Get Adequate and High-Quality Sleep

When the body and mind are at complete rest, you are restoring crucial reserves of essential energy. A good night’s sleep can restore vitality and cognitive brain functions, help maintain quality of life and optimal health, and promote fertility. During sleep, the body secretes a number of hormones controlled by the endocrine system. The endocrine system plays a critical role in a woman’s cycle and in regulating ovulation. When your endocrine system malfunctions, your ability to conceive can decrease drastically. Research has shown that working a night shift can cause irregular menstruation in some women. Irregular menstruation is often considered a risk factor for fertility problems. Recent studies found that lack of sleep can significantly elevate stress hormones, cortisol and adrenocorticotropic, both of which can suppress a healthy fertility cycle. My recommendation is that while you are trying to conceive, you should get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. You should also try to avoid working a night shift if possible. If you are having problems sleeping, acupuncture is a natural and effective solution to calm your body by stimulating the central nervous system and increasing the production of endorphins/ (See acupuncture for insomnia.)

Manage Your Stress Level

Both emotional and physical stress can have a profound effect on women’s fertility and pregnancy outcome. Infertility can also have an adverse effect on both mental and physical well-being, leaving us feeling even more helpless. Studies have found that anxiety and depression are more prevalent in infertile women than in those who are fertile. No separation exists between mind, body and spirit. Whatever treats the body helps the mind, and whatever heals the spirit helps restore balance to the physical being. Acupuncture – a holistic method – integrates the body and mind, and has been extremely effective at helping the body deal with stress as well as helping a person get through each day with greater calm and balance. (See Relaxed Conception.) Meditation and yoga are also powerful methods for improving quality of life because they create a deep peacefulness, which can help lower levels of tension and anxiety over infertility.

The new life you are trying to create needs your support – physically, mentally and emotionally. You must make your overall health a priority. By exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and maintaining a positive attitude, you are doing everything you can to allow conception to happen naturally.