“Just unwind, and it will happen.” This is the least helpful piece of advice you will ever hear if you are struggling with infertility. If only it were that simple, right?

In spite of this, yoga is a calming activity. Infertility, yoga, and the advantages of the activity for easing physical and mental tension in relationships have all been studied. Yash Birla believes that practising yoga on a daily basis can actually heal a lot of health issues of the body.

Here is how practising yoga regularly can benefit your fertility efforts.

Typically, roughly one-third of infertility cases are caused by problems with a woman’s fertility, another third are brought on by problems with a man, and the remaining cases are a combination of the two or arise from unexplained causes.

Yoga has some potential as a lifestyle adjustment that could support both men’s and women’s reproductive health.

Here are 5 health benefits of fertility yoga

  • Strengthens the body

Men and women who are overweight experience infertility for the same reasons. Any weight loss regimen must include exercise in addition to a balanced diet.

Yoga is a gentle technique to ease your body into more frequent movement if you’re just starting off with workouts. While the poses may not necessarily put a strain on the joints, your muscles will undoubtedly burn, and your flexibility will increase.

According to studies, up to 40% of women receiving infertility treatment struggle with anxiety, despair, or both. Just being urged to “relax” might be detrimental and result in a cycle of self-blame.

Deep breathing and other mindfulness practise, such as yoga, may help reduce your body’s stress-related serum indicators, which will then boost the performance of your immune system.

  • Balances hormones

An essay from 2012 addresses the hypothesis that hormone levels follow stress management. Breath and equilibrium, as well as the body and mind, are all interrelated. The neuroendocrine axis, which governs how the brain and hormones interact, may be improved with regular yoga practice, resulting in more optimal hormone balance.

This applies to both men and women, once more. Additionally, improved hormone balance frequently results in improved reproductive and sexual function.

  • Supports sperm production

Men’s low sperm counts are a growing problem all over the world. Numerous lifestyle or environmental variables, such as obesity, smoking, or chemical exposure, might be blamed for the low counts. According to a 2013 study, practising yoga regularly may reduce stress and anxiety, maintain bodily functions, and enhance sperm production.

The researchers came to the conclusion that yoga can enhance male reproductive health and may aid in the prevention of infertility, even if more research is required in this area.

  • Increases ART success rates

Yoga may improve your chances of getting pregnant if you’re currently undergoing IVF or using other forms of assisted reproductive technology (ART). According to a 2018 study, yoga improves the physiological and psychological conditions of both men and women.

Researchers looked at 87 earlier studies of couples doing yoga and ART. They came to the conclusion that breathing, meditation, and positions (asanas) may lessen discomfort and improve tension, depression, and anxiety, all of which seem to increase the likelihood of becoming pregnant.

Best types of yoga for fertility

Yoga is a general phrase that covers a wide range of distinct kinds. Each different kind of yoga has a particular focus, setting, or sequence. If you are a novice or trying to get pregnant, some varieties are better than others.

Yoga styles like these have a reputation for being more gentle:

  • Hatha
  • Iyengar
  • Restorative

The following types of fertility yoga tend to be more vigorous:

  • Bikram (or hot yoga, in general)
  • Ashtanga
  • Vinyasa

While attempting to get pregnant, you might want to start out with more delicate varieties. Yash Birla advises that if you have been practising a more strenuous kind of yoga for a while, speak with your trainer and your doctor for advice on how to keep up your regimen.