Poor sleep is tanking your testosterone levels by 15% (here're 5 proven ways to protect yourself).

Welcome back to another edition of the Monday Formula.

In today’s edition, you’ll learn:

• Quote of the day

• The scientific basis between poor sleep and testosterone levels

• 5 proven strategies that’ll help you drastically improve your sleep

This one is a slightly longer read at 5 minutes 10 seconds.

But, packed with highly actionable content so if you will give me your patience, my hope is it will be worth your time.

(one tip is worth less than $5 and I’ve had some clients double their sleep scores overnight with it).

Let’s dive in.

Quote of The Day

Most men judge because thinking is difficult. It requires effort and critical analysis to fully understand a situation.

Most men choose to take an easier approach by forming opinions without considering all the facts.

Essentially, most men find it easier to make snap judgements based on limited information rather than engage in thoughtful and nuanced thinking.

Don’t be most men. Be better. Opening your mind and thinking critically is how you stand out.

Poor Sleep is Tanking Your Testosterone Levels

It’s no secret how important sleep is to our health.

No doubt most of you have read, Matthew Walker’s book, “Why We Sleep”

I’m sure, like me, you found it provided hard-hitting truths on why getting sleep is so powerful for our health.

But, what about our testosterone levels?

A study conducted on young healthy men found that those who slept only five hours a night for one week had a 10-15% decrease in their testosterone levels compared to those who slept for eight hours.

This decrease in testosterone was observed in the morning and throughout the day, indicating that sleep deprivation has a lasting impact on testosterone levels.

In another study on middle-aged and older men, those who reported poor sleep quality had lower testosterone levels than those who reported good sleep quality.

The negative impact of poor sleep on testosterone levels can be attributed to various factors.

Firstly, sleep deprivation can lead to increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can further suppress testosterone production.

Secondly, sleep is critical for the body to regulate its natural hormonal balance, particularly when it comes to thyroid function which is key for optimising testosterone levels.

Disrupting this natural balance can lead to decreased testosterone levels and other negative health outcomes.

Some of those outcomes I know all too well.

Insomnia Nearly Destroyed Me

5 years ago, I suffered from crippling insomnia.

Ironically, it was also a time when I was struggling with low testosterone (421 ng/dl).

As an insomniac, nights felt endless, and days seemed like a blur.

I tossed and turned to find a comfortable position, but sleep never came.

I was exhausted yet wired, with racing thoughts keeping me up.

The fatigue set in, and I struggled to focus on even the simplest tasks.

Everything felt overwhelming, and the lack of sleep took a toll on my mood and overall well-being.

I was stick thin. I looked gaunt and unwell. Putting on weight felt nearly impossible.

This made me feel self-conscious and affected my confidence - particularly around women.

I longed for a good night's sleep, but it seemed like an unattainable dream.

This was made worse by the fact I was in a high-flying corporate sales job.

An extremely high pressured role that brought a lot of emotional volatility.

You needed thick skin and steely confidence to do well. My fight with insomnia tested me.

It took me right to the edge of my resilience. My coping mechanisms were screaming for change.

That’s when I came across 5 sleep strategies, which in combination, eventually got me the rest I craved (and played a vital role in me more than doubling my testosterone levels).

In 4 years, I went from:

• Thin

• Anxious

• Low self esteem

• Testosterone of 471 ng/dl

And now, in 2023, I’m:

• Lean

• Confident

• Liberated from fear

• Testosterone of 871 ng/dl

But know what I know now?

I could easily do that in a fraction of the time.

Here’re the 5 key steps I would take if I could coach my former self (and get results in less than 90 days).

Eat Early

Studies have found that eating a large meal close to bedtime can interfere with sleep while eating earlier can increase the production of sleep-promoting hormones.

Additionally, eating too close to bedtime can cause digestive discomfort, leading to sleep disruptions.

Your solution?

Eat all food by 7 pm.

Supplement Magnesium Chloride

Scientific evidence suggests that magnesium chloride can help improve sleep quality.

Magnesium is known to regulate neurotransmitters that are involved in sleep, and magnesium deficiency has been linked to sleep disturbances.

Studies have shown that magnesium supplementation can improve sleep quality and duration, particularly in individuals with insomnia.

Magnesium chloride is a form of magnesium that is easily absorbed by the body and has been found to be effective in improving sleep in some individuals.

Your solution?

Take one tablespoon of magnesium chloride mixed in water before bed and upon waking.

And don’t forget to use magnesium chloride spray and rub it into your skin topically.

A two-pronged sense attack that’ll turbocharge your rest and your test.

Blue Light Blocking Glasses

Blue light exposure from electronic devices can suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.

Studies have found that wearing blue light blocking glasses before bedtime can increase melatonin production and improve sleep quality.

Research has revealed that blue light-blocking glasses can improve daytime function and reduce fatigue in individuals who have disrupted sleep patterns.

Your solution?

Buy some premium grade blue light blocking glasses here.

“RA Optics” do some excellent ones but I personally prefer Bon Charge.

Mouth Taping

Taping the mouth ensures exclusive breathing through the nose.

Nasal breathing can improve sleep quality by increasing oxygen saturation and slowing down breathing, leading to deeper sleep.

Studies have shown that nasal breathing can also reduce snoring and sleep apnea.

Sounds ridiculous I know but I invite an open mind.

When I get asked what’s the cheapest and most effective health “hack” you use, this is always the first one I say.

Why?

It costs less than $5 and has the potential to increase your sleep quality between 10-20%.

If pharma could make a pill that could guarantee you that, they’d make billions.

Your solution?

Buy some 3M Micropure tape and apply to your mouth at night (vertically, not horizontally).

Red Tinted Screens

Phone and laptop screens emit toxic artificial blue light.

It’s toxic because it corrupts your natural, daily circadian rhythms (body’s inner hormonal and organ cycles).

Staring at an unfiltered screen at night lulls your body into thinking it’s day time. This then sends the wrong hormonal cascade which destroys sleep quality.

Your solution?

Apply a red screen on your phone and laptop after sunset helps significantly reduce the impact.

Best software for a laptop is to use Iris.

And here’s how to put a red tint on your phone

That’s a wrap.

5 simple but effective tips that’ll drastically improve sleep quality and help protect your testosterone levels.

I hope this helps.

That’s all for this Monday.

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Otherwise, see you again next week - same time, same place.

Your Simmo.

P.S.

This was the meal I had before drafting this for you.