The Role of Testosterone on Sleep Quality and Its Impact on Men’s Health

More and more men are reporting that they feel sleepy during some part of their day, and they really wish they had time to take short naps.  If this is happening to you, you need to look at the quality and quantity of sleep you are getting every night because there is a complex relationship between the hormone testosterone and the quality of your sleep.   Not getting enough sleep causes a diminished production of testosterone, and low testosterone causes problems with sleep quality.  Not getting enough sleep decreases testosterone levels while the decreased levels of testosterone can also worsen other health conditions that further diminish the production of testosterone.  Not getting enough sleep increases your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and depression.

You must understand that testosterone isn’t just a reproductive hormone.  It plays a major role in regulating many of the body’s processes, such as hair growth, sex drive, cognition, behavior, maintenance of  bone and muscle mass, red blood cell production, and erectile function.  A few of the symptoms of low testosterone are fatigue, depression, obesity, reduced muscle mass, and erectile dysfunction.  Testosterone levels rise when you sleep because, like some other hormones,  its production is linked to your circadian rhythm.  Most health care professional recommend that maintaining a regular schedule of at least seven hours a night is needed for your body to stay healthy.

Medical studies have shown that even young men who get less than five hours of sleep a night have a measurably lower testosterone count than when they enjoy a full night’s sleep. Low testosterone was shown to have a negative impact on even young men.  The lower levels of testosterone they experienced when they got less sleep affected them sexually and reproductively. The ability to build and maintain muscle mass, bone density, and strength also suffered with less sleep, as was their sense of well-being and vigor.  The effects of lower testosterone due to poor sleep habits was found to kick in after only a week of inadequate sleep.  This study concluded that poor sleep habits reduced a young man’s testosterone levels as much as if he had aged ten to fifteen years.

Your testosterone diminishes as you age, but its production can also be negatively impacted by poor lifestyle choices such as poor diet, drug and alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and of course lack of sleep.  All of these areas must be addressed and worked on before starting TRT or testosterone replacement therapy. However, by having your testosterone tested by a healthcare professional, you will also be able to enlist professional help in setting dietary and exercise goals.  Before starting you on testosterone replacement therapy, your health care worker will take a detailed personal and medical history.  This is the time when you need to be honest about your sleep habits.  Lack of sleep hampers your ability to work productively and live life fully. Poor sleep habits work insidiously because poor sleep habits don’t allow your body to benefit from the healing and rebuilding rest of deep sleep.  Poor sleep habits also suppress your immune system, stopping the nightly repair of damaged cells and neurotransmitters which can then lead to your body suffering from illness and disease.

You can get a better night’s sleep by starting a sleep routine.  Try to go to bed at the same time every night.  Turn off all electronic light.  Don’t sleep with your computer or television on in the room. Light and the hum of devices are sleep disrupters.  Close your blinds, and turn off the lights in your room.  A darkened space is more restful, and light disrupts the job of the pineal gland. Your pineal gland secretes the sleep hormone melatonin which helps in boosting the production of testosterone.by blocking the production of aromatase enzymes. Adequate testosterone is needed to enjoy restful sleep. Also, have your melatonin levels checked.  You may need to temporarily take a melatonin supplement. Try sleeping in the light clothing and lowering the temperature in your bedroom because a lower temperature allows your body to balance its own temperature and become more relaxed which will help increase the production and maintenance of your testosterone levels.

Talk with your health care professional about healthy and safe ways to boost your testosterone production with medications and healthy lifestyle choices.  Choosing to live a healthy lifestyle by avoiding drugs and alcohol, by maintaining a healthy weight for your height, by engaging in an active lifestyle, and by keeping a healthy sleep schedule will help you better balance your testosterone levels.  You won’t be on this journey alone as you work towards a better you when you choose a professional healthcare provider who is ready to help guide you and interpret what your body is saying it needs.

Androgenix Can Help

If you wonder whether testosterone therapy might be right for you, talk with our staff and doctor about the risks and benefits. If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms or have any other concerns about your health, please contact our office and make an appointment with our staff to visit our office for a consult.  If you choose HRT, you will be given a complete physical examination and have blood work done. Our staff of caring healthcare practitioners will help, not only, diagnose and develop an appropriate treatment plan for you, but we will monitor your  treatment for safety and effectiveness on a regular basis.  Androgenix is here to support you in your journey for a better, healthier you.  Every person who enters our doors is treated as an individual deserving of care and respect.  We can help you feel and look better.  Give us a call today.

 

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*Unless otherwise stated, individual results may vary depending on many factors not all patients “feel” or achieve the same results.