Getting enough, and a good quality sleep, is crucial for achieving hormonal balance and good quality sperm and egg.  It is key for conception and healthy pregnancy.  The reason behind is melatonin, a hormone directly impacting egg quality and ovarian reserve.  Melatonin is produced in greatest quantities in the hours after 11:00 pm.  That’s why it is recommended to be asleep after this hour.  Production of melatonin requires darkness and this is the reason why it should be dark in your bedroom.  No sleeping with a night light.  Optimizing melatonin’s levels helps to relax, cope better with stress, improves sleep quality, all of which impact fertility.  When we are under slept (optimal duration of sleep is 8 hours, which means close to 9 hours in bed), melatonin is compromised and we put our body in a “fight or flight” response mode.  When that happens, our reproductive hormones are used for production of stress hormones instead.  In other words, the resources we need for reproduction, are being used for a different purpose.  

Insomnia, or inadequate sleep quality and quantity, is associated with decreased reproduction, memory problems, increased aggression, irritability, anxiety, depression, emotional distress, obesity, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, diabetes type 2, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and infertility.  

In men, inadequate sleep is associated with decreased motility and testosterone levels.  Scientific studies show that men who sleep less than 6.5 hours and more than 9 hours per night, have lower sperm volume.  For men, the optimum sleep would last between 7 and 8 hours.

In women, inadequate sleep impacts the reproductive hormones and causes irregular cycles.  

Inadequate sleep compromises cytokines production, which can increase the risk for infection, inflammation and infertility.

Shift work disrupts our circadian rhythm and can inhibit ovulation, thus increasing time to conception.

In the hours between 11:00 pm and 1:00 am the gallbladder detoxifies itself.  If we are awake during this time, the toxins get congested in the liver and crease a secondary congestion in our system, which is detrimental to fertility and general health.

My recommendations therefore are to go to bed early, to start getting up at the same time in the morning, in order to reset our sleeping habits.  To exercise during the day, so we can be tired in the evening.  To avoid exercising 6 hours before bed time. To avoid caffeine, alcohol and snacking before bedtime (no eating at least 3 hours before bed), because they interfere with good quality sleep.  Avoid electronics in your bedroom – TV, DVD, computer and other appliances.  They disrupt the circadian rhythm, our innate biological clock, which is very important for achieving hormonal balance.  It’s great to expose our eyes to daylight upon waking because it stimulates the production of specific hormones, e.g. cortisol.  Avoid exposure to blue light, such as from the TV screen, tablet, cell phone, computer, etc., at least 2-3 hours before bedtime because it inhibits melatonin production.