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that reducing stress can increase a couple’s chances of conceiving a child. One study of nurses at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson found that stress management skills-including deep breathing, meditation, guided imagery, and visualization—helped couples conceive. A group of patients facing in vitro fertilization spent two sessions learning various relaxation techniques. Afterward, 28 percent of the couples in the trained group conceived during their first attempt at in vitro fertilization, compared to just 6 percent of the couples who conceived without practicing stress management. In another study, one out of three infertile women who participated in a relaxation-response-based behavioral treatment program became pregnant within six months.

THE STRESS RESPONSE

When faced with stress, the body kicks into the so-called fight or flight response, which involves a number of biochemical changes that happen in preparation for dealing with danger. In evolutionary terms, this high-intensity state made sense because quick bursts of energy were required to fight off predators or flee a dangerous situation. Of course, in our daily lives we face fewer of these life-or-death threats, but the modern world remains full of different stressors, such as financial worries, health concerns, deadline pressures, and relationship problems. When confronted with these contemporary stressors, our bodies respond in much the same way as our prehistoric ancestors once did.

In the body, any stressor—either real or imagined—triggers an alarm in the hypothalamus in the midbrain. The hypothalamus then shifts into overdrive, warning the body that it must prepare for an emergency. As a result, your heart races, your breathing speeds up, your muscles tense, your metabolism kicks into high gear, and your blood pressure soars. Your blood concentrates in your muscles, leaving your hands and feet cold and your muscles ready for action. Your senses become more acute: Your hearing becomes sharper and your pupils dilate. You’re ready for action.

As part of the intricate system of stress response, your body also releases adrenaline, epinephrine, Cortisol, and other chemicals that inhibit the immune system and interfere with the release of reproductive hormones. While not harmful in short bursts, these biochemical responses can cause serious health problems if the stress continues for long periods of time. Chronic stress can elevate blood pressure (causing hypertension); it can cause muscle tension (resulting in headaches and digestive disorders); and it can suppress the immune system (leaving an individual susceptible to a wide range of serious diseases).

Fortunately, the stress response can be reversed easily. Your body begins to relax as soon as your brain receives the signal that the danger has passed and it’s safe to calm down. About three minutes after the brain cancels the emergency signals to the central nervous system, the panic messages cease and the body begins to relax. Your heart rate and breathing gradually slow down, and your other systems return to their normal levels.

Problems with fertility are certainly not all in your head, but it appears that you can use your head to help enhance your fertility. And, in addition to boosting the odds of conception, stress management skills can help to decrease anxiety, depression, and fatigue, and increase energy, stamina, and well-being.

COUPLES

Enjoy a Good Orgasm

Satisfying sex helps relieve physical tension and stimulate hormone production, both of which can jump start your fertility. Researchers have found that for some people the tension-easing power of a single orgasm can be as much as twenty times more powerful than a dose of a tranquilizer like Valium or Xanax.

Join a Support Group

Joining a support group for couples with impaired fertility increases the chances of conception. It isn’t clear whether the benefit comes from the emotional support offered by people in the same situation, or from the fact that the couples have a chance to share practical information on fertility