Nov 9, 2020
Today we dive in talking about the most free resource there is to not only improve your chance to conceive, but just improve your health in general...ESPECIALLY if you are having hormone issues. You might’ve guessed it..sleep! Discussing sleep as a health intervention is so under-appreciated because it’s not glamorous and businesses can’t make a profit off of marketing it by itself. BUT- it is so crucial for our body’s everyday demands - digestion, hormone control, stress balance, appetite, and so much more.
Although there is limited research on sleep for fertility specifically, we do discuss one NIH review on sleep hygiene for fertility. Sleep hygiene is directly controlled by the HPA axis, which is comprised of your hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands. These glands basically control your brain/body response to stress and rest. This article discusses primarily that if one area within your HPA axis is out of whack, it can directly influence your sleep quality. The second pathway that this article discusses is how your sleep hygiene can be negatively influence your sleep duration. The third pathway is disruption in your circadian rhythm - or your body’s alarm clock.
The most significant factor that is derived from poor sleep is lack of production of fertility hormones. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body does not produce enough of some hormones and so much of others. The same part of your brain that’s responsible for sleep/appetite hormones is the same place that produces fertility hormones, which is why it’s so important to not neglect sleep habits when considering fertility probability.
But how much sleep is good sleep? One study found that women who were undergoing IVF and had between 7-8 but no more than 9 hours of sleep consistently had the highest chance of having a successful IVF cycle. In this episode, we talk about how you know you actually got a good night’s sleep, and below are some tips that we discuss that will enhance your sleep:
Start with whatever in this episode sounds do-able for YOU! This should be personalized and what you think is a priority - where you really had your “AHA!” moment... and then if you feel ready, continue to work through the list. We hope you enjoy this episode!