Human Hormones

There is little else that is worse than not being able to get a good night’s sleep when it comes to our daily lives. Not having any sleep is actually a form of torture in some barbaric regimes. The impact on your mental and physical health of no sleep can be devastating.

The major reason for us needing sleep is that our body needs that time of rest to build up our defences. Our bones and muscles derive direct benefit from sleep, to the extent that they are literally rebuilt and repaired by the hours we spend in bed.

The human growth hormone has been found, in recent times, to be promoted when good sleep takes place. The presence of this hormone helps our body to rebuild itself and repair if there has been any damage or wear and tear taking place. Without the human growth hormone, we would quite literally wither away and die. Sleep helps promote the development and spread of the hormone around the body.

Another important factor that sleep brings to our lives is the increase in our emotional well being. We are instantly more productive after a better night’s sleep. We feel we can do more and because of this feeling, we do end up being able to do more. This is entirely down to the hormones released during sleep.

The stress hormone cortisol has recently been found to be reduced in output when we sleep. So a good night’s sleep helps us to actively fight stress in our bodies. Cortisol in particular has been the cause of many problems for people over the last few years, as stress becomes a bit of a silent killer. Having this most natural way of combating it is a key benefit to the human race. Sleep more, and reduce the amount of cortisol in our bodies.

Some of the more common causes of insomnia (lack of sleep) can be directly related to hormonal changes within our body. Issues with the ovary, the thyroid, and the adrenal system can all be linked to lack of sleep issues. This shows just how big a part our hormones can play in our sleep patterns.

To implement a better set of habits when trying to get to sleep, make sure that you develop a calm and naturally quiet bedtime routine. This means not watching the television when you are getting ready to go to sleep. It also means not reading in bed if you can help it.

A supplement called 5HTP helps to increase the levels of serotonin in our body. This particular agent does a lot to reduce the stress levels and generally make us happier. Taking this supplement can help to restore our natural balance.

Supplements or not, maintaining a healthy balance when it comes to hormone levels is all to do with a healthy diet and lots of exercise. If we can introduce these two key factors into our life, a lack of sleep should be a thing of the past.

The Andropause

Recent studies have shown that many men are still in the dark when it comes to understanding what the Andropause is. When women have the Menopause, this is understood by the majority of men. However, the applicable term when it comes to men having a ‘change’, the ‘Andropause’, is understood by few men.

The male hormone testosterone regulates much in the male body. When a man is in his twenties, the presence of testosterone in his blood is at its highest level (1000 nanograms per decilitre in the blood). By the time a man reaches fifty years of age, this level has dropped to 700 decilitres. Then the drop in levels continues, by around 100 decilitres per decade.

This is worrying for most men. Testosterone makes men males. It allows them to procreate because it keeps their interest in sex at appropriate levels for the male sex drive to be present and healthy. It also regulates the amount of hair on a man’s head. It is these and other factors, that make it particularly hard for a man to manage with the Andropause.

There may well be a higher chance of irritability when a man reaches his forties, for example. This is due to the drop in testosterone levels. And while it may be a joke in certain circles, a man will feel a drop in his sex drive as he gets older. Dopamine, the ‘fun’ element in our brains, drops away quickly for a man who is losing his testosterone. This can lead to a man wanting to ‘self-medicate’ with drugs such as alcohol and other substances that are perhaps not legal, or not good for you at least. All of this leads to a man suffering in the long term due to testosterone leaving the body gradually over time.

There are ways around this of course. Many men who are suffering from the Andropause find that a good exercise plan helps to stir up Dopamine for example. This means that they can experience a more natural high than the one they do when they drink or take drugs or mood supplements.

Diets rich in protein and including plenty of fruit and vegetables also help. This natural goodness staves off the problems the Andropause presents, by keeping the body healthy. This means that the natural regulation of the body and its cycles, including sleep and moods, is assisted.

The more men accept the fact that they are subject to life changes due to a hormone’s being present or otherwise, the more they will try to understand it. If they don’t, they could compensate for the lack of testosterone in ways that are less than recommended.