Given that BloomLife Hospital is located close to the IT corridor, I see a lot of patients from this industry. Many of them, both men and women, work in night shifts – and they findit difficult to conceive when trying for a baby. They pin it down to lack of time and energy, which makes it harder to maintain a regular, healthy sexual relationship with their partners.
The problem runs deeper than that.
When we start working in night shifts, our bodies are forced to break the circadian rhythm (the natural bodily process of regulatingour sleep and waking cycle in a 24-hour stretch). When the circadian rhythm is disturbed, the body initially tries to adapt, but a continued, forced shift causes several physiological problems – including a decline in fertility.
When it comes to women, a prolongedschedule of night shifts may start to affect their menstrual cycles and overall fertility. For men, the impact may be seen as reduced sperm count and motility. For both men and women, working in night shifts tends to give rise to the habit of eating at odd times – and the food choices, too, may veer towards ‘tasty’ options that are high in fat and sugar. This leads to rapid weight gain, which affects overall health and fertility.
I do understand that, for many people, working in a night shift may be a necessity. So, what can a person do?
To start with, please try and ensure that your meals include healthy options, especially when you are eating late at night. Minimise your intake of sugar, fats and caffeine, and drink plenty of water. During the day, try to get some quality sleep to make up for the lack of shut-eye, and incorporate some physical activity into your routine.
Next, when you decide you are ready to have a family, consult a gynaecologist / fertility expert. They willassess your health and fertility in detail, and guide you on the best course of action.The aim is to have a healthy, happy life – and we doctors want to help you attain just that.
