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The Link between Sleep and Fertility
Sleep has a major effect on our fertility, both in men and women, and there are several key ways in which our sleep habits have an impact on fertility.
How Sleep Impacts Fertility in Women
- Sleep Duration: Studies have found that women tend to have more difficulty conceiving when they get less than 7 hours of sleep each night. Long-term sleep deprivation can also cause hormone imbalances, which can lead to difficulty conceiving.
- Circadian Rhythm: Keeping a consistent sleep-wake rhythm is important for producing healthy estrogen and progesterone levels. It can be detrimental to fertility if your schedule is always changing and you are not getting a consistent amount of sleep each night.
- Stress: Stress can also have an effect on fertility, as it can cause hormonal imbalances that make it harder to conceive. Poor sleep can lead to higher levels of stress, which can then in turn have an affect on fertility.
How Sleep Impacts Fertility in Men
- Sleep Duration: Just like women, men tend to have more difficulty conceiving if they get less than 7 hours of sleep a night. Studies have found that men who sleep fewer than 5 hours a night are more likely to have fertility issues.
- Testosterone Levels: Sleep deprivation can lead to lower testosterone levels, which can make it harder to conceive.
- Sperm Count: Studies have found that men who get more than 8 hours of sleep per night tend to have higher sperm counts.
In conclusion, sleep plays an important role in both men and women’s fertility. It is important to get a good night’s sleep every night, as doing so can lend itself to greater chances of conception.
