No matter how exhausted we may be, it is often difficult to slip into a restful night of sleep.
We toss and turn, feeling tired and irritable in the morning.
If you are only getting four or five hours of sleep each night, you may be experiencing low testosterone levels.
What Does Testosterone Have to Do With Sleep?
Unfortunately, there is a catch-22 correlation between sleep and testosterone levels. The fewer hours we sleep, the lower our testosterone will dip. The lower our testosterone dips, the fewer hours we’ll be able to sleep.
After a man turns 30, his testosterone levels decrease by 1 to 2% each year. This decrease will add up, and by the time the man reaches the age of 40, he will start experiencing the sleeplessness derived from low testosterone levels.
What Will This Loss of Sleep Do to You?
One study found that just a single week of diminished sleep lowered testosterone levels by 15%. And these young men were otherwise fit as a fiddle! Another study found that 15% of Americans get five hours of sleep or less each night. Imagine the effect that long-term sleep loss will have on hormone levels.
Sure, everyone knows that a lack of sleep can create havoc in their life, but it does more than just make you feel unrested. With low testosterone levels, a man’s time spent sleeping is not only decreasing, but his REM sleep is diminishing as well. This type of deep sleep is important for repairing the body. If a man doesn’t get enough time in a state of deep sleeping, he will be at a higher risk for illnesses.
How to Fix It
Telling yourself you’ll go to bed an hour or so earlier isn’t going to make your problem go away. Lack of sleep derived from a low testosterone level is a medical condition that requires specific treatment. Hormonal replacement therapy will work to regulate your testosterone levels. After a few weeks of treatment, you will be sleeping like a baby!
By the time we reach old age, our years of night-owl tendencies will catch up with our overall health. Those short nights will gradually chip away at our testosterone levels. Fortunately, restoring testosterone levels will make a huge difference in our quality of sleep. And healthy sleeping patterns will help to keep those restored hormone levels in check.