If you’re having trouble conceiving, it’s easy for the stress and pressure you feel to build up. Fertility stress not only has an impact on your wellbeing, research suggests it can harm fertility too. If it’s something you’re experiencing and want to beat, we’ve got five tips for you to try.
When you’re trying to conceive you’ve likely heard the words ‘just relax’, which can push your stress levels up even further. However, there is a growing amount of research that suggests there is some truth behind the advice. For some women, for example, chronic stress can affect ovulation, making it difficult to assess when they’re most fertile. As a result, beating fertility stress can benefit more than just your personal mental health.
Take up exercise
Everyone knows that exercise is recommended to boost your mood and help to relieve stress – and it works great for fertility stress too. Choosing an exercise option that’s about the mind and relaxation too, such as yoga, is a great choice for when you feel wound up.
Set a regular, healthy sleep pattern
A lack of sleep instantly makes us more irritable and stressed. Set out a sleeping pattern that you stick to, getting around seven to nine hours of sleep a day. You’ll feel more refreshed and able to tackle those issues that have been stressing you out. A healthy sleeping pattern can have a positive effect on your fertility too, helping to reduce hormone imbalances.
Focus on being intimate with your partner
It’s easy for conceiving to become the main focus of your relationship when the longed-for baby is always on your mind. Try to focus on what’s positive in your existing relationship rather than what you want to happen. Take the time to plan a fun date out and not make your sex life all about baby making.
Write a journal
Sometimes when you’re feeling stressed simply venting helps, even if it’s not to a person. Spending just a few minutes a day writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal can really help you to relax. It’ll give you a new perspective and can make you feel more in control of the problems you’re facing, reducing your stress levels in the process.
Seek professional support
When you’re feeling stressed you might not otherwise think seeking professional advice is the right thing to do but you’d be surprised how many different options there are. If you’re worried about something or thinking negatively, it can be a difficult cycle to break out of, this is where a professional can help. I can help you get to grips with destressing techniques and positive thought process that will help you feel calmer.
