Does stress cause infertility?
This is one of the most common questions I get asked. The relationship between stress and infertility is complex and it’s difficult to say how much an individuals stress will impact their fertility. How stress affects us physically is very individual. We are a complex web of genetics and life experiences with different levels of genetic resilience and emotional triggers.
Infertility itself is also hugely stressful, so it’s tricky to untangle a cause and effect.
Where comments about going on holiday and ‘just relaxing and it will happen’ are eye-roll inducing and unhelpful; it is important to dig a little deeper into how we are coping and responding to stress (and this is important for everyone not just on a fertility journey). When we make shifts in the way we are supporting ourselves through life’s inevitable stress, we have the power to influence and buffer the impact stress can have on the body.
What do you do to actively relax?
This is a question I often ask my clients. Often they will say things like - watching TV, cooking, listen to music and where these things are great, they aren’t activities that elicit a TRUE relaxation response and take our nervous system into its ‘feed and breed’ or parasympathetic state. I like to call this ACTIVE RELAXATION, which sounds like a contradiction but is really important to build into our lives.
So what kind of things do?
Things that truly allow our nervous systems to deeply relax are activities where we aren’t being mentally or physically stimulated and just allow us to BE.
Some of the things I recommend include:
Yoga Nidra
A type of yoga that allows the body to drop into deep relaxation and activates the parasympathetic nervous system
You can seek a class out in your local area otherwise there is lots of choice online
Breathing
Breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system
There are many breathing techniques out there but a simple one to try (every day if you can), is box breathing
Breathe in for 8, hold for 8, out for 8. Repeat!
Meditation
Meditation has been shown to be more restful and nourishing for the nervous system than deep sleep
Taking at least 5-10 minutes per day (great to do first thing in the morning when you wake up)
Simply focus on your breath and as your mind wanders, simply bring it back
It takes practice -start small and build it up
Self-foot massage
A beautiful, mindful way to connect to your body and reduce stress and show yourself some love
Mindfully massage your feet paying attention to the sensations
A great way to feel your feet on the ground / feel more grounded
Do you actively relax? Try building some of these into your life and see how you get on.