Do you want to make sure your hormones are balanced and in flow with your fertility? 

Sleep is medicinal and can boost your fertility.

Unfortunately, women don't get enough sleep and it does affect you!

So, what happens to your fertility when you don't get enough sleep?

• In both men and women, the same part of the brain that regulates sleep-wake hormones (such as melatonin and cortisol also triggers a daily release of reproductive hormones
  
  
• Cortisol, the stress hormone, blocks production of ample progesterone (the baby making hormone).  High stress and staying up late increases production of cortisol!  
  
  
• The hormones that trigger ovulation in women and the sperm-maturation process in men may be tied into the body's sleep-wake patterns. For example, if you’re a woman, long-term lack of sleep may directly affect the release of luteinizing hormone, or LH — the hormone that triggers ovulation as part of regulating your menstrual cycle. The resulting menstrual irregularity may mean it takes longer for you to conceive.

Long term lack of sleep disrupts more than your hormone balance including: 

*Slowing down your mental alertness and response time - ever written a poorly written email (haha, yes), had a poor evaluation at work or made a wrong left turn when you were suppose to go right?

* Making you mood & irritable - It's not just PMS or declining hormones during that stage.  Lack of sleep can make you groggy and moody, which is not so good for "sexy"time with your partner.

*Poor memory or decreased ability to think creatively - Cerebrospinal fluid flushes certain toxins out of the brain and allows for memory formation. When you don't sleep enough, this function is interrupted.

* Increased stress & anxiety - Many experts believe that falling into a deep enough sleep to dream allows our mind the chance to release negative, stressful energy. That’s why advice like “just sleep on it” is so prevalent, since rest seems to give your mind a clearer perspective. When your brain doesn’t get this time, it may feel overcrowded, and you could struggle to tame your thoughts.

* Poor impulse control - It's easier to "bit your tongue" when you're well rested. Our innate "animal" instincts come out when we don't get enough sleep. You are in constant "fight or flight".  I remember this well when I had newborns and I was sleep deprived, going into mama bear mode if anyone even looked at me sideways 😭

Make sleep a priority, as well as proper preconception wellness:

• Get to sleep by 10:30pm...
• Avoid that productive second wind that keeps you up from 1-3am, especially researching Google "why you can't get pregnant"...
• Shut down electronics by 9pm.  
• Eat before 7pm, so that you're not digesting all night
• Invest in your bed and bedding, make your bed a sanctuary!
• Try acupuncture or yoga to reset the endocrine and nervous systems (if you're in my area, book your appointment!)