30th September 2013 | by MFC Team
Sleep loss can affect men’s sperm
According to a new study, men who get too little sleep may be damaging their fertility. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Southern Denmark, examined the sleep patterns of 953 young men and compared the results of sperm samples taken from the men. According to lead researcher Tina Kold Jensen, the results of the sperm testing showed that those who had experienced poor sleep in the last 4 weeks had lower sperm counts and less mobile sperm (motility) than those who reported having had better sleep. The men with poor sleep were also more likely to have malformed sperm (morphology).
It has long been thought that poor sleep interferes with the body’s ability to produce sperm. The findings of this study provide evidence that there is indeed a link between sleep and sperm parameters. Future studies looking at whether improvement in sleep quality can improve sperm counts and quality are needed. In the meantime, if you and your partner are trying to get pregnant, making sure you both get good quality sleep may be one more lifestyle factor you might want to consider.
Read more about this study here.
Read more about other lifestyle factors that can impact male fertility here and here.
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