Did you know that sleep apnea can result in poor sleep quality and decreased testosterone levels? It’s essential to seek treatment for sleep apnea to prevent potential health complications. If you suffer from sleep apnea, sleep deprivation can impact your testosterone levels, lowering the numbers more than you realize. Therefore, taking measures to improve sleep apnea is crucial.
Low testosterone and sleep apnea?
Men who have low testosterone levels may experience adverse effects both physically and mentally. While both men and women produce testosterone, men naturally produce more. Testosterone has a critical role in regulating a man’s sexual desire, muscle mass and bone health, energy levels, mood, and ability to reproduce.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a medical condition disrupting your sleep and can affect overall health. While sleeping, obstructive sleep apnea happens when muscles and tissues in the throat relax and collapse, blocking the airways. This can cause difficulties in breathing, leading to a startle reflex triggered by the brain to correct the problem. In more serious cases, this may happen repeatedly throughout the night, up to 30 times per hour. Additionally, sleep apnea can cause loud snoring due to the vibration and rattling sound of the throat tissues when airflow is obstructed. Seek medical help if you suspect sleep apnea. It can have serious consequences.
The noise and commotion around you can disturb your sleep quality, causing your body to miss out on the restorative rest it needs even if you believe you are sleeping well throughout the night. If you suffer from sleep apnea, you may experience drowsiness during the day, fatigue, low energy, increased blood pressure, and hormonal imbalances. To replenish testosterone and other hormones that deplete during the day, your body requires rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. If you aren’t reaching REM, your testosterone level may decrease.
How low testosterone impacts your sleep
Your body’s biological clock is a critical system that helps regulate your sleep cycle. It’s important to understand that testosterone plays a crucial role in this process. Your circadian rhythm, your internal clock, determines when you should sleep and wake up. However, low levels of testosterone can disrupt your circadian rhythm, leading to poor sleep quality or even insomnia. This lack of sleep can further affect hormone production and aggravate the problem, creating a vicious cycle. So, keeping your testosterone levels healthy is essential to ensure that your body’s internal clock functions correctly.
Breaking the cycle of low testosterone and sleep apnea
If you have sleep apnea problems, it is vital to determine the root cause to find the best solution. If excess weight is causing the issue, losing weight may help alleviate the condition. To reduce the frequency of sleep disturbances, use a mandibular advancement device, a small appliance that adjusts the position of your lower jaw while you sleep. One option to maintain uninterrupted breathing during sleep is to consider using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. Since this is a medical device and treatment for sleep apnea, it does require a prescription from your doctor or a sleep specialist who has made the determination and diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea.
If you suffer from low testosterone levels due to sleep apnea, there is a solution: testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). With TRT, you can choose from various delivery methods, including injections, pills, nasal sprays, patches, gels, or pellets. Don’t let low testosterone levels hold you back any longer – take control of your health with TRT.
Pay attention to the signs of undiagnosed sleep apnea or low testosterone. Seeing your primary care physician for an accurate diagnosis is crucial. Remember, both conditions are treatable, and there is no need to suffer in silence. Take charge of your health and seek the help you need today.
Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Dr. Samadi is a medical contributor to NewsMax TV and is also the author of The Ultimate MANual, Dr. Samadi’s Guide to Men’s Health and Wellness, available online both on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.
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