As men age, their testosterone levels will begin to slowly drop. For some guys, it falls off of a cliff but that is a syndrome called low T and is something that needs to be treated. For everybody else with naturally falling levels of testosterone, it is just an annoyance.
You can end up with a low libido that causes tension in the bedroom with your partner. Or, you can just feel sluggish and tired throughout the day. There are things we can do to boost our testosterone like take testosterone supplements and get plenty of exercise.
There are also things that we do that can kill our testosterone and actually contribute to it being low. In this article, we will go over several of the things to avoid lowering your testosterone levels.
1. Stress
Feeling too much stress has a negative impact on our overall health but it particularly affects men with their levels of testosterone. When we get stressed it raises the level of cortisol in the blood. This ends up causing problems like high blood pressure and heart disease.
It also has the effect of lowering your testosterone levels. It’s normal to get stressed occasionally but when you are chronically stressed it can drop your testosterone by around 20%.
The best way to keep stress from killing your testosterone is to not get stressed. Which sounds easier said than done. However, there are ways that you can learn to deal with your stress so it doesn’t become chronic.
Do things like yoga and meditation on a regular basis as this is a great way to calm your brain and lower your stress levels. Any kind of exercise is also good as it raises serotonin in the system which counterbalances the cortisol.
2. Too Much Alcohol
Young men are also susceptible to low levels of testosterone because they tend to burn the candle at both ends frequently. Drinking too much is a sure way to have problems with your testosterone which can lead to a low sex drive and even erectile dysfunction.
You don’t have to be an alcoholic for this to have a negative effect. If you tend to binge drink when you are socializing or just have a few too many when out with the guys then this can add up.
There’s nothing wrong with having some wine or a couple of beers once in a while, but avoid getting drunk on a regular basis.
3. Not Enough Rest
Adults need seven to eight hours of rest every night so you can help your body reset itself and heal from the damage it faces during the day. When you are underslept and tired this has a negative impact on your testosterone.
This also how stress is able to grab a hold of you. Make sure to get to bed on time and avoid bringing a phone or tablet with you as that disrupts your melatonin production which governs your internal clock.
