Sleep is crucial for our overall health and well-being, yet so many of us are sleep-deprived.

The Importance of Sleep

Sleep is incredibly important for our overall health and well-being. It’s when our bodies recharge and heal, and sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on our health. One of the most important functions of sleep is to help regulate our hormones.

Frequent or prolonged sleep disturbances can contribute to hormone imbalances that affect our daily performance and health. For example, when we lack sleep, we’re more likely to have trouble concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things. We’re also more likely to be irritable and moody.

How Sleep Affects Our Hormones

Our hormones are responsible for many of our body’s functions, including how we feel and how well we perform. When we don’t get enough sleep, it has the potential to disrupt our hormone balance.

One of the most important hormones affected by sleep is cortisol. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, is responsible for regulating our stress levels. hen we’re sleep-deprived, our bodies produce more of it. Disrupted cortisol levels can indicate changes in your sleep cycles, causing fragmented sleep, sleeplessness, and reduced overall sleep duration. [1] This can lead to increased levels of stress and anxiety, as well as a host of other problems.

Women’s regular sleep habits might be disrupted by periods of hormonal change, such as the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. While these changes are natural, monitoring progesterone and estrogen levels may be beneficial to women who have trouble sleeping since they also influence the production of the “sleep hormone,” melatonin.

For women and men, testosterone levels naturally decline with age, and can sometimes be linked to snoring and insomnia.

Similar to progesterone and estrogen, testosterone levels fluctuate during the day, and they’re at their highest during REM sleep. When we don’t get enough REM sleep, it can affect the body’s testosterone levels.

A number of studies have linked low testosterone levels to sleep apnea in one way or another. The leading theory is that low testosterone levels are caused in part by sleep disorders that are common in people with sleep apnea like [2]

• Loss of REM sleep
• Fragmented sleep
• Reduced overall sleep time
• Increased wakings
• Lower sleep efficiency

Feeling Like You Need a Bit More Rest? Here are a few things you can do to get more sleep:

Make Sleep a Priority

Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night by creating a sleep plan and following it as closely as possible, even during travel and vacation. Establishing a routine that includes relaxation techniques to practice before bedtime, as well as waking at the same time every day, can help you get a better quality of sleep.

Create an Environment That Promotes Relaxation

The brain is very sensitive to light, and even the slightest amount can disrupt melatonin production. Darkening your environment by switching off all lights and wearing a sleep mask or light-blocking curtains promotes relaxation and may make it easier to fall asleep⁠—and stay asleep.

Disconnect from Your Phone for a Good Night’s Sleep

Disconnect from your phone in the bedroom. Bedtime is a great time to relax and turn off your phone. Using a red number display alarm clock allows your mind and body to disconnect from text, calls, and emails, providing uninterrupted sleep with no disruption to melatonin secretion.

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References:

[1] Stanborough, Rebecca Joy. “Cortisol and Sleep: Can It Cause Insomnia? What Else?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 10 July 2020, https://www.healthline.com/health/cortisol-and-sleep#whats-cortisol.

[2] Kim SD, Cho KS. Obstructive sleep apnea and testosterone deficiency. World Jour Mens Health. May 2018;37(1):12-18. doi:10.5534/wjmh.180017.