Human bodies are complex, and so many things about them can affect your fertility. One of the areas you might not have considered is lack of sleep. When you’re sleeping your body is doing important things to strengthen and maintain itself, and so is your mind. Nearly every aspect of your overall health can be affected by a lack of sleep, and that definitely includes fertility.
There are several ways that missing out on sleep can have a negative impact on fertility. It has an effect on your overall health, and better health means a better chance to conceive. But that’s not the only way sleep and fertility are intertwined. Another big correlation exists between how much sleep you get and the way your body produces hormones.
Not getting enough sleep can throw the balance of hormones off, meaning your body will create too much of some types of hormones and not enough of others. The sleep-wake hormones are regulated by the same part of the brain as reproductive hormones.
If you’re sleep-deprived your body will make more cortisol, which is a stress hormone. Too much cortisol is bad for your health as a whole, but it also affects testosterone and estrogen. Additionally, the sleep-wake cycle may be tied to ovulation triggers, so you might skip ovulation if you’re too stressed or tired.
Along with all of those concerns, being sleep-deprived means you may be irritable and just not feel well, which can mean fewer opportunities to conceive. Because problems with sleep can lead to conditions like diabetes and heart disease, you could be setting yourself up for more risk factors and fertility struggles by not sleeping enough.
The risks of not getting enough sleep aren’t just issues for women, either, as poor sleep has been linked to lower sperm quality and chronic diseases in men, too. No matter your gender, or where you are in your fertility journey, get some sleep!
What truly sets our San Diego fertility center apart is a nurturing environment with the most- advanced, innovative IVF clinic. Our fertility team believes that you deserve the very best, so we spare no expense when it comes to leading-edge IVF technology and fertility treatment. Please contact us today to book your complimentary virtual consultation!
