You can train hard, eat well and still feel flat if your sleep is broken. Sleep is when your body releases much of its growth hormone, repairs muscle and resets appetite hormones. Short sleep has been linked to lower testosterone in healthy young men after only a week.
What poor sleep costs you
- Hormones: testosterone production happens largely during sleep
- Appetite: short sleep raises hunger and cravings the next day
- Recovery: muscle repair and adaptation to training slow down
- Focus and mood: reaction time, patience and motivation all drop
Five changes that work
1. Keep one wake-up time
A consistent wake time, weekends included, anchors your body clock more than anything else. Bedtime tends to follow.
2. Get morning light
Ten minutes of outdoor light soon after waking helps set your rhythm for the day and makes it easier to fall asleep at night.
3. Cut caffeine after lunch
Caffeine lingers for hours. A 3 p.m. coffee can still be working at midnight.
4. Make the room cold, dark and quiet
Most people sleep best in a cool room. Blackout curtains and a fan or white noise go a long way.
5. Go easy on alcohol
A nightcap may help you fall asleep, but it fragments the second half of the night and suppresses deep sleep.
When it is more than habits
Loud snoring, waking up gasping, morning headaches or heavy daytime sleepiness can be signs of sleep apnea, which is common in men and closely tied to low testosterone and weight gain. It is very treatable, and worth raising with a physician.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed physician about your own symptoms and treatment options.
