Meditation And Fertility: The Key Role Of A Serene And Clear Mind
Many things have been said about the power of meditation; from being the best tool for stress relief to boosting happiness and even your immune system. It can also be a great solution for moms-to-be who wish to find resilience and inner balance to cope with these exciting, yet hectic times. But, can meditation aid fertility in any way? While some studies and meditation gurus claim this practice may be beneficial for fertility, there is little scientific research to back this up.
However, scientists do believe that there’s a link between extreme stress and infertility. And what is better than meditation to help you keep those stress levels in check?
Can stress cause infertility?
According to The American Society of Reproductive Medicine, there is no proof that stress alone leads to infertility. In some cases, experiencing severe stress might change hormone levels. In turn, this delays ovulation or prevents it from happening at all. Perhaps you noticed that, during a particularly stressful time of your life, you missed your period or it arrived at an irregular date. It is important to remember that every single person is different, so this won’t necessarily happen to you.
It’s also essential to bear in mind that, although stress might not directly affect fertility, it can provoke certain behaviors or unhealthy habits that_ do_ have an impact on your chances of getting pregnant.
Under too much stress, you may:
- Have a strained relationship with your partner, and likely experience lower libido and less intercourse;
- Smoke or drink too much caffeine and/or alcohol;
- Sleep poorly or fewer hours than is recommended;
- Overeat, give in to emotional eating, or skip necessary meals;
- Stop exercising or not do enough physical exercise.
What research says about meditation and fertility
Meditation is one of the most popular and natural methods to reduce stress. In essence, when you meditate, you focus your attention inward and reach a heightened state of awareness. This is not only relaxing, but it’s incredibly beneficial for your well-being. Plenty of research has shown that meditation can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Certain practices such as mindfulness meditation can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which has been associated with deep mind-body relaxation. Meditation can also ease stress, while promoting positive emotions such as forgiveness and empathy.
What about fertility? There have been dozens of studies on the effects of psychological interventions (including meditation) on infertility. Yet, the varied outcomes and modest study sizes make it impossible to determine whether meditation has a direct impact on enhanced fertility.
However, meditation has been proven to help infertile couples come to terms with their situation and find that much-needed inner resilience. What’s more, meditation can decrease stress for those who undergo IVF treatments, while also boosting their inner strength to get through the process.
Becoming a parent for the first time, trying to conceive with your partner, or experiencing infertility can heighten stress levels. Successfully managing stress does not only help you navigate through these hectic times but also improves your well-being in the long term. As demonstrated by research, meditative practices promote mental clarity, serenity, resilience, and much more.
Bringing meditation to your everyday life
If you aren’t used to it, meditation can seem quite daunting. After all, we human beings struggle with slowing down and taking time to care for ourselves. Even if you are an experienced meditator, you know that finding time for your daily practice isn’t always easy. And the thing about meditation is, in order to see its positive effects, we need to create and stick to the routine and habit as best as we can.
With regular practice, you’ll notice that you get better and better at managing stress. You won’t let yourself be consumed by it because you think about it in a serene, and detached way. Meditation, and the mental clarity you gain from it, allows you to respond positively to challenging life experiences. These could include becoming a mother, trying to conceive, coming to terms with infertility, and so on.
Meditation practice typically involves sitting quietly and paying attention to your thoughts and sensations. You can choose to focus on your breathing or bodily sensations. You can also visualize a peaceful image or focus on soothing sounds. At Beginning.com, we have decided that meditation can be fun, effective, and enjoyable. And that’s why we have created dozens of “sound journeys” to help you reach a meditative state by listening to beautiful sounds from nature and musical instruments.
The bottom line
To date, scientists have yet to prove that meditation can boost fertility. Yet, severe stress levels might affect some women’s fertility by interfering with ovulation or even leading to unhealthy behaviors. Meditation is ideal for dealing with the kind of stress that might be affecting your well-being and life quality. You can start by learning to meditate for up to 20 minutes a day, for 14 days to effectively manage your stress levels and experience many other positive benefits. With this in mind, it is important to remember that, if you are having issues falling pregnant, the best course of action is to contact your doctor as soon as possible to understand any underlying issue.
Determined to cultivate a serene mind through meditation? Listen to Beginning.com’s FERTILITY audio sessions to relax, reach a meditative state, and optimize your mind for pregnancy.