To ensure that sleep needs are met, a minimum of 6-7 hours of sleep, but no more than 9 hours, is indicated.
A connection between sleep disturbances and women’s menstrual irregularities, decreased fertility, and ovulatory dysfunction has also been demonstrated by recent studies
Both the quantity and quality of sleep are equally important. The sleeping behavioural pattern in relation to the time of going to bed determines the quality of the sleep. Sleep is crucial for one’s physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing, and sleep disorders are now understood to have a role in a number of illnesses that affect both men and women equally. It is a well-known fact that sleep disturbances, particularly insomnia, have been linked to a number of illnesses, including cancer, depression, anxiety disorders, and cardiovascular disease as well as obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and low immunity. Recent research has also shown a link between sleep disorders and women’s menstrual abnormalities, reduced fertility, and ovulatory dysfunction.
Sleep and Conception
A restful night’s sleep is crucial for treating infertility for a number of reasons. The circadian rhythm is a close link between sleep and reproduction. Melatonin, a vital hormone that the brain releases in reaction to darkness, induces sleep and is in charge of preserving the circadian rhythm of the body. Similar to this, the brain produces reproductive hormones in a rhythmic fashion rather than continuously throughout the day. Therefore, any disruption to circadian rhythm or sleep can affect the hormones’ ability to produce and operate normally. Even a few nights of insufficient sleep can affect how well you can handle stress and how your hormones work. The following are a few ways that sleep deprivation might affect fertility.
Unbalanced Hormones
Getting too little sleep results in insufficient synthesis of some reproductive hormones that support fertility, which has effects beyond how you feel and how productive you are. Ovulation, the initial stage of fertilisation, is significantly influenced by hormones. The truth is that even as we sleep, our bodies continue to function. Some of the important hormones involved in conception, such as oestrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone, are produced by our endocrine system, which controls our hormones, every night (FSH). Lack of sleep can interfere with these hormones, making it harder to conceive naturally. In addition, a hormonal imbalance can cause dramatic mood swings, a decline in libido, and exhaustion, aggravating your issues by interfering with your connection and intimacy with your spouse.
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Egg Quality Drops
The fixation with staying up late and encircling ourselves with technology has a negative influence on both our physical and emotional wellbeing. Your devices’ blue light lowers the melatonin that causes sleep and has an antioxidant impact during ovulation, protecting the eggs. Inadequate melatonin production can consequently result in poor egg quality and reduced fertility.
How much sleep is recommended for optimal health?
A minimum of 6-7 hours of sleep, but no more than 9 hours, is advised to guarantee that sleep needs are met. Additionally harmful to fertility is getting too little sleep. A recent National Sleep Foundation study found that women undergoing IVF who slept seven to eight hours every night had a 25% higher chance of becoming pregnant than those who slept nine hours every night. Less than seven hours of sleep per night reduced pregnancy risk by 15%. Therefore, Dr. Saraf advises that seven to nine hours of sleep each night may be the key to a successful implantation and a safe and healthy pregnancy.
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How to improve your sleeping patterns?
- Keep a regular sleeping schedule: Consistency is necessary for sleep schedule establishment. It has been demonstrated that maintaining a regular sleep schedule, including weekends, involves going to bed and waking up at the same times every night. Avoid taking naps in the late afternoon and just take one hour.
- Exercise: 30 minutes of aerobic activity each day can improve your cardiovascular health and possibly even your ability to fall asleep. Gain some flexibility and cut back on calories during the day to get a good night’s sleep every night.
- Put your smartphone down: Electronic devices’ blue light can prevent our bodies from making melatonin naturally. Resist the impulse to read, finish watching that real crime documentary, or swipe through your smartphone. An hour before night, try shutting off all technology and engaging in relaxing activities like meditation, breathing exercises, bathing, reading, or listening to calming music.
- Environment in the bedroom: A quiet, dark room promotes restful sleep. In the hours before bed, harsh light exposure should be avoided.
- Limit your intake of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine: Caffeine, whether in the form of coffee, tea, caffeinated drinks, or any other form, can make it difficult to fall asleep, even in moderate doses. Additionally, nicotine slows down the onset of sleep by activating the brain in a way that takes hours to get used to. Similar to how alcohol might interfere with sleep during the night.
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