A new study suggests that sperm counts are highest in the morning, according to experts at a Zurich hospital. They found that semen samples collected before 7:30am had the highest levels of sperm concentration and normal morphology.
However, excessive ejaculation and prolonged abstinence can also impact sperm count. Ultimately, men should focus on healthy lifestyle choices to maintain optimal sperm health.
1. Early Morning
There’s a lot of advice out there about what time of day is best to have sex when trying to conceive, with the idea being that it’s easier to fertilize an egg if you can get it to ovulate before it starts to degrade. But that’s not necessarily true, and it seems like the most important thing is actually the quality of your sperm rather than when you have it.
A study published on Research Gate analyzed semen samples collected from men in the spring, summer, and winter. The results showed that the quality of the sperm decreased with the seasons, with a higher concentration and count in the spring and a lower rate of normal morphology in the summer. But the timing of when a man has sex doesn’t seem to have an impact on these changes, and if you’re going to focus on improving your sperm’s quality, the most important things are diet, exercise, and avoiding smoking.
In short, if you’re looking to conceive, try to keep your stress levels low and have sex at a time that works for you and your partner. But if you’re interested in improving your sperm’s health, be sure to cut down on alcohol, don’t smoke (if you can), and exercise moderately. You can also take antioxidant supplements to help prevent oxidative damage and increase your fertility.
2. Mid-Afternoon
Some studies suggest that sperm count is higher in the morning than at other times of day, but it’s unclear if this has any impact on conception. It may seem like sperm are less potent in the evening, but this drop is minimal, according to a report by fertility expert Serena Chen on Baby Centre. If your partner’s sperm count drops from 87 million in the morning to 86 million in the evening, that’s only a one per cent difference and will make no difference to your chances of getting pregnant.
Sperm quality can be influenced by the time of year and even the hour in which the semen is produced, according to a recent study. The researchers analysed 12,245 semen samples from over 7000 men between 1994 and 2015, taking into account factors such as sperm concentration, sperm motility, and sperm shape. Samples produced between 5:00am and 7:30am were found to have a higher sperm concentration and total sperm count, as well as a better percentage of normally-shaped sperm.
While having sex at the right time of day can help your chances of conceiving, there are many other things you can do to improve your chance of becoming a parent, including eating a healthy diet and avoiding alcohol, smoking and caffeine. It’s also important to try to sleep as much as possible to ensure that your body is at its most fertile.
3. Late Night
A man’s sperm cells have a pretty short shelf life, so they need to be well-rested and healthy to stay alive. But what exactly can you do to improve sperm health? Among other things, a recent study found that men who consumed walnuts had improved sperm vitality. The study gave 117 men ages 21 to 35 either a daily serving of 18 walnuts or a placebo and tested their sperm parameters before and after the 12 weeks of the trial. The results showed that sperm in the “nutty” group was significantly higher than those in the control group.
Other factors that can damage sperm include stress, heavy metals and smoking. But what’s more, it turns out that lifestyle and diet are important as well. Obesity, lack of exercise and diets high in ultraprocessed food can all negatively impact sperm.
Another important consideration is the season in which a man produces his semen. A 2013 study found that sperm count and motility were highest in winter and spring and lowest in summer. Researchers believe this may be due to circadian rhythms and seasonal changes in hormone levels.
Interestingly, a dataset of clinical populations also showed that sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), a measure of sperm chromatin integrity, decreased between 8:00 and 11:00 am (92). This was associated with increased time spent in the evening on digital devices, so men who work nights might benefit from a digital curfew before going to bed.
4. Mid-Season
When you’re trying to conceive, it can feel like there are a million different factors that play into your chances of success. From analyzing your basal body temperature and tracking your ovulation cycle to testing your urine for ovulation hormones and finding the perfect position for sex, it can be easy to get caught up in all the details and forget about simple things like making healthy lifestyle choices and taking care of your health.
Aside from a healthy diet and regular exercise, one of the most important things you can do to improve your fertility is to make sure you’re not smoking or drinking too much alcohol. Those habits can decrease sperm count and lead to infertility. It’s also a good idea to avoid certain environmental toxins and chemicals, as these can disrupt the normal functioning of your reproductive system.
Sperm count is important for a man’s fertility because it affects the chance of fertilizing an egg successfully. However, there are a lot of other factors that can contribute to infertility, such as hormonal imbalances, varicoceles, and medical conditions. If you’re struggling to conceive, talk to your doctor about what may be contributing to your infertility and how you can work together to address it. In the meantime, try to enjoy being in the early spring and take advantage of your partner’s seasonally high sperm counts.
