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Testosterone
and Sleep
Poor
Sleeping Habits Contribute to Low Testosterone
As
we enter our late twenties and early thirties, Natural Testosterone
Levels begin to decline. As Testosterone levels continue to drop,
more and more physiological systems begin to be greatly affected. By
the time men reach their early forties, Testosterone Levels can drop
to an extent that sleep patterns can become terribly disrupted.
Poor
sleeping habits inhibit the human body from functioning optimally,
and for a large number of aging men, Testosterone Hormone Replacement
Therapy could be the most effective and all-encompassing therapy
available for restoring healthy sleep and encouraging a healthy body
in numerous other ways as well. Our knowledge about the connection
between healthy sleep and normal Testosterone levels has grown
rapidly over the course of the last decade, and it is now safe to
claim that Low Testosterone significantly disrupts normal sleep.
One
recent scientific study regarding the link between Low Testosterone
and healthy sleeping habits comes from a relatively surprising
source. Zoran Sekerovic is a graduate student of psychology at the
University of Montreal, and through data analysis, he has
quantitatively linked the experience of poor sleep with Testosterone
Deficiency. He presented the scientific data to support this
hypothesis at a yearly medical conference known as the Association
Francophone Pour Le Savoir (ACFAS). Translated into English, this
conference is known as the Francophone Association for Knowledge.
Correlation
between Sleep and Testosterone
In
looking over a large pool of clinical data, Sekerovic came to the
realization that there was a strong correlation between Male
Testosterone Rates and overall quality of sleep, especially in men
over the age of fifty. Low-T had the most devastating effect on the
phases of deep sleep, reducing the amount of time that Men with Low
Testosterone spent in stages three and four of the sleep cycle.
It
is during these two stages of deepest sleep that physical
rehabilitation and maintenance occurs at its peak. Any encumbrance
that occurs which inhibits these stages of sleep will have a negative
effect on overall health and healing as a result. Although there has
been speculation that Low Testosterone negatively impacts healthy
sleep, Sekerovic's study is the first of its time to ultimately prove
that this connection exists. 
Healthiest
Sleep Achieved Earlier in Life
In
their twenties, men generally spend ten to twenty percent of their
sleep time in stages three and four of deep sleep. The time that men
spend in deep sleep declines significantly over time. By the age of
fifty, men generally only spend an average of 5 to 7 percent of their
time in bed in the stages of deep sleep. By the time men grow into
their sixties, in some individuals, deep sleep can disappear
completely.
Sekerovic's
study found no connection between Low-T and other portions of the
sleep cycle. The other sections of the sleep cycle are falling
asleep, Stage One Sleep, Stage Two Sleep, and Paradoxical Sleep. REM
Sleep is the period in which the vast majority of dreams occur.
Younger
Individuals Sleep Better because Their Neurons are Intact
Sekerovic
says that males in their twenties spend more of their nights in
periods of deep sleep because they have intact and fully functioning
neuronal circuitry. As the aging process continues, the connections
between neurons start to degrade and decline, which inhibits the
proper synchronization of brain activity. This inability of the brain
to properly synchronize itself has a negative impact on circadian
rhythm which reduces the time spent in the deeper and most
regenerative portions of sleep. Low-T exacerbates this disruption of
synchronization and it is safe to theorize that Low Testosterone
accounts for as much as twenty percent of an aging male's inability
to reach the deepest phases of sleep.
Sekerovic
Unsure if Poor Sleep Hinders Testosterone
Sekerovic
says that his study suggests that diminishing Testosterone Levels are
what hinder healthy sleeping habits rather than poor sleeping habits
contributing to Low-T, which many other studies have produced
evidence. He says that earlier studies regarding sleep and
Testosterone measure daily changes in Testosterone, which are most
significant in the morning.
Other
Evidence Suggests that The Link between Testosterone and Poor Sleep
is a Two Way Street
Although
Sekerovic feels that Low-T primarily creates the condition of poor
sleeping habits, it is entirely possible that Low Testosterone and
Deep Sleep affect one another via both pathways. Low Testosterone has
been linked to increased levels of cortisol, and increased cortisol
levels have been shown to inhibit natural sleeping patterns. When
sleeping patterns get disrupted, the circadian rhythm gets out of
balance, which amplifies cortisol production and diminishes
Testosterone production. Testosterone and healthy sleep are
intricately related to one another, and to claim that Testosterone
only inhibits healthy sleep and not vice-versa is very likely a
miscalculation.
Low
Testosterone and poor sleep have the potential to create a vicious
feedback mechanism in which declining Testosterone Levels disrupt
healthy sleep, and the poor sleeping habits that result from Low-T
make it even harder to experience deep and restful sleep. It is
possible that poor sleeping habits affect Testosterone most severely
among younger patients, while among older patients, Low-Testosterone
inhibits the brain's ability to enter a deep sleep.
Testosterone
Replacement for Healthy Sleep
There
is abundant evidence that Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy
can be a valid and valuable treatment option for men over the age of
thirty who suffer from issues with poor sleep that stem from Low
Testosterone. Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy can be used to
balance Testosterone levels so that patients can experience extended
periods of rejuvenative, deep sleep.
If
Sekerovic's research is proven to be replicable, his research could
change the entire structure of the Human Growth Hormone Replacement
Therapy debate. He readily admits that the decline of deep sleep is a
major medical issue that might easily be treated with Testosterone
HRT. As potential benefits of Testosterone Hormone Treatments
continue to be uncovered, the number of patients who are considered
likely to benefit from the therapy are guaranteed to continue to grow
at a rapid pace.
Sekerovic
Cautious, yet Optimistic
Sekerovic
concedes that patients and physicians should be judicious with the
use of Supplemental Testosterone, but that Testosterone Hormone
Treatments may be one of the primary means to restore healthy
sleeping habits sometime in the near future. It is important that
physicians and researchers continue to study the mechanisms of
abnormal sleep and to document the potential benefits of Testosterone
Replacement for Healthy Sleep in order for the treatment to become a
widespread option for patients that suffer from sleep disruption as a
result of Low Testosterone.
Eve
Van Cauter Sleep Study #1
Another
study that also identifies a link between Testosterone Levels and
Sleeping patterns was performed by Eve Van Cauter. Dr. Van Cauter is
a highly esteemed medical professor at the University of Chicago
Medical School. She was the primary director of an investigation that
discovered that males who sleep less than 5 hours a night for a
single week suffer from significantly atrophied Endogenous
Testosterone Levels in comparison to individuals with normal sleeping
patterns of eight hours per night. There is ample evidence that
diminished Testosterone Levels have numerous adverse consequences for
patients who should otherwise be perfectly healthy.
Low
Testosterone Linked with Numerous Negative Health Outcomes
Most
people know and understand that Low Testosterone and sexual
dysfunction are linked. Low Testosterone hinders sexual desire and
reduces the body's ability to produce high volumes of healthy sperm.
What
many do not understand is that healthy Testosterone Levels are
absolutely necessary in order to encourage healthy bone mineral
density and sustain normal male physical strength and endurance. Dr.
Van Cauter explains that Testosterone Deficiency is highly correlated
with diminished well-being and energy levels. Diminished sleep plays
a role in some of these symptoms, but the combination of Low
Testosterone and reduced levels of sleep combine and cause the
medical issues to be more severe and life-altering, which vastly
reduces the ability of an individual to make the most of himself and
his potential.
Large
Segment of Americans Don't Get Enough Sleep
According
to sociological studies, more than fifteen percent of working-class
adults try to get by with less than fives hours of sleep each
evening. This has a detrimental effect on physical and mental health.
Dr. Van Cauter's study suggests that regularly missing sleep in this
manner can absolutely devastate endogenous Testosterone production,
causing a young man to produce the Testosterone of a man ten to
fifteen years his senior. Dr. Van Cauter has spent well over a decade
studying the effect of sleep on endocrine production, and says that
as the body of medical knowledge has increased in regard to sleep
science, it is becoming more and more clear that sleeping an
inadequate amount and suffering from poor quality of sleep have
incredibly negative consequences upon endocrine health, especially on
the proper secretion of Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone.
Van
Cauter Testosterone Study Parameters
In
Dr. Van Cauter's study, 10 young males were enlisted to be
participants in the study, all recruited from the general vicinity of
the University of Chicago campus. All 10 of the subjects had to pass
a strict diagnostic evaluation, proving that they were of normal
health with no hormone imbalances or psychiatric issues. In addition
to this, each participant was evaluated to ensure that he did not
suffer from any disruptive sleep disorders which would invalidate his
results. The average age of the subject pool was twenty four years of
age. Each man was in overall good health and had a relatively normal
BMI.
When
the study began, each participant slept in the laboratory for three
nights, ensuring that the individual slept between eight and ten
hours each night. This provided Dr. Van Cauter's team with baseline
normal measurements that they could compare against experimental
results. After this initial period of three days, the participants
spent eight consecutive nights sleeping no more than five hours.
Blood samples were drawn during two specific periods for comparative
study. During the last day of healthy sleep, blood samples were drawn
every quarter to half hour for 24 hours in order to evaluate
Testosterone Levels throughout the day. During the last day of sleep
deprivation, the scientists applied the same diagnostic testing in
the same format.
Testosterone
Deficiency Occurs Swiftly as a Result of Poor Sleep
After
only a single week of disrupted sleep, changes in Testosterone Levels
were significant and symptomatic. Sleeping only five hours per night
lowered the Levels of Testosterone in the participants by ten to
fifteen percent. Testosterone production was most profoundly affected
during the mid to late afternoon, between the hours of two and ten.
In addition to simply measuring Testosterone Levels throughout the
day, the patients were also qualitatively evaluated in regard to
their vigor and mood levels throughout each day of the study.
Participants reported that their feeling of overall well-being
declined as their Testosterone Rates started to drop. In addition to
this, mood destabilized and motivation declined each day that they
were deprived of healthy hours of sleep.
Although
this was a small study, it was conducted in a manner which is highly
conducive to good information. Testosterone Levels declined
significantly as a result of poor sleeping habits, and there was no
sign that the subjects were acclimating to the effects of poor sleep
by the time that the study was complete.
Van
Cauter's Study Conducive with Sekerovic's Study, yet Oppositional to
His Theory
This
study provides unique insights that run counter to Sekerovic's
hypothesis about the correlation between Testosterone Levels and
Sleep. Where Sekerovic claims that Low Testosterone decreases sleep
performance without poor sleep effecting Testosterone levels, Dr. Van
Cauter's study provides clear evidence that poor sleep does have a
negative effect on Testosterone production. Both Sekerovic's and Van
Cauter's studies were conducted carefully and are both valid
collections of data, but Sekerovic extrapolates ideas from his study
that are not readily apparent from the data he collected.
Multiple
Pathways Likely Effect Testosterone-Sleep Connection
It
is possible that Low Testosterone affects sleeping habits via a
different pathway than Low Sleep affects Healthy Testosterone Levels.
Low Testosterone is often a result of Andropause or Adult-Onset
Hypogonadism and diminishes the ability of the body to reach the
deepest stages of sleep which provide the most profound benefits. It
is unclear which stages of sleep are most profoundly effected by
sleep deprivation a la Dr. Van Cauter's Study according to the data
provided, but generally, around 5 to 6 hours into the sleep cycle we
are hitting the deepest stages of sleep.
Different
Symptoms Associated with Different Sleep Disruptions
Waking
up after five hours has the potential to disrupt phases three and
four of sleep in a significant way. REM sleep is also likely affected
in a powerful manner. REM sleep occurs in phases throughout the
night, with each phase generally being longer than the last. We are
generally in the final, longest phase of REM sleep before we awake
after eight hours, so waking up after only five significantly reduces
the amount of REM Sleep we experience.
REM
sleep is theorized to be primarily responsible for memory
consolidation. This phase has also been associated with increased
emotional and mental well-being. This would explain the rapid changes
in self-perception that each participant experienced as a result of
sleep deprivation. It appears that in younger adults, the primary
affects may be the result of this loss of REM sleep, whereas in older
patients who are experiencing a decline in Testosterone Levels as a
result of Andropause, the negative affects of Testosterone Deficiency
primarily affect the deeper stages of sleep.
The
healthiest of males will experience optimal levels of both REM sleep
and Deep Stage sleep, and for this reason, it is important to
understand the different mechanisms which connect Endogenous
Testosterone and normal sleep patterns.
Van
Cauter Study #2: Cortisol and Sleep
Another
study by Dr. Van Cauter involves the relationship between Cortisol
Levels and Healthy Sleep in older patients. Cortisol is widely
referred to as the Fight-or-Flight hormone. When high-stress
situations occur in which your body knows you need to make accurate
snap decisions in order to protect and defend yourself, cortisol
production skyrockets. However, Cortisol is also produced in lower
amounts in response to generalized phenomena within the body.
Cortisol is one of the body's natural pain killers. When you
experience an injury, your body produces increased levels of cortisol
in order to minimize the physical pain associated with the injury.
Too
Much Cortisol Dangerous
Although
Cortisol is an absolutely necessary component of a healthy and
balanced endocrine system, the human body has a tendency to make too
much of the hormone. For individuals who are overweight or who live a
particularly sedentary lifestyle, Cortisol production has the ability
to overtake Testosterone production, leading to Testosterone
Deficiency. Cortisol and Low-T are intricately connected hormones
which are chemically very similar. One of the primary pathways in
which we obtain Cortisol is through the breakdown of Testosterone.
Fat
Turns Testosterone into Estrogen and Cortisol, Exercise Encourages
Testosterone
Adipose
fat tissue is physiologically capable of taking Testosterone and
converting it into both Cortisol and Estrogen. In patients with
normal levels of body fat, this is not necessarily an issue, but
obese patients have far more adipose fat cells than patients with
healthy weight, and this can actually lead to a severe atrophy of
endogenously produced Testosterone. Testosterone and Human Growth
Hormone are also both produced in significant quantities during the
act of exercise.
For
men, this may be the period in which Testosterone secretion is at its
peak. Human Growth Hormone is released at its highest levels during
sleep, but during exercise is when we receive the most natural HGH
during our waking hours. Human Growth Hormone has the capability to
corral Cortisol levels. Also, If a man doesn't engage in enough
physical activity, cortisol levels can start eating away at natural
Testosterone even among patients who sustain themselves with
relatively normal levels of body fat.
Cortisol
Tends to Increase with Age
Cortisol
levels also seem to naturally increase with age as our bodies begin
to produce less Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone as a result of
Andropause. Although this can be considered physiologically normal,
this decline in healthy hormone levels can and will eventually have a
severe negative impact on the body, and it is important to sustain
hormone production as well as possible in order to minimize health
risks associated with the aging process. For many, Testosterone
Hormone Replacement Therapy or HGH Injections may be a potent tool to
combat this hormonal deterioration which eventually leads to radical
negative effects on health and vitality.
Link
between HGH, Cortisol, and Sleep
Dr.
Van Cauter's study came to two conclusions regarding the correlation
between High Cortisol and its effect on healthy sleeping habits.
According to this study, there is a strong link between declining HGH
levels and increasing Cortisol Levels. Because of this, patients in
their fifties seem to suffer from increasingly poor sleep as a result
of a combination of Low HGH and High Cortisol. Although this study
does not mention Testosterone in particular, Van Cauter's past
studies (Including the one referred to above) have correlated Low
Testosterone with High Cortisol, and have linked Healthy HGH levels
with the maintenance of normalized cortisol levels.
Sekerovik
Revisited
Sekerovik's
study seems to suggest that healthy Testosterone Levels are primarily
associated with the normal experience of healthy Stage Three and
Stage Four Deep Sleep. Without sufficient levels of Testosterone, it
seems possible to completely lose the ability to achieve Stage 4 Deep
Sleep, and with it, all of the physiologically rejuvenative benefits
that result from the phase. This provides strong evidence that this
is one of the mechanisms by which Declining Testosterone Levels
directly lead to the amplification of the aging process.
Poor
Sleep Exacerbates Hormone Decline
If
the body is not able to experience the most vital period of
rejuvenation of the day, it is inevitable that a slow and steady
decline in physical and mental health can quickly transform into the
rapid period of aging we see so often occur to men as early as their
forties. This provides evidence that one means by which Testosterone
Hormone Replacement Therapy alleviates the effects of aging is by
restoring healthy sleep patterns which help the body repair and
rebuild itself.
This
is in addition to numerous other benefits that Testosterone
Replacement can provide, including increased muscle mass, increased
bone density, reduced body fat, healthier cholesterol levels, reduced
anxiety, and the softening of the effects of depression.
Testosterone
Deficiency in Younger Males as a Result of Poor Sleep: Theoretical
Case Studies
The
first Van Cauter Study links sleep deprivation with diminished
Testosterone Levels in younger males. In addition to this, the study
suggests that REM Sleep is affected profoundly because of rapid
changes in both mood and sense of self. It is also possible that this
change in sleeping habits also affects Deep Sleep significantly, but
there is no evidence of this in the data that we have been provided.
Although
Testosterone Replacement is generally only provided to men over the
age of thirty, this study shows one of the mechanisms by which
Testosterone Levels start to decline as a direct result of the
influence of outside conditions, personal circumstances, and
individual lifestyle choices. Although in the study listed above,
participants were conditionally forced to submit to vastly altered
sleeping habits, this study mimics changes that can happen quickly in
all of our lives for a variety of reasons.
Consider
these examples:
Van
Cauter Theoretical Case Study #1
Perhaps
your employer has insisted that you change from first to second
shift. You have two children. Before, you took your children to
school and headed off to work. You came home about an hour after your
children, and you spent the evening together as a family. After the
shift change however, you are now only able to spend a brief time
with your kids before they have to go to sleep. You are still wired
from a late evening at work and now find that you can't get to sleep
until two in the morning, or even later. You end up waking up even
earlier than normal in the morning in order to ensure that you get to
spend at least a little bit of time with your kids before you haul
them off to school. After the kids are dropped off and you run your
run errands and take care of your personal business, its time to head
back to work.
As
a result of hard-to-negotiate changes that took place in your life,
you are now dealing with Low Testosterone as a result of your
constricted sleeping habits. You start to drag out of bed in the
morning and you find yourself more irritable. You're starting to gain
weight without major changes in your eating habits and you begin to
experience significant bouts of fatigue and exhaustion.
Van
Cauter Theoretical Case Study #2
You
are a not-all-that-old college professor who lives somewhat of a
triple life by profession. Four days a week you are teaching business
classes to undergraduates. On weekends, you are teaching MBA classes
to both fresh graduates as well as young and middle aged business
professionals. Outside of evaluating essays, assessing projects, and
grading performance evaluations you are also an active participant in
the regional business community, providing business advice and
working as an independent business consultant for corporations across
the tri-state area.
Some
nights you can get a decent night's sleep, but more often than not
you are driving across state lines or taking red-eye flights across
the country for academic and professional conventions. When you were
younger you felt invigorated by the lifestyle of your career path,
but as you've grown older and your obligations have grown with each
year, you feel like your job is taking a significant toll on you. You
still love your job. You can't pack up and quit, but you feel
disconnected from those around you and you feel like you may be doing
a minor disservice to your students and associates. Physically, you
are aware of the gray hairs that are starting to sprout, and the
distinguished lines on your face are threatening to develop into
deep, coarse wrinkles.
This
could all be the result of Low Testosterone that has resulted from
poor sleeping habits over a significant period of time. For a man
like you, Testosterone Replacement Therapy could help you resharpen
your insights and experience again the love you once had for your
difficult, yet rewarding, career.
Testosterone
Hormone Replacement Therapy Beneficial for Both of These Patients
Testosterone
creams, patches, or injections can help balance your natural hormone
production and help slow and reverse the signs of the aging process.
Although Testosterone Levels naturally decline with age as a result
of the normal progression of Andropause, conditions such as poor
sleep and high levels of stress can speed the rate at which the onset
of the process occurs, or speed up the rate at which the decline
takes place. With Testosterone Hormone Replacement, you can
potentially push back the most significant effects of Andropause by a
number of years, and you can likely reverse the effects of early
Adult-Onset Hypogonadism.
High
Cortisol Levels Life Threatening
Also,
people who experience higher levels of stress as a result of their
careers or personal lives are more at risk for potentially life
threatening health conditions as a direct result of increased
cortisol and decreased Testosterone. Testosterone Replacement Therapy
promotes cardiovascular and neurological health, in many cases
reversing negative health issues related to Low-T and Aging such as
cholesterol plaque build up, hypertension, and circulation issues. By
relieving these conditions, Testosterone HRT has the ability to
significantly reduce the potential of heart attack, stroke, and heart
failure. As a result of other physiological processes, Testosterone
also decreases fatigue and increases muscle tone and strength-the
most essential of these muscles being the heart.
Restoring
Diminished Testosterone through Hormone Replacement
For
individuals like this who feel that they are bound by necessity,
Testosterone Hormone Treatments may help you restore diminished
Testosterone Levels that are the result of external causes. In
addition to this, you can alter your habits (For example, by
eliminating evening caffeine intake to aide you in falling asleep
earlier and easier, or by not eating a meal after work, which will
help regulate a more natural circadian rhythm). Although you may not
be able to get a full eight hours every night for awhile,
Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy can help minimize the
effects of poor sleeping habits and help you live a happier,
healthier, and more motivated life.
Testosterone
Effected by Balance of HGH and Cortisol
The
second Van Cauter study suggests that High Cortisol and Low Levels of
HGH are primarily associated with the disruption of REM Sleep. In
this study, Testosterone is not directly discussed or monitored, but
it is clear that the dichotomy that exists between HGH and Cortisol
directly correlates with the level of Testosterone that is released
in a male with otherwise healthy sexual organs. This study provides
evidence that the cognitive and psychological changes that take place
as a result of the aging process are possibly the result of hormonal
imbalance which inhibits the sleeping brain from engaging in
appropriate levels of REM Sleep, during which time our mind is
converting new data learned over the course of the previous day and
reinforcing memories from the recent and more distant past.
HGH
Directly Regulates Cortisol
When
HGH Levels decline and we begin to suffer from Human Growth Hormone
Deficiency, our Cortisol Levels begin to get out of balance. HGH
up-regulates metabolism, increases energy, and sustains muscle mass
and endurance while also keeping fat tissue in check. Without healthy
levels of HGH, Cortisol production starts to amplify, and as it does,
the hormone eats away at our already declining Endogenous
Testosterone supply. Testosterone Replacement Therapy can help combat
the effects of high cortisol levels. Although it is unclear if
Testosterone Replacement directly limits cortisol production, it
encourages a number of physical processes which reduce the levels of
cortisol present in the body and the influence of the hormone on
physiological systems.
Testosterone
Production Indirectly Manages Cortisol
Testosterone
encourages increased metabolism and muscle mass, thereby reducing
levels of fat in the human body. Less fat means less cortisol.
Testosterone also encourages males to be more assertive and less
stressed out by the world around them. Many of the psychological
conditions related to elevated cortisol are due to the delicate
balance between Testosterone and Cortisol in the human body. With a
healthier balance between Cortisol and Testosterone, the
fight-or-flight response and the physiological symptoms of that
response are suppressed, which can over time reduce endogenous
Cortisol production as the adrenal gland is getting fewer signals to
ramp up or sustain production.
Can
Testosterone and HGH be Taken Together?
This
balance between Testosterone and Cortisol is also why is quite
often beneficial to engage in Testosterone Replacement Therapy in
addition to Bio-Identical Human Growth Hormone HRT. HGH More directly
affects cortisol production and can amplify the gains of Testosterone
Treatments by suppressing excess cortisol production. The goal of
both Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone Replacement is to restore
hormone levels to rates which are associated with our earlier and
more active years.
Because
of this, there is no risk of suppressing cortisol production to an
unnatural extent. As we age, our body seems to get more efficient at
producing cortisol, so restoring clinically normal hormone levels
will still leave the body with a physiologically useful level of
Cortisol, it will just prevent the hormone from producing the
plethora of negative conditions associated with elevated Cortisol.
A
Full Night's Sleep is Absolutely Necessary
Although
we are completely unable to personally observe it, sleep is the most
important period of the day as it pertains to the maintenance of
physical health. Sleep is when our body rehabilitates itself from
daily wear and fights off microscopic outside intruders with maximum
firepower. Sleep is when our bones and muscles are reinforced,
allowing the bones to stay strong and the effects of exercise to
accrue. The resting hours are when our minds become sharper and our
experiences become memories. Without enough sleep, the body loses its
ability to maintain itself optimally at a cognitive, psychological,
or physical level.
It's
All Interconnected
Sleep
and Optimal Hormone Production are inextricably linked. Without
sufficient sleep, our body rapidly produces lower levels of
Testosterone. Without sufficient Testosterone, we are unable to get
the highest level of benefit out of even a full night of otherwise
perfect rest.
Without
enough rest, Endogenous Human Growth Hormone Production starts to
decline at an ever-increasing rate. Without healthy Human Growth
Hormone Levels, Cortisol levels go unchecked and diminish
Testosterone production and prevent us from experiencing restful
sleep. Poor sleeping habits encourage Cortisol production to peak at
inappropriate times, which can further inhibit the body's ability to
produce both Testosterone and HGH efficiently.
When
Cortisol Levels are unrestricted, our body suffers for it every
living second that those levels are allowed to remain elevated.
Bio-Identical HGH and Testosterone have the ability to reduce the
negative impact of Cortisol, encourage healthier, normal sleep, as
well as encourage better overall health via a number of different
physiological pathways.
Controlling
Hormones and Engaging in Healthy Sleeping Habits
For
younger patients, healthy hormone balance and rejuvenating sleep can
most likely be restored by making lifestyle choices which encourage
the maintenance of a normal circadian rhythm and changing daily
habits to encourage increased Testosterone and HGH production and
efficiency through diet and vigorous physical activity.
Testosterone
and HGH Replacement Therapy Options for Sleep Management Later in
Life
As
you grow older, these methods will have the capability to benefit you
significantly, but as your body's ability to produce Testosterone and
HGH decline, you will likely experience diminishing returns on your
investment in good health. This is the time at which you should
consider Hormone Replacement. Although Dr. Van Cauter's study shows
that Testosterone Levels can be readily manipulated by your personal
decisions and choices, Mr. Sekerovic's study shows that, at some
point beginning around the time of Andropause, Testosterone Decline
becomes an innately unavoidable experience. Without hormonal
supplementation, you only have the capability to manipulate the rate
at which that decline occurs. The same is true for Human Growth
Hormone.
If
your body no longer responds readily to your attempts to maintain it,
or if you feel that you are unable to fully take care of your long
term health because symptoms of Hormone Deficiency are getting in the
way of your energy, willpower, and the manifestation of your efforts
to live a more conscious lifestyle, we encourage you to consider
Human Growth Hormone or Testosterone Replacement as a means to help
restore a more perfect you.
Testosterone,
Sleep, and Sleep Apnea
Although each and
every one of us spend around one third of hour life sleeping, there
is a lot that we don't know or fully understand about everything that
occurs while we sleep. Over the last decade, scientists have been
learning more and more about the effect that Testosterone has on
healthy sleeping habits. There are many aspects to Testosterone that
we have long had a strong grasp on. We've always understood
Testosterone in regard to the role it plays in male sexual
development and health.
Testosterone
Necessary for Healthy Sleep in Both Sexes
We've long known
that Testosterone is the hormone that differentiates men from women,
and in the last generation we've uncovered a large number of the
negative symptoms of hormone deficiency. We are just beginning to
realize the mechanisms which connect restful sleep to healthy
Testosterone, however. At first, the connection between male sleeping
habits and Testosterone was established, but now there is
overwhelming evidence that Testosterone plays an integral role in the
feminine sleep cycle as well.
Multiple
Benefits to Healthy Sleep and Testosterone
Recently, scientists
have conducted a large-scale review of Testosterone-related
scientific research that increases our overall knowledge of the
connection between Testosterone Levels and Sleep Quality. These
studies primarily represented three sets of information:
The effects that
sleeping habits have on Endogenous Testosterone Levels in both sexes
How Testosterone is
associated with sleep-disordered breathing and sleep apnea
The connection
between Sexual Dysfunction and Low Testosterone, and how sleep
impacts both phenomena
Free and Total
Testosterone Rates are highly variable during sleep in both males and
females. There is clinical evidence that our bodies naturally use up
Testosterone throughout the course of the day. While we are sleeping,
the opposite seems to occur. When we rest, Testosterone levels in the
body are refilled, and under normal circumstances, we are restored to
Optimal Peak Testosterone.
Testosterone
Peaks During REM
Evidence suggests
that peak Testosterone production occurs during the period of REM
Sleep. During REM Sleep, we are physically inert yet very mentally
active. This is the period during sleep in which we dream most
heavily, although we generally only remember the dreams that we
experienced just before awakening. REM Sleep occurs five or so times
per night, increasing in length each time we experience it. Overall
we spend almost a quarter of our sleep experience in REM Sleep.
Sleep Disorders
Disrupt Testosterone
There are many
sleeping conditions which can hinder our ability to get sufficiently
restorative sleep. The two most common reasons why healthy sleep is
disrupted are because we don't get enough sleep, or our sleep is
interrupted, causing us to wake up periodically throughout the night,
whether we are consciously aware of it or not. Any disorder which
actively disrupts sleep has the secondary complication of also
contributing to Testosterone Deficiency. Poor sleep has the
capability of disrupting Testosterone in both males and females.
There is a strong
correlation that Low-T can increase the risk and severity of
nocturnal breathing disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. Low
Testosterone is incredibly common among those who suffer from sleep
apnea. This disorder, in combination with Hypogonadism, contributes
to overall sexual pathology, sapping sex drive, increasing the risk
of Erectile Dysfunction, and in some cases even leading to total
sexual impotence.
Facts about ED
and Sleep Apnea
One study provides
significant evidence that males who suffer from ED suffer from
Obstructive Sleep Apnea over twice as often as men who do not
experience sexual dysfunction. This report also uncovered a strong
correlation between the severity of an individual's ED and the
statistical probability that he also suffered from Sleep Apnea.
A second study
demonstrates that males who suffer from sexual mechanical issues
along with this form of Sleep Apnea are shown to experience highly
disruptive sleep patterns which are shown to inhibit or even
completely eradicate their experience of REM Sleep.
There is evidence
that women also suffer from Testosterone Deficiency as a result of
sleep apnea as well, though it appears that men suffer from the
mutual conditions more often than their feminine counterparts. There
are many who hypothesize that there may be as many women as men that
suffer from Sleep Apnea, but there are signs that Female Sleep Apnea
is a condition which is often goes undiagnosed among women.
What are the
Implications of Sleeping Disorders or Sexual Dysfunction in Men?
Many men are shy
about discussing their erectile issues with a physician, or don't
realize the negative health consequences of Sleep Apnea. Let's set
the record straight right away. If you are suffering from either of
these conditions, we implore you to go visit a medical professional
as soon as possible, especially if you suffer from both of these
conditions at the same time, as there are likely other significant
underlying medical issues which put your body and health at risk that
need to be tended to.
Make Erectile
Management Drugs a Last Resort
Before considering
Viagra, Cialis, or other forms of Sexual Enhancement, you should
undergo a physician-monitored sleep evaluation. There are clinics
around the country that specialize in providing full diagnostic
evaluation of your sleep experience and can reveal any underlying
sleep disruptions that could be hindering your ability to produce
healthy levels of Testosterone.
CPAP, Sleep
Apnea, and Testosterone Replacement
If you are suffering
from Obstructive Sleep Apnea, there is a significant chance that your
Testosterone Deficiency and your sleep disorder can be alleviated
through the use of medical treatments such CPAP, scientifically
referred to as a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Machine. CPAPs
are medical instruments that help patients breathe throughout the
night without experiencing periods of sleep disruption caused by
sleep apnea. For many patients, especially those that are older and
beginning to suffer from the initial or later stages of Andropause,
Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy may be the most effective
means to restore healthy Free and Total Testosterone.
Connection
between Female Low-T and Sleep Disorders
Females are
especially susceptible to sleeping issues as a result of hormonal
shifts and deficiencies which occur throughout the course of their
lives. Progesterone and Estrogen play a significant role in the
normalized sleeping habits of women, but Testosterone plays a
significant role in healthy sleep among females as well.
Although women
produce significantly less Testosterone than men, the androgen still
performs vital functions in regard to female health. Nowhere are the
effects of Optimal Testosterone more obvious than in the realm of
sex. It is perhaps a bit counter-intuitive, but Testosterone is the
primary factor involved in the female sex drive, and when
Testosterone Levels are too low, women start to suffer from issues
which hinder their sexual desire and ability.
Sleep Apnea
Hinders Female Sexuality
Sleep Apnea has been
tightly correlated with sexual dysfunction in women, and measures to
correct sleep apnea have been shown to often restore proper sexual
function among these patients. The more constrictive that sleep apnea
becomes, the more devastating the effects of the condition on female
sexuality. Without healthy Testosterone Rates, women begin to lose
their desire for sex.
In addition to this,
they also lose the ability to become appropriately sexually aroused
and because of this, sex becomes at best unsatisfying, and at worse,
downright painful. Sleep apnea and other conditions are even more of
a potential issue for women than for men, because sleep apnea
regularly goes unreported among females.
Women who feel that
they are suffering from disruptive sleep are also encourages to seek
the aid of a sleep specialist in order to discover the source of
their poor sleep. Also, women who are suffering from disorders
relating to sexual function and desire should also visit a physician
that specializes in sleep in order to ensure that they receive the
proper treatment for their sexual dysfunction.
Testosterone
Replacement Therapy, Sleep Apnea Treatment, or Both?
Testosterone Hormone
Replacement Therapy is an incredibly effective treatment for the
restoration of sexual ability and desire for women, but if Sleep
Apnea is the cause, then Testosterone Replacement may not be
necessary, especially in younger patients. For women who are
experiencing menopause or have passed the period of menopause, the
patient should consider resolving their sleep apnea even if their
Testosterone Deficiency is the result of hormonal changes, because
any disorder that disrupts healthy sleep and inhibits normal
pulmonary function will be at increased risk of numerous other
physiological conditions.
What are the
Risks of Sleep Apnea
Low-T Terrible
for Female Cardiovascular Health
Although males are
more often treated for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, women are potentially
more at risk as a result of the disorder. Testosterone is incredibly
beneficial to cardiovascular health, especially in direct regard to
the heart. Testosterone has the capability to reduce the effects of
inflammation in and around the heart as a result of certain proteins
which have the capability to actively damage the heart if inhibitory
Testosterone is not present.
In males, the blood
stream has enough Testosterone that even patients with Low-T have
enough Testosterone to adequately protect the heart. In female
patients, however, Obstructive Sleep Apnea can lead to much more
significant heart risk because the disorder can reduce Endogenous
Testosterone Levels to a point at which the heart is almost
completely vulnerable to these inflammatory proteins.
Treat Sleep Apnea
Quickly and Conscientiously
It is clear that
both males and females are put at increased physical risk as a result
of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The quicker that the condition is treated
and controlled, the quicker that your doctor can assess the realities
of your hormonal balance and provide you with appropriate treatment
opportunities in order to restore healthy Testosterone Levels and
increase your odds of living a longer and healthier life.
Testosterone HRT
for Obesity
For patients who
suffer from sleep apnea as a result of obesity or as a result of the
aging process, Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy may actually
have the ability to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea. One of the most
common causes of Sleep Apnea is Obesity. Although Sleep Apnea
inhibits Testosterone, underlying issues related to obesity may be
playing an even larger role in your deficiency.
Benefits of
Testosterone HRT
By utilizing
Testosterone Replacement Therapy, you can increase your physical
strength, bolster your metabolism, and help eliminate some of those
excess pounds. When used in combination with a healthy diet and an
active exercise routine, you can burn off the calories and restore a
healthy sleeping pattern. If you utilize Testosterone HRT in order to
help resolve your sleep apnea, you may no longer need to engage in
Testosterone Treatments after your apnea is resolved, because the
combination of weight loss and the resolution of your apnea may
restore your endocrine system's ability to provide sufficient Levels
of Testosterone to the body.
Advice on How to
Encourage Healthier Sleeping Habits
It's
obvious that Healthy Hormone Levels are intricately related to
restful and rejuvenative sleep. There are a number of options that
you have in order to vastly improve the quality of your sleep, and as
a result, vastly improve your health and well-being.
Establish
a Normal Bedtime
Although
you may not want to recognize it, your body functions most optimally
when adhering to a normal, repeating cycle. The human Circadian
Rhythm is your body's internal biological clock. This rhythm is
responsible for ensuring that your hormones are all released at
proper times dependent upon the time of day, keeping you alert and
ready for action during the day and helping you wind down after a
long day of productivity. If you don't adhere to a relatively strict
pattern, this encourages your Circadian Rhythm to go out of sync,
making it harder to fall asleep at a healthy hour and often leaving
you exhausted during the exact parts of the day when you need energy
the most.
No
Late Night Alcohol
We
won't stop you from enjoying a drink with your friends from time to
time, but late-night alcohol consumption has a negative effect on
healthy sleep. Alcohol is a biologically potent depressant, and as a
result, alcohol has the ability to help you fall asleep quickly and
easily. The problem with alcohol occurs later in the night, however.
As the alcohol circulates and leaves the blood stream, it can lead to
significant sleep disruption during the second half of the night.
After sleeping soundly for hours, you may suddenly find yourself
waking up with a stir. You may have to get up and take a bathroom
break as your bladder fills as a result of the escapades of the
previous night. All of these issues prevent you from experiencing
sufficient levels of REM Sleep while also preventing you from
reaching Stage Three and Four Deep Sleep in many cases.
Keep
Gadgets out of the Bedroom
Most
people have a tendency to keep all of their toys in the bedroom. Who
isn't tempted to pull out their smart phone and surf the web or visit
a social networking site for a few minutes before going to bed? These
sorts of toys have a tendency to trick your brain into thinking that
your bed is a place to play and not a place to sleep. If your brain
associates your bed with distraction rather than sleep, this could
subconsciously cause you to have trouble falling asleep because you
aren't able to relax and allow yourself to drift to sleep.
Keep
Cool
Proper
temperature regulation is a vitally important part of proper sleeping
habits. As you become tired, your body becomes less able to properly
regulate its own temperature. This has a tendency to make hot rooms
feel hotter and cold rooms feel colder. If you are having trouble
getting and staying asleep, it is often wise to turn the thermostat
down just a tad too low. Remember, its easier to bundle up to keep
warm than to keep cool in a hot bedroom. Remember, the last thing you
want to have to do when you are trying to sleep well is to have to
walk down the hall and turn off the heat.
Find
a Better Mattress
For
many people, poor sleep is directly attributable to a poor sleeping
surface. This doesn't mean that you have to buy a mattress made out
of material used inside the space shuttle, but it might mean that you
need to ditch your old, worn out coil spring mattress. If your
mattress is adequately comfy, your problem could also very well be in
the quality of your pillows. Cheap pillows from discount market
stores may do the trick for a few days, but the quality quickly
deteriorates. Some people rave about the quality of goose down
pillows, but others complain that the down has a tendency to settle
and leave them sweating in the middle of the night. You don't have to
spend a fortune, but think of a quality mattress and pillow as an
investment in your health. If you sleep better, longer, and more
soundly, it will be worth every penny.
No
Television in Bed
This
rule is very similar to the No Gadgets rule, but Televisions in
the bedroom have become so ubiquitous now that TVs need their own
rule. Television is a powerful distraction which can potentially
shave an hour or more off of your overall time asleep. Some claim
that television helps them sleep, so this advice is not for them, but
if you have trouble falling asleep, or find yourself still exhausted
when you wake up in the morning, television may be the root cause of
your woes. Although cynics claim that television turns off your
brain, television can actually keep you wired and keep your mind too
active, preventing you from slowly drifting off to sleep in a normal
and orderly amount of time.
Keep
the Room Perfectly Dark
In
order to sleep most soundly, it is important to keep the room as dark
as possible. Even seemingly insignificant light sources can reduce
the body's ability to remain dormant. During REM Sleep, the brain is
highly active in spite of the fact that the body is unable to respond
to the activity in the brain. This phase of sleep is relatively light
however, and excess stimuli, even light stimuli, can cause the brain
and body to snap back to a fully conscious state, preventing you from
experiencing the full psychological and cognitive benefits of REM
Sleep. Light sources can also prevent you from getting to sleep
quickly and naturally without you realizing it. We even suggest
purchasing an analog alarm clock in order to avoid the bright shining
artificial light of a digital clock. Being unable to stare at the
clock can help you fall asleep faster by reducing sensory
stimulation.
Abandon
the Snooze Button
This
is advice that should be considered by all individuals, whether they
experience significant sleep issues or not. The snooze button is your
enemy. Although extra time to sleep sounds great, it actually does a
disservice to your body. The period of time you spend asleep before
the alarm goes off yet again is too brief for you to reach phases of
sleep which provide real and true benefits. In addition to this, the
Snooze alarm can, and probably will, shock you out of the latest
stage of REM Sleep. Every minute you spend in REM Sleep is valuable
to your body, and depriving yourself of even ten minutes of this
sleep can have a measurable impact on the overall quality of your
sleep experience, especially when measured over the course of days or
weeks.
Sleep
on Your Side
If
you sleep with a partner, there is significant evidence that sleeping
on your side in a spoon position can improve the quality of your
sleep. Over the course of human nature, man and woman have grown
accustomed to sleeping in a bonding position. There are laboratory
studies which confirm that sleeping with your arm around your partner
has the ability to reduce stress and cortisol levels, helping you
clear your mind and fall asleep easier. Also, this sleep
configuration encourages romantic intimacy both inside and outside of
the bedroom, which can reduce stress, improve sleep, and foster
overall well-being. Sometimes what goes on in the bedroom contributes
to your happiness and performance outside of the bedroom!
No
Food after Nine PM
Some
even suggest no food after nine at night. Diet plays a major role in
the optimal balance of the circadian rhythm. As we mentioned earlier,
Cortisol production is supposed to peak early in the morning.
Cortisol production is largely related to the level of hunger that we
feel inside. Breakfast is supposed to be a healthy and nutritious
meal served soon after we've awakened in order to sate our hunger and
resolve our elevated Cortisol levels. Eating late, just before bed,
disrupts this natural cycle, however. The digestive system functions
at its slowest while we are asleep, and eating a big meal right
before bed causes food to settle in our digestive system, which can
disrupt normal sleep.
Also,
when you eat a big meal late, you wake up still satiated, and you
have a tendency to put off breakfast or skip the meal altogether.
This disrupts the cortisol cycle and can cause you to experience high
cortisol and fatigue during a period of the day in which you are
supposed to be fully awake and alert. Eating just before bed also
causes you to have elevated insulin levels during sleep which
inhibits the effectiveness of Human Growth Hormone secretion. If the
Circadian Rhythm becomes sufficiently unbalanced, you may even
experience elevated Cortisol before bed, which will prevent you from
easily falling asleep, or might prevent you from experiencing the
most rejuvenating stages of sleep by preventing you from sleeping
through the night without disruption.
What if these
steps don't work?
If
you have been having trouble getting adequately restful sleep, these
steps should help you restore a healthier and more normal sleep
pattern. If your sleep dysfunction is the result of a medical
condition, however, these steps will likely not be sufficient to
fully resolve the complications with your sleeping habits.
Testosterone Deficiency and Human Growth Hormone Deficiency have been
tightly correlated with poor sleeping habits. If your honest attempts
to sleep better and more soundly are ineffectual, and you do not
suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea, then there is a significant
chance that you may need Hormone Replacement Therapy in order help
you get a full night's rest.
Hormone Balance
and Sleep Unavoidably Connected
Hormone
Production and Sleep are intricately intertwined and only serve to
further illuminate the beneficial effects of the biological process
of sleep. The older you are, the more likely that your sleeping
difficulties are the result of Low-T or Human Growth Hormone
Deficiency. If you feel that you may be suffering from the effects of
Hormone Imbalance, the Conscious Evolution Institute can help you
discover the truth. If you are interested in learning more about the
potential benefits of Testosterone or HGH Replacement, we encourage
you to call or contact us today! We at the Conscious Evolution
Institute can provide you with a complete diagnostic panel in order
to help discover the likely source of your physiological troubles.
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