New Year’s Resolutions That Could Make You the Perfect Sperm Donor

If you've donated with us, you'll know just how sensitive your sperm can be. If not, you may be surprised to learn that any number of things, from stress to fatigue, or a lack of exercise, can affect the quality and quantity of your sperm. But with New Year’s approaching, did you know your resolution could make you a perfect candidate for donation?

Discover what lifestyle changes you can make this New Year’s to improve your sperm health and learn more about the sperm donor process.

Exercising or Being More Active

Everyone knows a healthy lifestyle starts with diet and exercise - but did you know it's also fundamental to maintaining your sperm health? Over the past few years, remote working has been on the rise. While great for your work-life balance, leading a more sedentary lifestyle may not be great for your sperm. 

If you're anything like us, the chance to sleep in sometimes outweighs the prospect of a morning jog. Especially if you work from home through the day. If becoming more active is your resolution this year, the best way to address this is to arrange your exercise around your schedule. If you can't get to the gym, try lifting weights at home. If you're not one for a run on your lunch break, a light jog or brisk walk once a day can do wonders for not only your sperm but your mental health too. Focus on when you feel most motivated to exercise and try and commit to even 15 minutes during that time. 

If you’re looking to join a gym in the New Year, you’ll already be making great steps toward improving your sperm health. We recommend avoiding long stints in the sauna, steam room or jacuzzi after you work out, as the heat can negatively impact your sperm health. If you’d like to use these services, try and keep your exposure to a minimum and choose the lowest heat option, just on the odd occasion. 

Eating Better or Improving Your Diet

While exercise alone is great for your mental and physical health, if you want to make a conscious effort to improve your sperm health, we recommend a combination of a healthy diet and exercise.

After Christmas and the New Year, it’s completely normal to feel a little worse for wear from all the festivities. What we eat or drink affects our bodies, including our sperm. It's essential not just to watch out for high-fat content or the nutritional value of your meals - but to ensure you're eating regularly and consuming enough calories to fuel your body too! 

If you want to maximise your sperm health, our team recommends plenty of omega-3, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. Fish, lean meats, leafy vegetables and legumes - like soybeans, chickpeas and lentils – all contain these beneficial supplements.

Avoid a high intake of red meat, processed foods and caffeine, as these have been found to negatively affect sperm. Don't worry if you like a treat every now and then. An occasional cheeky takeaway shouldn't negatively impact your sperm health, so long as you maintain moderation.

Drink Less

With Dry January just around the corner you may be considering cutting alcohol out of your diet. If so, you may already be on the track to improving your sperm health. Studies show that excessive amounts of alcohol, such as five or more drinks in a two-hour timeframe, can have negative effects on sperm. Furthermore, more than 14 mixed drinks in a week can lower testosterone levels and affect sperm count!
While there’s no issue with a drink every now and then, moderation is a great way to ensure you’re keeping your sperm in tip-top shape ahead of donation. If you’re struggling with managing your alcohol intake, or would like support with this, we encourage you to reach out the NHS, who are able to provide you with advice and resources to combat this.

Look After Your Mental Health

Stress is often ignored as a contributor to poor mental-health and physical well-being. While stress and anxiety are mental experiences, they can have an actual physiological effect on your body and can affect your sperm too. In the past, stress was a reaction to threats in our environments, such as predators and other aggressors. As a modern-day man, you don't necessarily have the same concerns as your ancestors, but that doesn't mean your life is stress-free!

Instead, your stress might come from a heavy workload, household demands or maintaining your relationships. Although they may seem like minor problems, they can pile up and ultimately feel challenging. If you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, we encourage you to prioritise your mental health as your New Year’s resolution. There are many ways you can reset to avoid burnout. Visit the NHS website to learn about balancing your lifestyle and reducing stress.  

Become a Donor

We're proud of our work here at Semovo - and we're proud of our donors too! They help countless people, whether that’s single women, same-sex female couples  or heterosexual couples who need donor sperm. We rely on sperm donors – people like you - to help change their lives.

If you’ve been considering becoming a donor, we encourage you to make sperm donation your New Year’s resolution in 2023. Apply to become a Semovo sperm donor. Find out more about the sperm donation process and if you meet the criteria to be a sperm donor. Questions? Read our FAQs or contact our friendly team. Email donate@semovo.co.uk or call us on 0345 266 0020.