Sleep specialist Dr. Edward Yakubov stated that chronic sleep deprivation affects men's health more than is commonly believed.
According to recent studies, regular sleep deprivation can lower testosterone levels at a faster rate than the natural changes associated with aging. Testosterone is the primary hormone responsible for sexual function, muscle mass, energy levels, motivation, cognitive abilities, and overall health in men, and it is optimally produced during sleep.
Dr. Yakubov explains: "Testosterone is mainly secreted at night, specifically during the deep sleep stage. If a person suffers from chronic sleep deprivation, the body will not have enough time to produce this hormone in the required quantities. Even reducing sleep hours to only 5-6 hours for a week can lead to a decrease in its level by 10-15%, which is equivalent to the hormonal changes that usually occur over the normal aging years."
He points out that the effect of sleep deprivation is different from age-related changes; it occurs suddenly and strongly, and disrupts the balance of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis , the system directly responsible for hormonal balance.
He adds: “Many patients complain of loss of energy or decreased libido, and they often do not attribute this to lack of sleep. They start looking for medications, supplements, or hormonal treatments, while the root of the problem lies in lack of sleep, which is a simple matter but is often ignored by many. Moreover, trying to compensate for the hormonal imbalance with medications without restoring sleep is not effective, and may even be dangerous at times.”
