping Position Affect Implantation?
There may be intimate positions, but there aren't any sleep positions that will make you more or less pregnant.
How to Sleep When Trying to Conceive?
It's always about comfort, and it's not until you are actually pregnant and very far along in your pregnancy that different sleep positions might be suggested because comfort is fleeting. So, you need some assistance in getting to that comfortable sleep. But while you're not pregnant and you're trying to conceive, sleep in whatever position makes you happy.
The Restorative Power of Sleep for Reproductive Health
Our reproductive health is greatly affected by the complex interplay of hormones that are regulated by our circadian rhythm.
When it comes to your reproductive journey, choosing the right tools is crucial for ease of the process. That's why Tempdrop is the perfect choice for you as it comes with a user-friendly interface that offers:
- Continuous Tracking: Equipped with advanced sensors, Tempdrop diligently records your core body temperature all night, capturing the minute shifts that signal ovulation has happened and when your period is on its way.
- Tailored Analysis: Tempdrop's unique algorithm adapts to your individual temperature fluctuations, ensuring disturbances are filtered out and you receive the most precise readings.
- Comprehensive Fertility Insights: By amalgamating temperature data with other fertility indicators, Tempdrop provides a nuanced view of your fertile window.
