Today we’re going to talk a little bit about testosterone. I’m sure you’ve heard of it, right? It’s often referred to as the ‘male hormone’. Most people associate it with overly aggressive and sexual behavior – which it does definitely play a role in, as it’s the hormone that fuels competitive action.
However, as well as being the cause of many a post-pub fight, the hormone has a myriad of other roles in the body and is important for a variety of reasons. It plays a key part in verbal memory and cognitive performance, for one. It also builds strength, muscle mass, and bone density, plus enhances sex drive and sexual performance. Needless to say, it has a huge impact on our overall mood and quality of life.
Another factor that affects our health, mood and quality of life is sleep. In fact, consistent poor-quality sleep has been linked to an almost endless list of health conditions; from stress, anxiety and depression to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s.
But what is the connection between sleep and testosterone levels? Well, read on below and we’ll look a little closer at this inextricable link.
Low T levels
Testosterone (T) levels are measured in nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl). A man with normal levels of testosterone will have somewhere between 300-1000 ng/dk in his bloodstream. If this level falls below 300, then he is considered to have low T levels.
The thing is, testosterone production naturally begins to reduce with age. After the age of forty, levels of the hormone typically fall by 1-2% with each passing year. (Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!) This dip will generally be followed by a gradual loss of vigor, a decline in sex drive and reduced energy. This is all a perfectly natural part of the aging process – and for the majority of men, these changes will have no real impact on their quality of life.
But when levels drop too early or simply too quickly, then the impact can be felt hard and fast. For those who are badly affected by a sudden of drop T levels, Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) is one avenue of action. If going down the pharmacological route doesn’t float your boat, fear not – there are three natural ways to slow down this process. Diet, exercise and sleep.
Improving your attitude to each of these three pillars of good health will give your T levels a much-needed boost. And the most important pillar? You got it: sleep.
Testosterone and REM sleep
People, you need to be getting between seven and nine hours of kip each and every night. If you’re getting less than seven hours you’re not doing your health, or your testosterone levels, any favors.
Over a 24-hour period, our T levels rise and fall naturally. And research has shown that they peak during REM sleep; the deep, truly restorative sleep that occurs later in our sleep cycle. Which is usually only a few hours after we have gone to bed.
If an individual sleeps poorly or suffers from broken sleep, he/she reduces the amount of time spent in REM (sometimes to zero). This, in turn, lowers the amount of testosterone produced and overall T levels in the bloodstream.
What exactly can the impact of this be? Well, it’s pretty bad news. Evidence suggests that men who sleep just 5-6 hours a night on a regular basis will share the same level of testosterone as men 6-10 years their senior. Yikes!
Another study, conducted on a group of otherwise healthy young men, showed that just one week of sleep loss lowered testosterone levels by up to a whopping 15%. Double yikes!
Final Thoughts
Testosterone, when taken artificially, is probably the most prolifically abused performance-enhancing drug in the history of the sport. Track and field athletics, weightlifting, and especially cycling, all have a long history of competitors doping with a synthesized version of the hormone.
The reason? It works! It boosts muscle growth, recovery time and overall performance. But it can also be incredibly dangerous.
Sleep, on the other hand, has been referred to as the greatest legal performance-enhancing drug known to man. Plus it has no negative side effects… apart from that matted ‘bed head’ look!
When it comes to improving your athletic performance naturally, getting more rest will not only increase your testosterone levels, it’ll also raise your general performance levels. So instead of investing in syringes, it would be far more beneficial to buy a better mattress.
Well, there you have it – how sleep and testosterone are closely linked. The more rest you get, the more T will flow through your veins and the stronger, younger and more vital you will feel. Sweet dreams!
Also read: HyperGH 14X testosterone booster >>
