Lifestyle and Fertility
Sleep, stress, alcohol, smoking, weight: the daily factors that shape fertility outcomes alongside nutrition.
What actually affects fertility.
Nutrition is one part of the picture. The other big drivers are lifestyle factors that compound (positively or negatively) over the 90-day preconception window.
The factors that matter most
- Smoking. Has the strongest negative association with fertility of any lifestyle factor. Stopping smoking is consistently the most impactful single change anyone can make. For both partners.
- Alcohol. Heavy drinking reduces fertility in both partners. Most preconception guidance suggests minimising or eliminating alcohol during the preconception window and pregnancy.
- BMI. Both underweight and overweight can affect ovulation and sperm quality. Working towards a healthy BMI is often the first thing fertility clinics discuss.
- Exercise. Moderate, regular exercise is helpful. Extreme endurance training can disrupt cycles.
- Sleep. Quality sleep supports hormonal regulation. Aim for 7 to 9 hours.
- Stress. Chronic stress affects the HPA axis, which is connected to reproductive hormones. Managing stress matters.
- Heat (for male fertility). Avoid frequent saunas, very hot baths, tight underwear, laptop-on-lap.
The 80/20 of fertility lifestyle
If you do five things, prioritise:
- Do not smoke (#1 by a long way)
- Minimise alcohol
- Work towards a healthy BMI
- Sleep 7 to 9 hours
- Get the right preconception nutrition
How nutrition fits in
Lifestyle changes set the baseline. Preconception nutrition optimises within that baseline. BioMirco Fertility Advance and Fertility Focus are designed for this. Built around the nutrients the research highlights for the 90-day preconception window.