Research has found a relationship between sleep and testosterone levels. Those who sleep within recommended sleeping hours have been found to have normal testosterone levels. Those with low testosterone levels have had deprived sleep. Symptoms of deprived sleep leading to low testosterone include fatigue, low libido, low mental well-being, and injury.
Testosterone levels also depend on age. People over 40 years of age start to lose testosterone by 1% annually.
Testosterone production mainly occurs during sleep hours. So, depriving yourself of sleep can cause a decrease in testosterone levels.
Does lack of sleep lower testosterone?
Cutting sleep hours, even if it might be minimal, can have significant side effects on testosterone levels. Recent research by the Journal of the American Medical Association conducted on a group of 10 healthy men, for a week of sleep disruption resulted in a 10-15% decline in testosterone levels. Scientists observed the lowest levels of testosterone in the morning and evening.
Symptoms of low testosterone levels
Researchers have linked low testosterone levels to various groups of symptoms. Whether young or old, the effects of low testosterone levels are the same. The following are some effects of low testosterone;
- Low libido–men with low testosterone suffer from a diminished libido, and a small number with erectile dysfunction can identify it with low testosterone.
- Obesity–enough testosterone has been linked to low fat since it aids in burning fat. The lower the testosterone, the higher the fat content in people’s bodies caused by deprived sleep.
- Poor mental health–research has shown that enough sleep helps in preserving brain tissues and increases memory retention in older men; thus, the opposite is true.
- Muscle deterioration–testosterone is important in the development of muscle tissue by helping in protein synthesis. Low testosterone decreases neurotransmitters, hence muscle tissue reduction, causing fatigue.
- Injury–more and more research backs the fact that low testosterone increases the chances of injury. Research done on NBA players revealed a higher likelihood of injury to those with deprived sleep than those with greater testosterone levels.
Therapy for low testosterone levels
Low testosterone levels are caused by inadequate sleep. The safe and natural way of restoring testosterone levels is by having at least 8 hours of sleep. This will help the body get through all sleep cycles. This kind of sleep should be undisturbed because sleep disturbance causes the production of stress hormone cortisone, which lowers testosterone levels. Ways of restoring testosterone include: hormone replacement therapy and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. However, the two treatments do not improve sleep quality; hence, treating the underlying causes of lack of sleep, such as obesity, is more effective.
Tips on effective night sleep with low testosterone levels
For those people with low testosterone due to poor quality sleep, here are some tips on how to improve your sleep quality, which will result in improved testosterone levels. These tips are recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.
- Desist from afternoon naps. This will disrupt your nighttime sleep schedule.
- Visit a doctor to treat a condition known as sleep apnea, which is a sleep disorder that can deprive you of nighttime sleep.
- Get rid of distractions such as light and excess noise to keep the room calm, dark, and conducive to sleeping.
- Reduce the time spent on video gaming on a day. Research shows that 6.9 minutes of your bedtime is pushed back with every hour of gaming.
- Keep your room cool, around 60 to 70 degrees, when trying to sleep.
- Get a consistent sleep routine of at least 7 hours and at a scheduled time every day, every week.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2453053/
https://www.webmd.com/men/news/20110603/sleep-loss-may-lower-testosterone
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/90/8/4530/3058888
https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/lack-sleep-can-lower-testosterone/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1557988317735412
https://www.sleepfoundation.org
