Insomnia and Men

Can Low Testosterone Levels Cause Insomnia?

Losing a night’s sleep during a short season of stress, or on a night when you are just feeling “off,” is not necessarily a cause for concern. However, if you suffer from insomnia night after night, for an extended period of time, a full physical checkup and a comprehensive look at your hormone levels are warranted. Low t replacement therapy can help with insomnia, but it must take place under the supervision of a trusted, licensed physician like Dr. Mikhail Berman.

We all have a marvelous internal biological clock, known as our “circadian rhythm.” This regulates the timing of sleep and wakefulness in our bodies, which is calibrated by the presence or lack of natural light in a 24 hour day. The term circadian comes from Latin and means approximately a day (circa diem).

Your circadian “clock” lives in the hypothalamus where a group of cells connects to your optic nerves and tracks changes in light. This process helps your body regulate body heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, and the release of hormones. These regulatory functions are so critical to your health, that if you suffer from insomnia, and they are being disrupted, you should see a medical professional right away.

It’s best to arrange for a consultation with a respected medical professional like Dr. Berman who is also a testosterone specialist because too much testosterone can also trigger insomnia. His experience will ensure that you get the precise amount of replacement your body needs.

Why is Sleep Important to the Male Body?

Our bodies behave differently as we age. The stereotype of an elderly person falling asleep at the dinner table on a TV sitcom is funny. In real life, not so much, especially if you are a man only in your mid 40’s or 50’s and suffering from a lack of normal, restful sleep cycles.

Our organs work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to keep us healthy. The brain is the control center, taking in thousands of pieces of data every day, more than we can process while awake. During sleep, your brain secretes hormones and sends out messages to your organs to restore and regenerate. This includes your heart muscles, blood vessels, tissue in the lungs, and other organs, like the liver. The body also uses this time to produce more testosterone.

If we don’t sleep these important messages aren’t delivered and serious health concerns can arise. Men suffering from insomnia experience weight gain, heart disease, high blood pressure, poor digestion, respiratory problems or bad moods–even a lack of interest in sex can result. There are many ways your body can go haywire if sleep patterns are disrupted.

One study found that a lack of sleep, even one night, created an imbalance between testosterone and cortisol levels in men. This resulted in an increase in insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone your body uses to regulate your glucose and your energy levels. This indicates a strong correlation between insomnia, hormone levels, and type 2 diabetes and weight gain.

What are the Benefits of Hormone Therapy when Treating Insomnia?

Testosterone is important in the regeneration of cells, causing reactions at a cellular level to help bones and muscle tissue regenerate. This is what keeps you strong and physically able, especially as you age. Maintaining the proper hormonal balance that causes this important growth of muscle and bone tissue is important. When insomnia robs us of good, restorative sleep, it contributes to hormonal imbalances and this important process of regeneration slows down. Hormone replacement of testosterone brings your levels back into the normal range, so your muscles and bones rebuild and stay strong.

Frequently, low testosterone is found in men with type 2 diabetes. While further research is needed regarding the role hormone replacement could play in the treatment of diabetes, it looks promising. In any case, the high correlation between insomnia, low test, testosterone, and insulin resistance means that if you have experienced long bouts of insomnia, you should consult with a doctor. And, that physician should also be a hormone specialist who understands the interplay between hormone and glucose management.

Another important contribution testosterone makes is the regulation of our metabolism. Improved sleep and proper levels of testosterone mean a more highly functioning metabolic system, which allows us to maintain a more healthy weight and keep better-eating habits.

And finally, erectile dysfunction is common in men with low testosterone. Testosterone replacement therapy has benefited many of these men by restoring their interest in sex and improving their ability to participate in this healthy activity. By doing so, they see improved their sleep patterns, as well.

Schedule Your Hormone Therapy Consultation

Dr. Berman believes in testosterone replacement therapy using testosterone injections because it gives you both complete control of the process. He will train you to administer small doses in the privacy of your own home, which is much easier than it sounds. Injections allow for more precise doses, designed to suit your specific and unique hormone profile, especially your levels that are deficient. Dr. Berman closely monitors your progress through regular visits. He will keep a close eye on your hormone levels, sleep cycles, your red blood cells, PSA and more.

Patients undergoing this therapy report that their interest in sex has returned, and that their episodes of erectile dysfunction are no longer a problem. They wake up in the morning energized and feeling capable of physical activity, such as exercise, sports, and hobbies. Those that participate in weight resistance training report even higher degrees of fitness and in some cases, weight loss.

Dr. Berman is also trained to keep an eye on symptoms of your dose being slightly too high. One should never experience extreme insomnia, tremors, or excessive irritability.

However, with the exact amount of hormone replacement patients can experience improvements they never imagined, including a happy, healthy life of eating and weighing less, participating fully in physical activities and sleeping soundly at night.

Call Dr. Berman’s office today at (888) 804-1632 to take that first step toward a healthier hormone balance and an improved quality of life.

Men who have low Testosterone levels often experience fatigue. Read more about the connection between fatigue and male testosterone levels.