Optimising fertility through sophrology?

When you experience stress, you send your body the message that you are in danger.

It then prepares to fight this danger or flee. As a result, your heart rate and blood pressure increase, your breathing quickens, your pupils dilate — all in order to be ready to face the threat.
 

The body therefore prioritises vital functions that enable fight or flight. Since survival is the priority, "secondary" functions are set aside. This is why, during periods of stress, your digestion may be disrupted or your reproductive capacity may be compromised. This therefore increases the risk of a negative pregnancy test.
 

There was a time when this served a vital purpose — however, that is no longer really the case in today's society.
 

Nevertheless, this does not mean that stress is any less present. In fact, for many of us, stress has become chronic — in other words, constant.
 

Particularly at the heart of a journey to become a parent, whether natural or medically assisted, which brings with it great challenges and gives rise to all kinds of positive and negative emotions. Couples go through periods of fear, doubt, tension, and disappointment, which can plunge them into a state of near-constant stress.
 

This chronic stress has a significant impact on the physical and emotional balance of the couple, and further disrupts the chances of conceiving.

Stress is a negative factor for fertility, in several respects [1]:
- It is a cause of failure of assisted reproduction journey
- It is responsible for significant hormonal imbalances
- It disrupts menstrual cycles, to the point of anovulation or amenorrhoea (stress reduces the chances of becoming pregnant during ovulation by 40%)[2]
- It has a considerable impact on sperm production and quality
- It can negatively impact egg quality
- It can interfere with embryo implantation
- It is inflammatory and acidifies the body's environment, making it less favourable to conception degrades
- It depletes vitamin and mineral reserves, as the body needs to consume more of them to cope with it
- It creates physical and mental tension that can block conception
- It reduces libido, leading to a decrease in the frequency of intercourse and therefore in the chances of conception
- It disrupts sleep and causes insomnia, given that rest is one of the conditions for optimal fertility

These multiple consequences of stress help to partly explain the difficulties with conception experienced in the presence of negative emotions.
 

In this way, sophrology, by helping you to reduce your stress and negative emotions, and by restoring calm and relaxation to your daily life, will help you to optimise your fertility.

Sophrology is a mind-body technique, meaning it acts on both the mind and the body.

It helps promote mental and physical release, and deep relaxation.
 

Sophrology has a real physiological impact through its different types of exercise.

It can therefore help manage stress, emotions, sleep disturbances and pain, as well as help prepare for an event in order to approach it with greater ease.

In this respect, it plays a very interesting role in the context of trying to conceive, whether naturally or with the help of medically assisted reproduction. It can provide a boost towards achieving a positive pregnancy test. 

Sophrology works on several levels.

Sophrology as a way to learn how to relax
 

Deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation and positive visualisation physiologically induce both mental and physical relaxation.

Sophrology as a way to support quality sleep
 

Relaxation, along with the visualisation of falling asleep easily and pleasantly and enjoying quality sleep, helps you to reclaim a healthy relationship with sleep.

Sophrology as a way to better manage emotions and stress
 

It helps you to find calm, refocus on yourself, gain perspective and turn your attention to the positive.
 

Sophrology as a way to rebuild confidence in yourself and your body
 

It can help to release the feelings of guilt that difficulties conceiving can generate, to focus on the positive, and to reconnect with your body and its sensations — which can be deeply affected by infertility.

Sophrology as a way to release social and family pressures
 

Through the perspective it encourages, the ability to let go, and the self-confidence it fosters, sophrology can help to release the social and family pressure that is often all too present when dealing with infertility.

Sophrology as a way to prepare for each medical stage
 

Relaxation and psychological preparation for each medical step can help you approach them with greater ease and experience them more calmly. Each procedure can be the subject of a dedicated session — whether to prepare for it, build serenity around it, or better manage any associated pain (injections, egg retrieval, embryo transfer, insemination, blood tests, monitoring scans…).

Sophrology as a way to strengthen determination when trying to conceive
 

The various exercises help to strengthen willpower, confidence and motivation in the context of a baby project — helping you face the different stages of this journey, which can sometimes be long and challenging, with greater serenity.
 

Sophrology as a way to take time for yourself
 

To focus on your emotions and your physical and psychological sensations.

By helping couples better manage their stress and emotions, fostering a sense of calm, and encouraging physical and psychological relaxation, Sophrology supports the chances of conceiving and improves the way this journey is experienced.

Sophrology does not replace medical treatment, but works in a complementary way.