You make most of your testosterone during sleep. If you structurally sleep too little, that can measurably lower your testosterone. In a study, the testosterone of healthy young men dropped by 10 to 15% after a week of less than five hours of sleep (Leproult, 2011).
That's a sizeable effect for "just a bit less sleep". It shows how serious your night's rest is for your hormones.
Why does sleep loss lower your testosterone?
Your testosterone production follows your sleep rhythm and peaks in the early morning. Short or broken sleep disturbs that rhythm, so production falls. The good news: the effect is often reversible once your sleep gets back on track.
How does this connect to stress?
Poor sleep and stress reinforce each other. A high cortisol keeps you awake, and poor sleep raises your stress. See also cortisol and testosterone.
What can you do with it?
If you feel tired despite enough sleep, or you snore with breathing pauses, discuss it with your GP. A blood test can map your testosterone, best measured in the morning.
Getting started
The Testosterone Panel measures your testosterone, so you know where you stand before changing anything about your sleep.
References
- Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Effect of 1 week of sleep restriction on testosterone levels in young healthy men. JAMA. 2011;305(21):2173-2174. PMID: 21632481.
- Harman SM, et al. Longitudinal effects of aging on serum total and free testosterone levels. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86(2):724-731. PMID: 11158037.
- Dutch Brain Foundation (Hersenstichting). Sleep and recovery: background.
Disclaimer
Caliberhealth works with BIG-registered doctors who assess your blood results. This article gives general information and is not a substitute for medical advice from a GP or specialist. A blood test is a tool, not a diagnosis in itself. For serious symptoms, contact your GP, or in an emergency call 112.
الوسوم
الكاتب