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Lack of sleep can cause infertility
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There may be a simpler and cheaper way to deal with infertility. - photo by Kelsey Robertson
One in eight couples have fertility issues. That is 12% of married women that either cant get pregnant or can't sustain a pregnancy. Of that 12%, a little over 11% will actually go see a fertility doctor, but fertility visits and treatments can cost thousands of dollars and take years to complete. For a simpler solution, just check your sleep schedule.

Both men and women need sleep to be healthy, but for women trying to conceive, it is crucial. Research suggests women need 7-9 hours of sleep a night but most women faced with infertility average only six hours of sleep each night! This lack of sleep affects more than whether or not you can function the next day; it can affect your ability to get pregnant.

How?

When we sleep our bodies are actively preparing for the next days work. During the sleep cycle key hormones are produced and secreted that regulate ovulation and conception. When we dont get enough sleep, our bodies cant properly replenish these hormones, specifically the key fertility hormones prolactin and leptin.

Prolactin

Prolactin is primarily known for allowing women to produce breast milk after birth, but high or low prolactin levels can also cause infertility. This hormone is secreted during sleep; without a normal sleep cycle prolactin levels can become irregular. Both high and low levels of prolactin are dangerous while trying to conceive.

High levels of prolactin may mean you are not ovulating during your menstrual cycle and low levels of prolactin may be detrimental to sustaining pregnancy.

Leptin

Leptin is commonly known as the Im full protein because it regulates your appetite, but it's also a key hormone in maintaining predictable ovulation cycles in women.

Leptin regulates the receptors in our brains that tell us when we are hungry and full and this key hormone is replenished while we sleep. A lack of sleep may cause overeating or an irregular diet, which in turn causes weight gain and an increase in leptin storage. This increase may lead to irregular periods. If too much leptin is produced, the chances of pregnancy are much lower and the risks associated with pregnancy are much higher.

If there is too little leptin production, the menstrual cycle will be irregular and may even be absent.

Sleep is also key in maintaining proper production and secretion of other key fertility hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The body is a sensitive tangle of systems, proteins and hormones that all need to work together and stay in balance to achieve optimal health and fertility conditions. And sleep is the key to maintaining this healthy balance.

Men need their sleep, too

Women do the brunt of the work once pregnant, but a lack of sleep for men can also affect a couples fertility. Men may not need quite as much sleep as women, but a solid eight hours of sleep each night is recommended. The REM cycle during sleep is very important for mens fertility. When the REM cycle is interrupted men may produce less testosterone. This drop in testosterone make it much harder to get pregnant.

-We all know sleep is important. It is important for our overall health and development and, now you know, it is just as important for fertility. Getting the proper amount of sleep may not cure a couples infertility, but it is worth a try. Its free and if it doesnt lead to pregnancy, it will at least lead to a healthier and happier life!
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Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
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Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
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