Stress and anxiety  cause changes in our biochemistry and rhythms of the body.

Prolonged stress or anxiety can impact and disrupt the production of hormones necessary for ovulation, implantation and sperm quality.

Our body and mind perceive stress as a warning of imminent threat or danger, so to prioritise our safety they suppress any function that would cause us unnecessary strain, such as reproduction or taking care of a foetus.

Prolonged or excessive stress can lead to: 

• lack of ovulation (anovulation)
• rregular/absent menstrual cycles 

Our body's stress response causes an increase in adrenalin. This reduces the amount of progesterone produced. Progesterone is key to creation and health of the lining of the uterus which in turn is vital to fertility and pregnancy.

Stress increases  the amount of prolactin in the body which inhibits conception. 

After prolonged stress the sympathetic nervous system can become hyper-stimulated. A hyper-stimulated nervous system sends less blood to the uterus and ovaries, thereby impairing their optimal functioning (Lewis 2004).

Anxiety and stress impair sleep which will not only impact us physically and mentally but may take a toll on relationships too. For as long as our sleep is impaired, and for some time after, our stress response remains active.

 "Poor sleep effects our physical health – like water from a burst pipe in your home, the effects of sleep deprivation will seep into every nook and cranny of biology, down into your cells, even altering your most fundamental self – your DNA."  - Prof Matthew Walker

Lack of sleep increases our risk of disease and conditions that can negatively impact fertility e.g. diabetes, obeisity, cardiovascular disease etc.

A healthy lifestyle needs balance for our health and wellbeing. This includes, but isn't limited to, a healthy work/life balance. We need to think about how best to increase beneficial activities and habits while reducing those that are damaging or deterimental.

The following lifestyle changes will have a positive effect on fertility:

• Stop smoking:  Women who smoke are 50% more likely to miscarry. Men who smoke have a lower sperm count and a 20% decrease in sperm motility.
• Stop drinking alcohol: alcohol (even a moderate intake) may affect fertility and sperm quality. 
• Don't do drugs: cocaine can disrupt the menstrual cycle and affect the placenta. Marijuana lowers testosterone levels & sperm count, and decreases sperm motility.
• Reduce caffeine intake: caffeine increases the chances of miscarriage 
• Avoid saunas: anything that raises the temperature of a man’s testicles can decrease sperm production and motility.
• Exercise gently: research has suggested that strenuous exercise (causing the heart rate to increase over 110 beats per minute) may decrease chances of conception. (Domar and Kelly,  2002, p271)