Men who go to bed early are more likely to produce better sperm, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Aarhus in Denmark, presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) in Vienna.
The study reached the conclusion after examining the sleep patterns of about 100 male volunteers attending fertility clinics in Denmark. Of the participants, 48 had healthy sperm and 56 had low sperm quality.
The data revealed that the men who sleep earlier than 10.30 pm are up to four times more likely to have better sperm quality, while those who sleep a total of eight hours a night are also more likely to have healthy sperm compared to those who sleep less than seven hours.
Lack of sleep, in fact, proved to be even more harmful, as, according to research, men who slept less than seven hours a night were six times more likely to have poor sperm quality.
Interpreting the findings of the study, experts in the field of fertility say that couples who want to conceive a child should try to reduce the distractions that may keep expectant parents awake at night, such as wasting time on cell phones or watching TV until late.
The fact is that sleep plays an important role in regulating hormones and stress levels, which can affect fertility. In addition, stress due to lack of sleep can cause hyperactivity of the immune system, which can indirectly damage sperm.
Hans Jakob Ingerslev, a professor at the University of Aarhus and one of the authors of the study, also examined the quality of sleep, without, however, finding any connection between sleep disorders and quality of sperm.
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