Dr. Haylee

Are YOU getting enough 💤 at night to support your fertility?
⠀
Although you might think that being a little tired during the day isn’t that big of a deal, I’m here to tell you that getting enough sleep is actually an extremely important part of supporting your overall health and enhancing your fertility.
⠀
So, how can we get more (and better) sleep? 👇
⠀
The best strategies for getting more sleep and improving your sleep quality are:
⠀
✔️Remove any obstacles that may be interfering with your natural circadian rhythms.
✔️Add in some supportive practices.
✔️And add in some supplements if needed.
⠀
Use the tips below to help you get your sleep cycle back on track!:
⠀
💞Keep a consistent sleep schedule.
One of the best ways to regulate your circadian rhythms is to train your body to go to sleep and wake up at the same times each day.
⠀
💞Create a comfortable and distraction-free sleep environment.
Make sure your pillows/bedding are clean and comfortable and keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and completely dark at night.
⠀
💞Keep your blood sugar stable throughout the day.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and refined carbohydrates, especially in the late afternoon and evening.
⠀
💞Avoid things that stimulate cortisol production at night.
Minimize exposure to blue light from backlit screens (TV, phone, computer, etc.) after dark. If you must use screens in the evening, install software on your devices that dims blue light.
⠀
💞Support your morning cortisol levels.
If you tend to be sluggish in the morning, you may need to work on increasing your cortisol earlier in the day.
⠀
💞Consider sleep-supportive supplements
There are several supplements that can either directly support production of melatonin in the body or that can simply help promote evening relaxation.
⠀
As always with supplements, it’s a good idea to be working with a qualified practitioner who can help you determine which products might work best for you and also recognize when a supplement may be causing an issue.
⠀
Any other tips you would like to add? Comment below! 👇

Thinking of trying for a baby?🤰These 3 genetic variations may affect your fertility…

1️⃣MTHFR.
MTHFR is an abbreviation for an enzyme (type of protein) called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. During pregnancy, the MTHFR genetic variation increases your risk of:

🚫Recurrent early miscarriage
🚫Preeclampsia
🚫Preterm birth and low birth weight
🚫Blood clots
🚫Neural tube defects in infants (such as spina bifida)

If you have an MTHFR mutation, support your methylation cycle and reduce your risk of fertility complications by:

✅Ensuring your multivitamin includes L-methylfolate or 5-MTHF instead of folic acid.
✅Avoiding all exposure to synthetic folic acid in supplements and fortified foods.
✅Including plenty of folate-rich foods in your diet.
✅Removing processed foods and sugar from your diet.

2️⃣PEMT.
PEMT stands for phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase and it is an enzyme that helps produce an important compound called phosphatidylcholine (PC) in the body.

Phosphatidylcholine is needed to keep bile flowing smoothly out of the gallbladder. Poor bile flow can cause GI issues that negatively impact fertility and pregnancy through:

❌Nutrient deficiencies
❌Inflammation
❌And immune system dysfunction.

The primary step you can take to support PEMT is to ensure that you have sufficient choline in your diet through foods such as:

✔️Egg yolk
✔️Liver
✔️Red meat
✔️And fish.

3️⃣VDR
VDR stands for vitamin D receptor. It’s a protein that binds to the activated form of vitamin D in the body and allows it to exert its beneficial effects on various tissues.

During pregnancy, multiple studies have found that vitamin D deficiency and VDR is associated with an increased risk of complications, such as:

💢Preeclampsia
💢Preterm birth
💢Gestational diabetes
💢And having a baby that is small for gestational age.

The best way to support a VDR is to ensure adequate intake and blood levels of vitamin D!

Know a friend that’s trying for a baby? Tag them in the comments! 🤍