Khaberni - Dr. Edward Yakubov, a sleep specialist, reported that chronic sleep deprivation affects men's health more than is believed.
According to recent studies, regular sleep deprivation can lead to a faster decline in testosterone levels compared to natural age-related changes. Testosterone, the primary hormone responsible for sexual function, muscle mass, energy levels, motivation, cognitive abilities, and overall health in men, is optimally produced during sleep.
Dr. Yakubov explains: "Testosterone is mainly secreted at night, specifically during deep sleep phases. If a person suffers from chronic sleep deprivation, the body won't have enough time to produce this hormone in the required amounts. Reducing sleep to only 5–6 hours for a week can lead to a decrease in its levels by 10–15%, which is equivalent to hormonal changes that typically occur over years of natural aging."
He points out that the effect of sleep deprivation is different from age-related changes, as it occurs suddenly and strongly, and disrupts the balance of the pituitary-hypothalamic-gonadal axis, the system directly responsible for hormonal balance.
He adds: "Many patients complain of loss of energy or decreased sexual desire, and often they do not attribute this to lack of sleep. They start searching for medications, nutritional supplements, or hormonal treatments, while the root of the problem is a lack of sleep, which is simple but often overlooked. Furthermore, trying to compensate for hormonal imbalance with medication without restoring sleep is not effective, and can sometimes be dangerous."
