Sleep and Fertility

Today, I want to share the importance of sleep and your fertility.

As a reproductive endocrinologist helping people build families for over 15 years, I love educating people on everything that you should’ve learned in health class about fertility. 

In this post, we’ll be going in-depth about how sleep can affect your fertility and the steps you can take to improve your sleep routine.

What’s the connection between sleep and fertility?

Lack of sleep (or dysfunctional sleep) is associated with many medical issues, including disordered blood sugars and a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic disorders. It’s no secret that sleep plays an essential role in our overall health and well-being, and that includes your fertility. 

When I talk to my patients about ways that they can improve egg and sperm quality (and lower their risk of miscarriage), I always mention getting started with some positive lifestyle changes to help improve fertility. I’ve already discussed how nutrition and fitness impact fertility success, so I’d like to share how good sleep can help your fertility goals. 

Unfortunately, most research around fertility and sleep disturbances is pretty old and mostly focused on how night shift work can impact fertility. Although these observational studies were small, the evidence found that when sleep quality goes down, it can affect female reproduction negatively. So, it’s essential to prioritize sleep on your fertility journey. 

What should I do if I work the night shift? 

Many of my patients ask if working nights can lead to higher rates of miscarriage. The evidence here is mixed. 

A 2010 study from the International Journal of Endocrinology found that alterations to the body’s circadian rhythms (like those found in jet lag and shift work) show some evidence of negative reproductive health outcomes. These outcomes included menstrual irregularities, dysmenorrhea (or painful periods), increased time to get pregnant, a slightly higher chance of miscarriages, and even a lower birth weight. 

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should quit your job or shift to daytimes only. A small European study in the 1980s surveyed 800 women who did shift work and found that, of those who conceived during the study, there was only a slightly higher chance of first-trimester miscarriage in patients with disruptive sleep, and it wasn’t statistically significant. 

Like I always say, every person is different, and working a night shift may not impact you. If you’re concerned that your nighttime work schedule might affect your fertility, discuss it with your doctor and see what they advise. 

How can I improve my sleep quality?

In today’s fast-paced and screen-addicted society, it can be difficult to get to sleep even when you want more. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to establish good sleep hygiene. 

Here are my five tips for cultivating healthy sleep habits.

1. Routine and consistency 

Try your best to go to bed each night and wake up each morning at the same time each day. This includes weekends too. Make sleep a priority, and aim for 7-8 hours per night. It can also be helpful to create a regular nighttime routine for yourself. A wind-down stretching session, journaling, or perhaps reading for 20-30 minutes can let your body know it’s time to get ready for sleep. 

2. Set the scene 

Make your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool, the perfect environment for falling asleep. Turn the room temperature to 68-70 degrees and utilize blackout curtains or a sleep mask. Having darkness when you're sleeping helps your hormones kick into gear, giving you a more restorative sleep. Add earplugs or a white noise machine to prevent yourself from getting woken up by noise. 

3. Remove devices at least 30 minutes before bed 

I know this is a tough one, but that bright screen tells your brain to stay awake. Try to stop screen usage one hour before bed (or 30 minutes at least). Don’t watch TV or use your laptop in bed; keep your phone out of reach and silent.

4. Mindful intake throughout your day

Set yourself up for sleep success throughout your day. Limit caffeine in the morning and avoid it completely in the afternoon. Drinking alcohol or eating a heavy dinner can also impact your sleep quality, waking you up in the middle of the night and preventing you from getting deep REM-level sleep. 

5. Exercise

Moving your body during the day can actually help you get more restorative sleep at night. You don’t have to do a stressful or high-impact workout for it to be effective. Walking for 30 minutes, a low-impact ride on your bike or even some gentle yoga stretches can make a big difference. Find a way to move your body that feels good to you.

Sometimes, we do all of this, and we still can’t get to sleep. When that happens, get out of bed, do a quiet activity like stretching or reading in low light for 20-30 minutes, then try again. This reset can help signal to your body that it’s time to sleep.

Of course, there will always be bumps in the road, especially if you have a little one (furry babies included) already at home who loves to wake you up in the middle of the night or if your schedule gets thrown off by travel and holidays. Still, it’s good to aim for proper sleep hygiene and set goals to get those precious 7-8 hours. 

 Let's recap. 

• Sleep is important for your overall health and well-being, including your reproductive health 

• Aim for restorative sleep and try to get 7-8 hours a night

• Implement good sleep habits, such as creating a routine, optimizing your bedroom, avoiding screens before bed, limiting caffeine and alcohol, and incorporating daily movement

I hope these tips are helpful on your fertility journey. If you have any questions, please comment in my YouTube video.