Whether you know it or not, testosterone is a very important hormone in our bodies. It has a wide range of effects thanks to it being released through the blood and therefore it can circulate with the blood which means it can affect a wide range of organs and regulate stuff like our self-esteem, energy levels, depression, sex drive, weight, mood levels, hair quality and much, much more.
Release of testosterone is regulated by the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal glands and it has two big releases – first at seven weeks of fetal development and the second one is at the age of twelve which is associated with puberty. The normal release of testosterone throughout life is also associated with men that have larger body builds, increased muscle mass and more bodily hair. The more interesting fact is that it can be associated with some psychological characteristics like bigger aggression, more dominant and risk-taking behaviour.
Throughout this article, you will find out what is it that you can do today to increase your testosterone levels more naturally and without a lot of hassle. There are also other ways to do this and if you are interested click here and find all about them.
So here are 5 most basic and very simple hints in how to naturally increase testosterone levels.
1. Get enough sleep
Sleep is a crucial factor in maintaining high enough testosterone levels for everyone. You probably do not know this but when you sleep your entire body doesn’t sleep with you. Many parts of our organism are most active while we sleep and this is also the case with many hormones that are produced in the night time. So now you can figure it out that less sleep equals less of the production of certain hormones, which eventually leads to imbalance and problems with your health. All doctors will advise at least seven hours of quality sleep every night, which is probably a golden standard when it comes to this, and they will also advise that you put aside your smartphones, tablets and PCs at least one hour before going to sleep to allow your brain to “know” what time is night time. The lights from phones, tablets, etc. will confuse your brain and postpone that quality sleep which you need.
2. Maintain a healthy weight
This is by all means self-explanatory. The correct weight for your constitution is a must not only for the good of the testosterone levels but for your general health as well. It is simple to explain – if you are overweight and have troubles with it for a while then you start to inhibit your production of this hormone, thanks to the increased amount of fat cells in your organism. Those of you who are skinny and have the same problem, well you have to know that you probably aren’t introducing enough fat, needed for this hormones’ production, in your body through your diet.
3. Fat is essential
This might seem a bit contradictory to what is said previously but it is important to know that fat is pretty important for testosterone production. Yes, we all heard for years now, fat is bad, fat will kill you, but recent studies have shown that everything in moderation can benefit your health, and that is including the notorious fat. You need fat in your body to produce testosterone but you have to understand which fat is good for you and which isn’t. Examples of good fats you need to take regularly and balanced are monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The sources for these are olive oil, rapeseed oil, avocado oil and any type of nuts. There are some examples of saturated fats that can also be good for your organism like fats from red meat, real butter, dark chocolate. These are necessary for your body to maintain good and balanced health but you should introduce these very carefully and only in certain quantities.
4. Exercise
Now we know that this can be a tedious task but regular exercise brings a lot of benefits for you in every health aspect. What you need to know here is that there is no need for going over the top with your gym visits and no need to get buff as soon as possible. All you need to do is have regular exercise intervals adapted to you and in this case, the quality will beat quantity. You probably didn’t know but testosterone is a hormone that regulates your muscles and your bones. It is also involved in your metabolism and if you do not move much, or exercise at all, your brain sends information to your body that you don’t need any more testosterone which eventually leads to its lack of. On the other hand, if you manage to find yourself in any sort of physical effort, like lite exercise, your brain switches on and gives your body a signal to start producing that hormone to fill the newly created need. Again balance is what you need and do not overdo with this, some 30 minutes of workout 3-4 times a week is enough to get you going. Like we said previously quality over quantity, in this case, is only good news for everyone.
5. Control your stress
Stress is basically what kills us more and quietly than anything else. Most of us are unaware of the stress levels that hit our body and we remain unaware until it’s too late. When we are stressed, anxious or sad our body starts producing this stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is a testosterone killer and these two are connected in a way where if you have high cortisol your testosterone is low and vice versa. Here it is very important to find some time for you, find your quiet spot where you can unwind, do stuff that you enjoy, be with the people that make you happy, you know try to surround yourself with every bit of positive energy as possible. Stress will not only impact your testosterone levels it will ruin your general health. Prolong impact of stress on your body can lead to severe problems and issues which is why this has to be one of the top priorities.
After everything said if you have any problems described at the beginning or any issues that can be tied to testosterone deficiency we advise you to visit your doctor and share your problems with him. A sure way to be entirely certain of your testosterone levels is to check them up and have the results looked by your physician.
