Insomnia Relief For Individuals With Low Testosterone
The link between sleep issues and low testosterone is something to be aware of. Read on for more information on insomnia relief and trt therapy.
The recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is 7 to 9 hours per night. About 30 percent of the general population complains of trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Insomnia relief medication is big business.
Insomnia is costing the U.S. $63.2 billion in lost productivity each year. That works out to 11.3 lost days for each worker. It’s more than just a little daytime sleepiness!
Could your tiredness and lack of rest be caused by low testosterone? Or is it the other way around- could your lack of good sleep be affecting your testosterone level? Read on to learn more about the link between insomnia relief and testosterone.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by the difficulty or inability to get the proper amount of sleep. Sleep issues also include easily disrupted sleep, difficulty returning to sleep, and unrefreshing sleep.
Insomnia is a serious problem. It contributes to many other health concerns such as obesity, heart disease, chronic pain, hormonal disruptions, cognitive and psychiatric changes. Lack of sleep has been linked to accidents, lowered productivity and poor judgment.
Insomnia relief can come in many forms, including consistent sleep schedules, good sleep hygiene, stress removal, medications, eliminating caffeine and nicotine and hormone regulation. Abuse of insomnia relief medication is always a concern to medical professionals.
Lack of Sleep and Low Testosterone
Normal testosterone production requires ample, deep REM sleep. A lack of sleep raises cortisol levels and causes low testosterone. It’s a vicious cycle. Changes in testosterone levels occur naturally during sleep. Testosterone levels decrease during waking hours and rise during sleep.
Testosterone used up by the body every day is replenished at night.
In men, the reduction in hours of sleep has been closely correlated with lowering of testosterone. Studies have shown that men with low testosterone, especially older men, tend to have more trouble sleeping. Insomnia relief would allow testosterone recovery.
Hormone imbalance symptoms are also low energy and tiredness, the same as lack of sleep. In the case of low testosterone-caused wakefulness, insomnia relief could be as simple as replacement therapy.
Sleep Apnea and Low Testosterone
There’s strong evidence of a relationship between testosterone and breathing disorders in sleep. Symptoms of sleep apnea are loud snoring at night, periods of not breathing followed by gasping (apnea) and severe daytime sleepiness.
Men with obstructive sleep apnea have low testosterone levels. Studies also indicate men with obstructive sleep apnea are also more likely to suffer from a compromised sexual function, including erectile dysfunction, impotence, and low libido.
Men without erectile dysfunction were less than half as likely to have obstructive sleep apnea as those with erectile dysfunction. The same study also pointed out that the more severe the erectile dysfunction, the more likely the patient would also suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.
Men with obstructive sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction also exhibited highly-fragmented sleep that limited or destroyed their REM sleep. One possible reason for low testosterone is the destructive influence of sleep apnea. Breathing interruptions happen hundreds of times during the night and disturb both rest and testosterone production.
Sleep Apnea and Obesity
In adult men, the most common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is excess weight and obesity. During sleep, throat and tongue muscles are relaxed and the soft tissues of the mouth and throat block the airway. Again, in a bit of “chicken or egg” question, the disturbed REM sleep and metabolic change caused by apnea can cause weight gain.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Insomnia Relief
Hormone imbalances can lead to sleep disturbances and insomnia. The mechanism is not exactly known, but there is a correlation. It is thought that low testosterone levels can inhibit the synchronization of the brain that is required to achieve REM sleep.
Returning low testosterone levels to normal helps with the synchronization, and the body can rebalance itself. Since it’s natural for testosterone levels to begin a slow decline after age 30, replacement therapy can help you restore those levels and find insomnia relief.
Although replacement therapy may help men with insomnia, it’s benefit to men with sleep apnea is through encouraging weight loss. Solving dangerous obstructive apnea with remedies like CPAP before beginning testosterone replacement therapy is important. Testosterone replacement therapy can make sleep apnea worse and increase associated health risks.
Treatments for obstructive sleep apnea like a CPAP are effective and safe. However, sleep apnea correction alone does not seem to have an effect on normal testosterone production.
Hormone Regulation for Restful Sleep
Just as low testosterone can cause sleep disturbance, excess testosterone is related to anxiety, irritability and poor sleep. Balancing testosterone therapy with adrenal function, thyroid function and estradiol has wide-ranging effects on health.
A lack of adequate restful, restorative sleep is related to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, compromised immune system and sexual dysfunction. Sleep disturbances cause hormonal changes and disordered hormones cause sleep changes. Treating both and allowing the body to re-order its systems is the ideal.
If sleep apnea is present, physical correction of the apnea through use of CPAP before trying TRT is recommended, although TRT can encourage weight loss and jumpstart the body’s return to equilibrium. Perfectly normal testosterone decline after age 30 can disturb sleep and other body systems.
Low testosterone may be the cause of many symptoms or the result of underlying illness. Restoring testosterone levels to a healthy range with replacement therapy can help alleviate many, if not all, symptoms as well as reduce the risk of other health challenges.
Seek the advice of medical professionals for your symptoms of insomnia, fatigue and daytime sleepiness. You may be a good candidate for testosterone replacement therapy. Many people have found TRT to be a good fit for their health concerns. For more information, keep reading our blog or make an appointment to discuss your health today!
