The ABCs on Getting Your Zzzzzz during Fertility Treatment

Dr. Mark Denker and the staff at Palm Beach Fertility Center strongly believe that overall wellness and nutrition play a part in fertility health. During Sleep Awareness Month, we want to bring attention to the importance of getting your rest during fertility treatment. In Boca Raton, we set the clocks ahead one hour on Sunday, March 9. What you lose in sleep, we hope you will make up for in new, daily habits.

Infertility and Insomnia: Are the Two in Bed Together?

Trying to quiet your mind at the end of a long day can be difficult. Add to that the all-consuming effort of undergoing fertility treatment, and you shut out the possibility of getting enough shuteye. (Fortunately, fertility medications prescribed by Dr. Denker don’t tend to have sleeplessness as a side effect.)

So infertility can lead to sleep issues, but do sleep disorders lead to infertility? In extreme cases, lack of sleep causes:

• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Hormonal imbalance
• Diabetes
• Depression

At the minimum, sleeplessness can make you feel cranky and unproductive. Who needs that during fertility treatment?

Tips for Getting Enough Quality Sleep

The National Sleep Foundation recommends between 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Don’t cheat yourself out of a regular routine of a good night’s sleep, with plans to ‘catch up’ on the weekends.

• Silence the snoring. If you or a partner has sleep apnea, characterized by a pause between snores, seek medical attention. Sleep apnea is associated with obesity, heart disease, and hypertension.

• Increase the noise. If small sounds bother you through the night, try to increase the white noise in the room. A fan, wave machine or sound conditioner work well for some people.

• Stay cool. You know your body best, but temperatures that are on the cool side tend to facilitate optimal sleeping conditions.

• March to the beat of your circadian rhythms. Light and dark signal when it is time to sleep, and when it is time to wake. Expose yourself to sunlight during the day, and block out light at night when you sleep.

Contact your primary care physician and let Dr. Denker know if you experience the symptoms of insomnia (trouble falling asleep, waking up too early, waking up throughout the night, and waking up in the morning without feeling rested).

We want to help you find balance and optimize your fertility. For fertility treatment options that employ a mind-body approach, contact us at Palm Beach Fertility Center.