Sleep and Testosterone Study. . .

[AndrewS]

April 3, 2007 — In a small cohort of men aged 64 to 74 years, the amount of nighttime sleep is linked with a significant variability in morning testosterone levels. The results of the study are reported in the April issue of Sleep.

"The circulating testosterone levels of healthy men decline with advancing age," writes Plamen D. Penev, MD, PhD, from the University of Chicago in Illinois. "This process is characterized by considerable inter-individual variability, the causes of which are of significant biological and clinical interest but remain poorly understood. Since sleep quantity and quality decrease with age, and experimentally-induced sleep loss in young adults results in hormonal changes similar to those that occur spontaneously in the course of aging, this study examined whether some of the variability in circulating testosterone levels of older men can be related to objective differences in their sleep."

At a general community and university clinical research center, 12 healthy men aged 64 to 74 years provided 3 morning blood samples, which were pooled for measurement of total and free testosterone. Overnight laboratory polysomnography and wrist activity monitoring for 6 to 9 days were used to determine the amount of nighttime sleep both in the laboratory and in everyday life settings.

Primary outcome measures were total sleep time and morning testosterone levels. Sleep time in the laboratory was correlated with the usual amount of nighttime sleep at home (Pearson's r, 0.842; P = .001). Based on bivariate correlation and multiple linear regression analyses, the amount of nighttime sleep measured by polysomnography independently predicted the morning total (β 0.792; P = .017) and free (β 0.741; P = .029) testosterone levels.

"Objectively measured differences in the amount of nighttime sleep are associated with a significant part of the variability in the morning testosterone levels of healthy older men," the author writes.

Study limitations include the decision to monitor sleep after all blood samples for androgens were drawn and inclusion only of a small group of healthy older men who met the strict screening criteria and were willing to undergo 2 nights of laboratory sleep monitoring, thus limiting generalizability.

"For the time being, these findings suggest that complaints of poor or insufficient sleep in otherwise healthy older men can be associated with a more pronounced age-related androgen decline," Dr. Penev concludes. "Eliciting such sleep complaints in the physician's office may facilitate the judicious interpretation of lower testosterone levels in the older male patient."

The American Federation for Aging Research and the National Institutes of Health supported this study.

Sleep. 2007;30:427-432.

[stricker]

so theyre saying getting a good nights sleep is important for testosterone production. how does that sit with the zma thing? i thought zma->increast t production->better sleep?

the whole sleep->eat part of the training cycle is something i struggle with actually.. being i get out of work about 6, training starts at 8, finishes at 9.30-10, plus travel work->home->training etc then its a pian fitting in enough food at the right time also training leaves me a bit excited sometimes (so to speak hahaha) cant sleep just lying in bed thinking (jab, jab cross, uppercut uppercut) any good tips on eating/sleeping post-training-session? how do you manage this andrew, being a doc especially early years is INSANE...

[AndrewS]

Hey Jon,

they're saying that people who get a good night's sleep tend to have higher testosterone levels. And they're saying that people with higher testosterone levels tend to have a good night's sleep. Which causes which cannot be discerned from this data, though, other evidence and observation makes one think that the first statement leads one down the appropriate path.

As to recovery and how to manage it- dude, I could rant for days. Suffice it to say that working for 28-36hrs at a stretch is *not* conducive to gains lifting, and ups your risk of training injury substantially during partner practice. Up til last year when I was still doing those sorts of stretches I had to juggle my schedule so as to avoid practice out at other clubs post-call, and max effort lifts on post-call days, after numerous bad outcomes. Sleep whenever you can, naps are key. As to relaxing post-workout, find what works for you. *Not* obsessing on fighting is helpful, I can never sleep if I'm thinking about fighting, I'll lie awake for hours. Eat a high protein, moderate fat snack before bed if you aren't worried about gaining weight (high protein only if you are). Take a warm bath. Read a book. Get laid or masturbate.

Andrew

[Adventure427]

LOL....excellent sleep advice at the end there, Dr. andrew... "Read a book. Get laid or masturbate."

That can work. The reading thing though, i read (in a book on sleep) that reading stimulates your conscious mind and can keep you up, but i know some people who swear by it. They just read until they goto sleep. To each his own. Doesn't work for me usually, i'll be wide awake after reading the stuff.

And yea i have the same problem alot of times...i'll lay in bed and be thinking of Kung Fu Applications or i even imagine myself horse stance training, LOL. I imagine myself doing aikdio joint locks, being randomly attacked and reacting perfectly.....lol, yea i can stay up all night doing this. In some ways its good (mental rehearsal) but that can be done at another time of day..

[stricker]

Originally Posted by AndrewS

Hey Jon,

they're saying that people who get a good night's sleep tend to have higher testosterone levels. And they're saying that people with higher testosterone levels tend to have a good night's sleep. Which causes which cannot be discerned from this data, though, other evidence and observation makes one think that the first statement leads one down the appropriate path.

As to recovery and how to manage it- dude, I could rant for days. Suffice it to say that working for 28-36hrs at a stretch is *not* conducive to gains lifting, and ups your risk of training injury substantially during partner practice. Up til last year when I was still doing those sorts of stretches I had to juggle my schedule so as to avoid practice out at other clubs post-call, and max effort lifts on post-call days, after numerous bad outcomes. Sleep whenever you can, naps are key. As to relaxing post-workout, find what works for you. *Not* obsessing on fighting is helpful, I can never sleep if I'm thinking about fighting, I'll lie awake for hours. Eat a high protein, moderate fat snack before bed if you aren't worried about gaining weight (high protein only if you are). Take a warm bath. Read a book. Get laid or masturbate.

Andrew

thanks. i wasnt sure if there was something i was missing reading the study. figured you could write the book on recovery!

[dougadam]

But I live a life of celibacy, what can I do?

[bodhitree]

Originally Posted by dougadam

But I live a life of celibacy, what can I do?

I'm sure it's (the celibacy) not by choice.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

just punch yourself in the d1ck until you cry yourself to sleep.

at least then its still getting some attention.