New Delhi: Did you know? A sound sleep at night of a minimum of 8 hours tends to maintain hormonal balance, reproductive health, and improved fertility outcomes. Here are some of the vital tips to sleep well and keep fertility intact. In an interaction with News9Live, Dr. Varsha Agarwal, Consultant – Fertility & IVF Specialist, Motherhood Fertility & IVF, Noida, spoke about the crucial role of sleep with respect to fertility.
When couples think about fertility, they often focus on diet, exercise, and medical tests. Sleep is not even a part of any conversation. However, sleep is one of the most important and overlooked factors affecting reproductive health. Irregular sleep patterns, late nights, and chronic fatigue can disturb hormones that control ovulation, sperm health, and overall reproductive function. In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, many people underestimate how deeply poor sleep can influence fertility. But it is time to focus on sleep and stay healthy.
The impact of sleep on fertility
Sleep helps regulate key hormones such as melatonin, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These hormones play an important role when it comes to ovulation, menstrual regularity, and sperm production. When sleep is disturbed or too short, hormonal rhythms can become imbalanced. In women, this may lead to irregular periods, delayed ovulation, or difficulty conceiving. In men, lack of sleep can reduce sperm count, motility, and quality, and the couple can struggle to conceive.
Poor sleep also increases stress hormones like cortisol. High stress levels interfere with reproductive hormones and can make conception more challenging. Furthermore, sleep deprivation affects insulin sensitivity and metabolism, which may worsen conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), further impacting fertility. Late-night screen use, irregular work hours, and high stress reduce both sleep quality and duration. Exposure to blue light from phones and laptops suppresses melatonin, a hormone important for sleep and egg quality. Over time, ongoing fatigue can lower energy levels, emotional well-being, and intimacy, indirectly affecting fertility and relationship health.
Adhere to these tips
Get a sound sleep of 8 hours at night, follow the structured sleep routine even on the weekends, limit screen use before hitting the sack, create a calm bedtime routine with reading or relaxation exercises, keep the bedroom dark, quiet, and cool, stay away from caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime, and de-stress by doing yoga, exercise, or meditation. Don’t compromise on your sleep at all.
The last word
Conditions like insomnia, sleep apnea, or anxiety disorders may need professional treatment. Addressing sleep issues early can support both fertility and overall health. Small changes in daily routines can lead to better rest and better reproductive health over time.
Comments are closed.