When you’re actively trying to conceive (TTC), things can get a little stressful. Seeing that disappointing “negative”, month after month can really take a toll on your spirit. It may be hard to maintain that positive outlook when you feel like you’re just not getting anywhere. What’s worse is when people keep telling you to “just relax, it’ll happen”. Of course we know that relaxing is easier said than done. However, these people may be on to something.
According to The Baby Corner, stress can impact conception by inhibiting the body’s primary sex hormone, gonadotropin. “Stress also boosts a hormone inhibitor called gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone or GnIH” and a study from Oxford University in 2010 found that women with the highest levels of alpha-amylase, which indicates a person’s adrenaline levels, had significantly lower chances of becoming pregnant. So, as difficult as it may sound, if you’re TTC, you should try some of these stress-reducing techniques.
3 Ways to Reduce Stress
1. Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle
Adopting a healthy lifestyle can mean a variety of things. Here’s where to start:
- Eat Healthily. Eating healthily means cutting out alcohol, lowering caffeine intake, and avoiding foods that may contain artificial sweeteners, which “can affect blood sugar levels – a factor that influences hormonal balance” (Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com). Instead, start eating more fruits and veggies and whole grains.
- Exercise Regularly. Regular exercise will help you to maintain a healthy body weight and will produce endorphins, those feel-good hormones, in the brain.
- Think Positively. Feeling better about your health in general is a great start to removing unnecessary stresses in your life. Focus on the good and brush off the bad!
2. Massage Therapy
Some women find massages extremely relaxing. In “research published in the International Journal of Neuroscience in 2004, doctors found that massage therapy worked to decrease the body's physical signals of stress, including heart rate and brain waves” (WebMD). While this may not work for all women, a relaxing day at the spa that touts health and TTC benefits might be worth a try. At the very least, try asking your man for a bedtime massage; just tell him it’s for the TTC cause!
3. Essential Oils
Some people swear by the therapeutic benefits of essential oils, but that’s up to you to decide. The wonderful thing about essential oils is that there are many different ways to enjoy them. Once you find a scent that you like, you can put a few drops on your wrist, your pillow, the bathtub, or get an electric aromatherapy diffuser and fill your home with relaxing aromas (What to Expect). Two great relaxing scents to try are lavender and chamomile.
We understand that it may be hard to relax, but it can’t hurt to try! When you’re trying to conceive, remember these helpful stress-reducing tips. And for extra help on your TTC journey, try Pre-Seed™ Fertility Friendly Lubricant. Pre-Seed is sperm friendly and recommended by fertility experts.