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Fertility yoga is becoming more popular because of the benefits of yoga, especially how it supports your body and mind when you’re trying to get pregnant. A lot of people think yoga is just bending and stretching, and that it’s only for really flexible people. But yoga is so much more than that!
It’s an ancient practice that changes how your brain and body work together. Fertility yoga can help reduce stress, balance your hormones, and improve how your body functions, especially when it comes to your reproductive health.
More people are turning to fertility yoga as part of their journey to parenthood because it helps with the emotional ups and downs related to fertility issues and gives the body the support it needs to prepare for a healthy pregnancy.
Key Takeaways
- Yoga for fertility supports both the body and mind.
- It can balance hormones, improve blood flow, lower stress, and may improve chances of conception.
- Fertility yoga can help both women and men during the TTC journey.
- Certain yoga poses like bound angle, bridge, child’s, and cobra may be helpful.
- Fertility yoga works well on its own or when done during fertility treatments.
- Try to practice 3 to 5 times a week, and be gentle and consistent for the best results.
How Does Yoga Help With Fertility?
Yoga has been around for thousands of years, and practicing yoga for fertility supports your reproductive organs by lowering stress and helping with hormone balance. Compared to tough workouts, fertility yoga focuses more on relaxing your nervous system and gently helping your body do what it’s meant to do. Certain yoga poses may increase blood flow to the pelvic area and improve fertility over time.
And yoga can boost fertility for men, too. It supports the body’s hormone system, including the parts that control testosterone and sperm production. This can help balance hormones and may improve fertility and overall reproductive health.
How Can Yoga Help Women Trying To Conceive?
Two big concerns during the fertility journey for both men and women is oxidative stress as well as psychological stress. Oxidative stress is when your body makes too many harmful molecules that damage cells, including your eggs.
Having a regular fertility yoga practice is a great way to lower this and improve overall stress levels. It also helps protect your cells, increases blood flow to your reproductive organs, and supports hormone balance.
Women with conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have seen improvements after doing yoga and walking for just a few months. One study showed they had lower levels of testosterone after adding these changes as well, which helps with hormonal imbalances.
Yoga can also lower your cortisol levels, giving your body a better chance to function normally and prepare for a healthy pregnancy.
How Can Yoga Help Male Fertility?
Yoga isn’t just helpful for women. It’s great for men too, especially when stress and unhealthy habits are part of the picture.
Sperm require a lot of energy to swim fast and reach the egg during fertilization. That energy comes from the mitochondria (tiny power centers inside the sperm cells). Too much stress, a poor diet, smoking, or sitting too much can damage sperm, especially the mitochondria. This can make sperm weaker and slower.
Practicing fertility yoga can help with stress relief and support healthier cells. It may protect or improve how the mitochondria work. Plus, yoga can help balance hormones like testosterone, which also plays a big role in sperm health.
Some studies suggest that yoga and other mindfulness practices may improve mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) health and function.
Yoga has been shown to improve sperm quality, including higher sperm count, better movement (motility), healthier shape (morphology), and stronger DNA. In one study, men who practiced yoga and mindfulness for 12 weeks had better sperm count and motility than those who didn’t. They practiced one hour a day, five days a week, using a mix of yoga poses, breathing, and meditation.
Adding a yoga program into your daily routine could be a helpful step for both you and your partner as you try to conceive together.
Can Yoga Help With Fertility Treatments?
Going through fertility challenges and infertility treatment like IVF can be stressful and overwhelming. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) often comes with emotional ups and downs, and that kind of pressure can lower the chances of success.
Asking for help isn’t always easy. And when your body isn’t doing what you hoped, it can be frustrating and make you feel like you’re falling behind. Research shows that women with depression were less likely to bring up fertility treatments, which shows how much emotional health matters during this journey.
The whole process can be a major source of stress, and that kind of chronic stress doesn’t help fertility. That’s why doctors now look at mental and physical health before starting treatment.
Practicing yoga regularly can reduce stress and protect cells from damage. It creates a more peaceful mental and physical space, which can help fertility treatments work better.
Some studies even showed higher IVF success rates in fertility patients who practiced yoga. Researchers also saw lower levels of pain, depression, anxiety, and stress. These results are encouraging, and more studies are being done to see how yoga can best support mental health and fertility treatment outcomes.
What Are the 6 Best Yoga Poses for Fertility?
Most of what we know about yoga poses for fertility comes from personal stories and wellness research. One study found that certain yoga poses (like bridge, cobra, and child’s pose) may support hormone health by gently stimulating the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands. These glands help keep your hormones balanced and support a healthy pregnancy.
The main focus of a fertility yoga practice is gentle movement, deep breathing, and calm thoughts. It’s not about intense workouts or doing hot yoga, it’s about slowing down and helping your body find balance.
Here are some helpful yoga poses for fertility:
- Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana): Opens your hips and increases blood flow to your pelvic area
- Reclining bound angle pose (Supta Baddha Konasana): Helps you relax and supports better blood flow to your reproductive organs
- Legs up the wall (Viparita Karani): Very calming and improves your circulation
- Bridge pose (Setu Bandhasana): Gently stimulates your thyroid gland and helps with hormone regulation
- Child’s pose (Balasana): Calms your nervous system and helps reduce stress
- Cobra pose (Bhujangasana): Stretches your upper and lower back to increase blood flow to your ovaries and uterus
Along with these yoga poses, breathing techniques, and guided meditation help support your mental well-being. They let your mind settle, reduce stress, and help you feel more connected to your body.
What Makes Fertility Yoga Different From Regular Exercise?
Typical exercise like running or lifting weights can help with overall health, but it doesn’t always help fertility. And too much intense exercise might lead to hormonal imbalances, especially for women.
Fertility yoga is all about softening the body, calming the mind, and helping your organs do their job. It focuses on the pelvic area, hormone balance, and emotional health.
Instead of pushing yourself to the limit, a gentle yoga program supports your body in a natural way. You can still do light cardio or strength training, but yoga helps brings everything into balance and supports mental well being.
Can Fertility Yoga Helps With Emotions?
Trying to get pregnant can be hard on your emotions. Many people say the waiting and disappointment makes them feel sad, anxious, or frustrated, especially when getting pregnant doesn’t come as easily as they hoped.
Fertility yoga helps your body and heart. It gives you space to breathe and relax. When everything feels out of control, especially regarding female infertility, yoga helps you feel steady again. It can bring peace to a stressful time and give you hope when things feel uncertain.
Adding a regular yoga class or home practice to your week may help ease anxious thoughts and make the journey to parenthood feel calmer and more manageable.
How Do You Get Started With Yoga for Fertility?
Here are some simple ways to begin:
- Try to practice 3 to 5 times a week
- Choose a comfortable, quiet space
- Join a yoga class or use videos that focus on fertility or gentle yoga
- Practice for about 30 to 60 minutes each time
- Add breathing techniques and guided relaxation
- Drink water and eat nourishing food
- Don’t push your body too hard
- Keep it consistent
- Involve your partner if they’re open to it
These small steps can really add up over time. And it’s not about being perfect, it’s about showing up for yourself and giving your body the care it deserves.
Yoga is a gentle, supportive way to help your fertility. A lot of people find it helpful, even if science is still catching up. Fertility yoga might not be a quick fix, but it can make your fertility challenges feel easier, help your mental health, and bring calm to your journey toward a healthy pregnancy.
FAQs
Yes, it may help. Fertility yoga reduces stress, supports hormone balance, and improves blood flow to the reproductive organs. These can help boost the chances of getting pregnant.
It might. Yoga can lower oxidative stress and improve hormone balance, which helps protect egg health over time.
Any time of day works. Morning or early afternoon is good if you want more energy, but evening can also help you relax before bed.
Try to do it 3 to 5 times each week. Even a few days can make a difference when done regularly.
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Fertility and infertility: Definition and epidemiology – PubMed
Role of Yoga in the Management of Premature Ejaculation – PubMed
Male reproductive health and yoga – PubMed
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Impact of a Structured Yoga Program on Anxiety in Infertility Patients: A Feasibility Study
Psychological and educational interventions for subfertile men and women – PubMed
The effect of yoga on stress level in infertile women – PubMed
Yoga and Lifestyle Changes: A Path to Improved Fertility – A Narrative Review – PMC
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