Let’s be real here: trying to conceive can be stressful. Between work, your friends and family, and the expectations you put on yourself, it can be incredibly difficult to stay calm, cool, and collected when you are trying to get pregnant.
However, while some stress is normal–and even healthy–an excess amount of stress can take a serious toll on your mind, body, and fertility, so it’s important to monitor your stress levels when TTC to know when it might be time to make an adjustment.
How can stress hurt fertility?
Stress doesn’t directly hamper your fertility, but rather affects through a number of different channels.
- Weight problems
Whether it’s avoiding eating or eating too much, an excess of stress can have a huge effect on your diet and your weight. Losing or gaining weight too quickly can throw your hormones and cycle regularity into disarray, making it more difficult to conceive. - Sleep issues
Sleep problems are among the most common issues caused by stress and can have a serious effect on your fertility. Your body produces the hormone leptin while you sleep, which regulates your menstrual cycle, so not getting enough rest can have a drastic impact on your chances. - Lack of interest in sex
Stress can make your sex drive take a nosedive, and given that making a baby sort of revolves around having sex, this can be problematic.
What can I do to manage stress?
In order to manage stress, you first have to be able to identify when you are under an excessive amount. The Bellabeat Leaf is a self-tracking device that gets to know your breathing patterns and can alert you when your stress levels seem out of the ordinary and could be taking a toll on your fertility.
Once you’ve recognized that there’s an issue, you can go about managing your stress. Exercise is one of the more common solutions that people turn to in order to decrease their stress levels, as exercise helps promote endorphin production (the “feel good” chemicals in your brain). Yoga is among the best activities for de-stressing, as it focuses not just on your physical stress but mental stress, too.
Other methods include relaxation breathing techniques, massages, and just kicking back and allowing yourself to indulge in whatever makes you happy. A bit of stress is totally common, normal, and healthy, but too much stress can be a problem. The Bellabeat Leaf can help you identify when you are overly stressed, so you’ll be able to address the problem and be better equipped to achieve your pregnancy dreams.
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