Do stress and infertility linked together?
You just got home from an exhausting day of work. No amount of filing, typing, etc can ever complete your day of work and deadlines are looming.
Back home, the spouse beckons you into the bedroom with a finger and an impish smile. Yet you’d rather just slouch on the couch with a cold beer in hand because you know nothing is going to happen tonight in there as your exhaustion has taken over and you’ve been facing an infertile wall for a while.
Could there be a link between your level of stress and the infertility you are facing?
Talaan ng Nilalaman
What is infertility?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infertility is a disease of the reproductive system of both men and women. It is defined as not having a baby after 12 months of trying to have a baby through unprotected sexual intercourse. Many people are affected by infertility and has a big impact on different families and communities.
For men, a low sperm count and unhealthy sperm can be called out as infertile. While for women, hormonal imbalances or different conditions such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and more can lead to difficulty in bearing a child.
Meaning of stress
Stress is normal for every human being, according to Cleveland Clinic our body is designed to feel and experience stress and respond to it. You can experience stress when there are challenges that you are facing in your life.
Stress and Infertility | Image from Image by DCStudio on Freepik
Actually, stress can be positive, it keeps us motivated and alert. Meanwhile, it becomes a problem when we keep having stressors or triggers to our stress without pause and a period of relief and relaxation.
Usually, we work Monday to Friday and sometimes we also in weekends and we don’t have time to unwind and relax from a stressful week. Having a pause on work or the things that make stressed can have a big help in handling it.
But how does stress affect the fertility of both men and women?
How does stress affect fertility?
Even doctors are looking to see if there is a link. Nothing concrete has been proven yet but more studies are being done.
“It’s becoming more and more important, in terms of what studies we do, to focus our efforts on the physiological effects of stress and how they may play a role in conception,” says Margareta D. Pisarska, MD, co-director of Centre for Reproductive Medicine at Cedars Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles and editor-in-chief of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine News.
It is possible that stress might be a factor that is causing infertility as it reduces the sperm count in men and upsets the ovulation process in women. But, could it be vice versa? Could infertility be causing you stress?
If you’ve been trying for the last few months but still getting negative results, that can put a damper on things in life. Try not to let it get to you or it can escalate into depression and anxiety.
Image from Image by jcomp on Freepik
In another hand, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine stated,
“Even though infertility is very stressful, there isn’t any proof that stress causes infertility.”
It discusses that moderate stress that women are experiencing has no negative effect on those females that are trying to conceive.
A study from 2018 by the Boston University School of Public Health, found that women who have high level experienced perceived stress and lower levels of fertility than those women that have less stress. And some studies suggest that if one partner is more stressed than the other it is more hard to have a conception.
Have a chat with the old girl. She might be stressed out as well over this infertility business. Have some light music, some fine wine and talk to her about your problems. You do not have to suffer from infertility in silence.
With the way the economy is taking a bad turn at events, it’s no wonder you’re stressed. Try the tips below to unwind and remember, infertility can cause stress, and stress might be causing infertility but there is nothing that says you can’t break that pattern!
8 tips to reduce stress
1. Acupuncture
This helps greatly in calming yourself and also works on your fertility.
2. Exercise
Get out there and do some jogging but don’t overdo it. Top this up with a balanced diet.
3. Sleep
Get your 8 hours and try to sneak in a power nap if possible. You’ll wake up feeling you are ready to conquer the world (or at least the office)!
4. Sit and eat
You’re that guy who buys a sandwich, sneaks in bites, at the same time, walks around to pay that cable bill at 7-11, buys stamps, and talks to the wife on the phone, aren’t you? Well, try to sit and enjoy your lunch. It helps you to unwind more than you can imagine!
5. Eat small meals frequently
By doing this, your sugar level is more stable and adrenalin is released slowly.
6. Drink water
How can we not over-emphasize the importance of this? We can’t. DRINK WATER! It’s crucially important but try not to do so during a meal.
7. Take a vacation
There’s no harm in taking a vacation once in a while. Maybe it’s time to have fresh air and leave the city for a while and go to Batangas beaches, Zambales, or even go Palawan or Boracay. There are many beautiful travel destinations in the Philippines that can relieve your stress and make you relax.
8. Don’t think about your stress too much
Thinking about what stress you every time will make you more stressed. So, don’t think about it and perhaps put your mind into something that you can enjoy and relax you. Maybe write a poem, watch a movie, cook & bake, or make DIY crafts with your partner.
Divert your attention to positive things and don’t dwell too much on the negative aspects in your life. In that case, you can have a clearer mind. Having a clearer mind can help you solve what stresses you and have stress free life.
The takeaway
Whether stress has a link to fertility or not the bottom line is that you should never stress yourself out. Because stress has an impact on our body. Try to focus on the positive side of things and in terms of conception there are many doctors and clinics that can help you and your spouse to have a higher chance of conception. Don’t lose hope because there’s nothing impossible with prayers and determination.
Additional information from Epheft Amete
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