This Surprising Habit Could Be Affecting Your Testosterone – Introduction
Testosterone is the principal male sex hormone that’s responsible for regulating a wide array of physiological processes, including muscle and bone growth, erythropoeia and sexual drive. This testosterone level could change in any number of ways from age to diet and exercise. Yet sleep, too, is generally overlooked. This essay examines the effects of sleep deprivation on testosterone in relation to the impact this crucial hormone has on natural testosterone levels-a startling fact.
This Surprising Habit Could Be Affecting Your Testosterone
In the digital age, you seem to be surrounded by screens all the time – smartphones, computers, TVs, tablets and so on. The standard deviation, calculated from a survey by Nielsen, estimates that the typical American adult spends over 11 hours a day staring at screens. It’s true that this overuse of screens is a normal part of our lives, but very few of us know how testosterone changes.
Multiple studies have linked screen time with low testosterone in men. One experiment published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that men who logged more than 20 hours of television a week had extremely low testosterone levels, 34 per cent lower than those who logged less than 10 hours a week. Yet another University of Copenhagen study found that men who’d spent more time on laptops had very, very low testosterone levels.
So, how does screen time affect testosterone levels?
That’s due to the blue light that screens produce. Blue light is a short-wavelength light that emits from electrical machines. Blue light depresses melatonin, a hormone that helps us sleep. It in turn wreaks havoc on the body’s sleep-wake cycle (or circadian rhythm).
Research indicates that circadian rhythm plays an essential part in the generation of testosterone. Testosterone levels are highest in the morning, and fall slowly over the course of the day. But nighttime blue light disrupts this biorhythm, causing testosterone levels to decline. That’s because the body releases testosterone during deep sleep and, when the sleep-wake cycle is disturbed, so does the body’s testosterone secretion.
Additionally, too much screen time is associated with being physically sedentary and being obese, both of which lower testosterone. If we sit in front of screens for hours on end, we are not exercising, so we gain weight and lose muscle mass. That, in turn, decreases testosterone.
Additionally, too much screen time can contribute to stress levels, which are found to affect testosterone production. Research indicates that chronic stress lowers testosterone, causing fatigue, irritability and reduced sex drive.
Ways to Beat the Impact of Too Much Screen Time on Testosterone Levels?
To reduce the testosterone-lowering impact of screen time, you can try the following tactics:
1. Limit Screen Time
Probably most obviously, against the kind of negative impact that exposure to too much screen time would have on testosterone levels, we would have to constrain that. Researchers have determined that too much screen time disrupts sleep, raises stress, and leads to poor posture – all contributors to low testosterone. Some helpful strategies for screen time restraints include:
a. Put screen time constraints: make a fixed number of hours per day that can be spent on screens, and stick to it. In this way, it decreases screen time in general and builds more balanced day to day habits.
b. Turn off screen when eating and with family/friends: It is very important to maintain good, healthy relations and to stay fit. To turn them off at these times will minimize screen time and maximize social engagement.
c. Do something else instead, like read, write, draw, or even play any instrument of some sort. This will not only reduce screen time, but will also make us feel fulfilled and happy.
2. Increase Physical Activity
a. Get Active: Studies have shown that exercise regularly raises natural testosterone levels. Exercises, whether aerobic, strength-based, or intense interval, all contribute to the development of testosterone. So being active not only contributes to a healthy standard of living, but will also decrease the sitting habits that arise from screen overload. The following are handy ways to boost your fitness:
b. Exercise aerobically: To increase your testosterone levels, you should do aerobic exercise like running, swimming, or cycling for at least 30 minutes at a moderate intensity on all seven days of the week.
c. Resistance Training: This can be obtained through weight lifting or resistance training and these exercises create muscle mass and increase the body’s level of testosterone.
d. High-Intensity Interval Training: HIIT intervals like sprint intervals or circuit training must be part of your training regimen. These exercises have been found to improve testosterone levels and fitness.
3. Adequate Sleep
This would require adequate sleep in order to sustain the proper levels of testosterone, since most of testosterone production takes place during sleep. Researchers from the Journal of the American Medical Association found that men who slept five hours a night were far less testosterone-rich than men who slept eight. Additionally, sleeping less is linked to a range of health conditions including obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Therefore, sleeping well is one of the key methods to combat the effects of overscreening on testosterone. Sleep habits should be followed to ensure you get a steady sleep, stay away from caffeine and alcohol right before bed, and create a peaceful sleeping environment.
4. Stress Management
There are ways that stress lowers testosterone, both directly and indirectly. Practicing techniques to handle stress like meditation, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation can help keep testosterone levels in check.
5. Consider Nutritional Supplements
Other nutritional supplements, like zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D, also enhance testosterone levels. Patients who worry about their testosterone levels can supplement their diet with these products after talking to a doctor.
Conclusion: This Surprising Habit Could Be Affecting Your Testosterone
In short, excessive screen time has become part of our daily lives, but we should be prepared to concede that it may affect testosterone. The blue light we see through screens breaks the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. The testosterone levels are therefore low. Well-executed habits, less blue light at night and less screen time may all help to keep testosterone levels healthy and wellness intact. I guess it’s time to quit the habit and take care of your body.
