Stress and Fertility How It’s Connected and How to Manage It

Stress is a natural-and totally normal-part of being human and everyone experiences it from time to time. Nevertheless, when it comes to stress and fertility, there is some truth to the idea that too much stress can indirectly impact your conception goals.

Here are a few tips that may help you to manage stress in your life:

1. Stress, lifestyle factors, and infertility

Stress can push people towards unhealthy behaviors that have been proven to affect fertility. For example, when you’re stressed out, you might:

Sleep too long or sleep too little
Have a hard time sticking to healthy eating habits.
Skip your normal exercise or push yourself to exercise too much
Drink too many alcoholic beverages
Smoke (or if you quit smoking, start smoking again)
Drink too much caffeine, especially if you are sleep-deprived
I lose interest in having sex
All of these are habits that can affect your ability to conceive, so it’s worth exploring each one of them.

2. Sleeping

If your work schedule or lifestyle leads to frequent late nights with early wake-up calls, the constant lack of sleep can affect your body and fertility.

Some ways to improve your sleeping habits include:

Creating a bedtime routine and sticking with it.
Avoiding work or checking emails just before sleep
Having a cup of herbal tea right before bed
Avoiding caffeine in the late afternoon and evening.
Keeping your bedroom working- and TV-free

Can’t you sleep because you have too many things on your mind? Try writing in a journal before bed or even just writing out what you need to do the next day.

3. Exercise

Regular exercise is one of the best ways to blow out steam and reduce stress. Exercise not only helps to reduce the presence of adrenaline and cortisol in your body, but it can also help your body produce key endorphins that can help to lift your mood.

Here are some ideas:

Walking, Jogging, or Hiking
Going to swim
Cycling around your neighborhood
Playing a sport such as basketball, soccer, or tennis
dancing or jump rope

If you have never exercised regularly before, don’t feel intimidated! You don’t have to follow a diet fit for an Olympic athlete. Small changes like taking stairs or walking instead of driving can still be a step in the right direction.

4. Yoga

Another research-backed way to reduce stress in your life is to begin practicing yoga. In addition to helping you feel less stressed, yoga also has many other health benefits, including increased strength and flexibility, improved sleep, and improved respiratory and cardiovascular function.

5. Psychotherapy

Remember, there is no shame in seeking out therapeutic help if you feel overcome with stress. It is a valid and normal tool that can help you manage your symptoms better.

There are a number of different kinds of therapies out there that can suit your lifestyle and personality, the most common of which include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and
Psychodynamic Therapy

6. Identify which causes you stress.

So this can be hard to do, but it’s vital to figure out what makes you feel stressed. Once you know what your triggers are, you can start working on avoiding them or managing them in a better way.

7. Make time for yourself

It is essential to take some time each day to do something that you enjoy. So this can be as simple as reading a book, taking a walk or taking a bath.

8. Eat healthy food and exercise.

Eating healthy foods and exercising regularly can help reduce stress levels.

9. Avoid alcohol and drugs.

These substances can increase your pressure levels and make it even more challenging to cope with stress.

10. Talk someone.

Sometimes it can be helpful to talk to someone about what’s causing you stress, and this can be a friend, family member, therapist, or even a hotline!