Deactivating the Stress Response: Why Experts Recommend Yoga as an Essential Catalyst for Fertility Treatments
The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word "yuj", primarily translating to "to join" or "to unite". Now the question arises, to unite what? In the metaphysical sense, it means to join our soul with the supreme soul, our being with the eternal being. But in a more grounded, holistic sense, it signifies the integration of mind, body and breath. It represents the harmonious synchronization of our nervous system, moving the body from a state of stress to one of equilibrium.
Now, lets jump to the topic of fertility. What do we mean by fertility? At its core, fertility is rarely just the biological capability to conceive a child. It is a reflection of the body's overall vitality, balance and readiness to nurture a new life. During an exclusive interaction with TheHealthSite.com, Dr Eshawari Desai, Lifestyle Consultant at Milann - Fertility and Birthing Hospital, Bengaluru), explained -- "When we look at fertility though holistic medicine, this "union" becomes incredibly practical. Infertility is rarely a pathological. It is a complex intersection of psychological stress and physiological imbalances."
She further added that research shows that yoga acts as a clinical tool, by improving reproductive health through these mechanisms:
Yoga does not intend to replace conventional fertility treatments, but rather serve as an essential evidence based catalyst to create an optimal biological environment for life to grow.
When we talk about stress, the most common term that we hear is inflammation(thanks to social media). Though true, theres a deeper and more nuanced mechanism at play. The HPA and HPG axis. Which live in a constant physiological seesaw. Chronic psychological stress fires up the HPA axis, which floods our body with cortisol and catecholamines. How does this effect fertility? Elevated levels of cortisol directly supresses the GnRH pulsatility at the hypothalamic level. This disrupts LH and FSH secretion, leading to disrupted ovarian fuction.
How does Yoga help. A few practices in yoga target the vagus nerve, upregulating the parasympathetic nervous system. Consistent practice has shown to lower salivary cortisol and increase brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), effectively restoring normal GnRH pulsatility which inturn improves ovarian and testicular function.
Here are the most important yoga poses that you must practice when you are pregnant to keep your mental sanity on the right track:
Fertility treatments are extremely taxing. Physically, mentally and emotionally. Amidst that intense pressure, yoga isn't just a mental timeout. Its proven to cause real, physical changes in the body that support fertility.
Poses such as supta baddha konasana or arda titiliasana physically open up the hips. This floods the ovaries and the uterus with fresh oxygen rich blood, helping build a healthy, thick uterine lining for embryo to attach to.
Yes, you read that right, practicing yoga poses during fertility treatments can help reduce oxidative stress on the reproductive organs. Thus making the internal environment receptive for building life.
With conditions such as PMOS, studies have shown that regular yoga practice helps balance blood sugar levels and lower male hormone levels. This helps regularize menstrual cycles.
Yoga is incredibly safe during pregnancy, but the goal shifts completely from building peak fitness to nurturing you and your baby. Here are a few guidelines and precuations to practice safely
Here, Dr Desai debunks the most common misconceptions about yoga during pregnancy, take a close look at them:
Disclaimer: Even though yoga is safe and everyone can make it a part of their daily lifestyle, it is highly recommended that one should always consult with an expert before making any changes to their lifestyle routine during pregnancy. Stay alert, stay safe!
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