Is Sleep the Key to Fertility?
“It’s well known that a lack of sleep negatively impacts your mood and productivity, but it can also impact the hormones a woman secretes throughout her cycle. Studies have shown that getting enough quality sleep has a positive effect on the reproductive hormones a woman produces, including progesterone, estrogen, Leptin, and Follicle-Stimulating Hormones (FSH).”This is an excerpt from the Linked article below
https://uncfertility.com/fertility-blog/the-link-between-sleep-and-fertility/
Alright alright, I know I touch on Nutrition as perhaps one of the most pivotal pillars in fertility, especially after 35, but sleep is up there with Nutrition, perhaps even more-so. Did I just say that?? Yeah, I did, and with the utmost of confidence. You see, even just improving your sleep quality, not perfecting, just improving will drastically help regulate your hormones. The little thing about hormones is that they are a HUGE deal. They dictate literally EVERYTHING, every function or dysfunction is Hormonal. From our thoughts to our speed of digestion, to our mood, our energy levels, our glucose levels, EVERYTHING. Check out this article to learn more about hormones and their function.
https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/biology-of-the-endocrine-system/endocrine-function?utm_source=chatgpt.com
After 35, sometimes sooner, sometimes later, we Women have a drastic shift in our sex hormones. I myself started feeling the super fun symptoms of perimenopause at the age of about 42. I knew something was awry. Although my Dr didn’t want to even talk on this subject, until I kept pushing… But that’s a whole different Blog Post. I did my own research, figured out what was going on, and knew I had to improve in a few areas of my life to get some relief. This is when I really started to take my Sleep Health more seriously.
Things I did to improve Sleep Quality and why:
1, I made my bedroom very boring, and dark. When our body senses an uptick in melatonin (a “sleepy hormone”) later in the evening, our response should be a cozy (but cool) sleep “den”. Turn off lights, sounds, anything stimulating in any way. Set the tone for deep, uninterrupted sleep.
2, Cool down your bedroom. Multiple sleep studies show that cooler temps facilitate our bodies falling into a deeper state of sleep. Remember, cool room, warm blankets. Basically just coziness meter turned to 100%. Check this article out:
https://www.health.com/sleeping-in-a-cold-room-8747210
3, White noise, ahhh beautiful sleep sounds. This actually started as a habit for me by accident. After my first baby 4 years ago, I kinda got hooked, and haven’t looked back. I received a white noise machine for baby sleep. I co-slept with my infant and just loved the noise drowning effect of the city sounds. I’m a bit of a light sleeper and this really helped to keep me asleep for longer chunks of time. I still use white noise, sometimes rain sounds, every single night.
4. Cutting caffeine early in the day. I found that I am very sensitive to caffeine. I cannot have any after about 11am or it will clearly effect my sleep. Particularly falling into sleep. So I have to be pretty choosy with my caffeinated drinks. Because I LOVE my Matcha Lattes, shaken espresso drinks or my coffee in the early morning hours before the sun comes up. Trust me when I say Its just not worth drinking them later in the day though. I will have a decaf if I’m meeting a friend for coffee later in the day.
5, I have switched all lighting in our home to be soft light. I actually cannot stand the harsh white led lights that many homes have. To each their own, but I think its so harsh and intrusive and so not cozy or hygge at all. Making the switch really gave my home that “winding down” feel in the evening. I just started turning more lights down in general around the home. I think my kids sleep better now because of this as well.
Quality sleep isn’t a luxury—it’s a foundation. Your hormones, metabolism, mood, immunity, and energy all depend on the signals your body sends while you rest. By protecting your circadian rhythm, reducing evening light, creating a calming environment, and prioritizing consistency, you give your body the conditions it needs to repair, rebalance, and thrive.
Small nightly habits compound quickly. Start with one change, repeat it daily, and let your body adapt. When sleep improves, everything else becomes easier—including hormone balance, cravings, stress resilience, and overall wellbeing.
If you want personalized support, actionable nutrition strategies, or sleep-supportive hormone coaching, I’m here to help you simplify the process and feel the results.
Here’s to deeper rest and better mornings,
Summer Ehly, Certified Nutrition Coach
I hope you found this Post helpful or useful in some way. My goal is to just share some knowledge with good people that want to improve even small parts of their lives. Thanks for reading!
