How Exercise Can Improve Your Fertility?

Exercise has had an interesting relationship with fertility and way back when, it was common for Doctors to advise women to stop exercise and strenuous work to enhance their chances of becoming pregnant. Now exercise is seen as a positive and is recommended by Doctors and fertility specialists.

Obesity

A major problem with many people that are having trouble getting pregnant is the excess weight that they are carrying. Diet and exercise can have a very positive effect in a relatively short time. Increased cardiovascular activity helps to stabilize hormone levels and increased muscle mass helps to increase the metabolism.

Stress
Stress has real effects on the body increasing blood pressure and flooding the body with adrenaline and hormones related to our flight or fight response. Exercise releases stress and helps the body to recover from the pressure placed upon it. Coping with stress through exercise is much healthier than coping with comfort foods, smoking, or alcohol. Each of these has negative effects on your ability to conceive.

Sleep
There is a definite link between obesity, stress, and poor sleep. When we sleep our mind and body recover and poor sleep means a poor recovery. Exercise helps the body sleep better and relieves stress. Even a relatively small amount of exercise can have a dramatic effect. Weight loss is notoriously difficult and takes a long time. The positive effects on fertility are much quicker to happen.

Don’t Go Overboard

It is important that you have considered a safe pregnancy exercise program. It is common for people to start out trying to do too much and then become disheartened. You should see your Doctor so that you have advice on how to start training in the most appropriate and fertility-friendly way. Constant vigorous exercise can actually negatively impact fertility and cause periods to become irregular. There is a lot of room between too much and none so you can train regularly and healthily without fear. Low-impact exercises designed to increase flexibility and increase muscle mass are a very good way to start as it has positive results in a relatively short time and can be done at home.

Some Limits If You Already Exercise
There is some evidence that women that exercise more than an hour a day on average have lower fertility. If you do exercise at or above this level then you should contact your Doctor or fertility specialist to look at changing your exercise regime for increased fertility.

High-intensity exercise is more likely to impact fertility than low-impact exercise so introducing a more balanced exercise program can keep you in top shape but also reduce negative fertility impacts. A diet that is lower in carbohydrates and less cardio-based exercise will ensure you do not put on an excessive amount of weight.

Overtraining can have negative effects on your immune system and place extra stress on your body. Signs of overtraining include more small injuries and muscle strains that take a long time to heal and the inability to perform at the same level as previously.

It is important to consult your physician when deciding your exercise routine while also trying to conceive.