The Link Between Stress and Fertility: How Yoga for Infertility Can Help.

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The fact that infertility is a major emotional crisis isn’t news for anyone on this journey.  A study conducted by Harvard University showed that infertility produced the same levels of anxiety and depression as patients diagnosed with cancer, hypertension and heart attack.[1]

But Infertility is more than just “stressful”. Working too much is stressful, not having enough money is stressful, moving is stressful. If you’re dealing with infertility, you might be willing to trade infertility for many of the life stressors listed above. Infertility is not only stressful it can be traumatic! Finding support to overcome this trauma will have a lasting impact on your fertility.

 Trauma is described as “experiences or situations that are physically devastating, and/or emotionally painful and distressing, and that overwhelm people’s coping mechanisms, leaving them feeling out of control and powerless.”[2] This may sound familiar if you are dealing with infertility.

 Trauma’s impact is both emotional and physical. Both are important to treat [3] and yoga is unique in the way it supports both the physical and emotional impacts of trauma. Of course there are support groups and therapists that can provide emotional support and these are really important. What about the physical impact of stress and trauma? These can show up in many different ways. What’s important to understand is that it can:

·      disrupt the nervous system (internal systems are in overdrive),

·      trigger body armouring (extremely tight muscle) and,

·      weaken your immune system.[4]

 All of these physical responses can have a negative impact on fertility. Regardless of any medical diagnosis, when your nervous system is in overdrive, your muscles and tissues are locked, and you are prone to getting sick, then your body is likely not in ideal shape to have a baby. In order to break the trauma cycle of infertility, it is imperative to figure out how to reduce its effect on the body. The nervous system is a great place to start.

The nervous system is an involuntary part of our body, meaning we can’t consciously control what it does. It’s impossible to “think” your nervous system into relaxation. One of the best ways to support the nervous system is to work through your body tissues. Complimentary healthcare like massage, acupuncture, and yoga therapy reduce stress[5] and can soothe the nervous system via the tissues and are used throughout the world to care for families struggling with infertility. They are widely available, inexpensive and non-invasive.

Yoga for infertility connects the mind and body, which can help reduce both the physical and emotional effects of infertility and trauma, using practices and poses that create optimal conditions for getting pregnant.

In addition to yoga for fertility  there are also ways you can reduce the effects of stress and trauma at home. One of the most effective ways is to limit as many physical and emotional stressors as possible and increase things that feel nourishing. This includes:

  • eating easy to digest, healthy foods.

  • practice gentle, repetitive movements that are not over-heating;

  • reduce outside stimulation such as violent news stories, social media and people who drain your energy;

  • one of the most important ways to care for yourself is by connecting with other women who have travelled this path.

Here are the best yoga poses that will help promote fertility AND reduce stress and trauma. They are easy to practice at home and can be practiced in as little as 10-minutes a day. Practice the ones that feel nourishing and feel free to reach out to me for other suggestions and support iam@katlinrobinson.com

BIDALASANA (KNEELING CAT POSE)

BIDALASANA (KNEELING CAT POSE)

BIDALASANA (SEATED CAT POSE)

BIDALASANA (SEATED CAT POSE)

Balasana (child’s pose)

Tadasana (Mountain pose)

KAPOTASANA (PIGEON POSE VARIATION)

UTTANASANA (STANDING FORWARD FOLD)

UTTANASANA (STANDING FORWARD FOLD)

PRASARITA PADOTTANASANA (WIDE LEG FORWARD FOLD POSE)

VIPARITA KARANI (LEGS UP THE WALL POSE)

Sources:

[1] “The psychological impact of infertility and its treatment” www.health.harvard.edu , May 1, 2009 (No author provided)

[2] https://www.samhsa.gov/trauma-violence

[3] Levine, Peter A., Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma; van der Kolk, Bessel M.D., The Body Keeps the Score: Rain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma

[4] Pennebaker, J., KiecoltGlasser, J & Glasser, R. (1987) Disclosure of traumas and immune function. Health implications for psychotherapy. Journal of consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 239245

[5] Koopman, J., Berkeley Scientific Journal, 2013, The Experimental effects of stress on fertility