Doug Larson
HOW DO YOU GET MORE TESTOSTERONE, WITHOUT CHEATING OR BREAKING ANY LAWS?
Dr. Kirk Parsley start’s with the balls, or ovaries. Same difference. These are the testosterone producing organs of the body. The number one thing you can do to make sure they keep producing enough hormone is to get an adequate amount of quality sleep.
As Dr. Parsley says, “I can drop your testosterone to nearly zero just by keeping you up for 24 hours. I can bring it back just as quick with sleep.”
If you are an athlete that’s short on rest then getting more sleep will have steroid-like effects. You’ll recover better, work hard and for longer. You’ll get stronger fast. Really, this should be a priority.
Use Dr. Parsley’s Tips for getting more sleep.
1. Set a bedtime alarm
When it goes off, so do all of the lights and electronics. No more email and YouTube, no more work. The day is over.
At this point you should start your nightly sleep routine.
2. Have a sleep routine
Take a bath. Do sauna. Stretch. Meditate. Put on pajamas and listen to Al Green records. Sip herbal tea, it really doesn’t matter.
Just do something that relaxes you, maybe for about an hour. At that point you’ll be ready for bed.
3. Keep the bedroom clear of buzz
You don’t want any distractions in the bedroom when you’re trying to sleep. No flashing green lights. No beeping or buzzing notifications.
Get all of the electronics and gizmos out of your bedroom. If you need an alarm, set it on the ground or away out of view.
4. If you can’t fall asleep, take a break
Don’t toss and turn in bed for twenty minutes, that will only associate it with unrest and frustration.
Go back out into your living room. Repeat a few minutes of your nighttime routine and settle down again.
You might lose a little sleep up front this way, but your overall quality of sleep will be much higher.
5. Supplements are great, but be careful with melatonin
Generally supplements like ZMA and Vit D3 are a very good thing.
If you are deficient in something like Magnesium, for example, then you could only benefit from supplementation. More is not better, of course. Just take a minimal amount.
Be careful with melatonin. Your brain only produces a little bit of this substance. You can very easily over-ingest and build a high tolerance, then your brain won’t make it on its own any more.
If you take it, break up your pill or find a very small dose. Take about 0.3 – 0.4 mg, time released is best.
Above all, remember that no amount of sleep pills of coffee can make up for a lack of sleep. Make this a priority and reap the rewards.
Train hard, rest harder
For more
- Don’t miss the premiere of episode 158 of Barbell Shrugged with Dr. Kirk Parsley Wednesday, January 7th.
- You can learn more from Kirk at his website, DocParsley.com. Also, you can follow him on Twitter.
After listening to the podcasts with Doc Parsley and Rhonda Patrick – I started taking D3 (around 4000 IUs), magnesium and zinc. It has been amazing. I’m sleeping better and training harder. Cheers for the info.
[…] If you want to instantly improve the quality of your sleep and the production of testosterone start with Kirk’s essential nighttime habits. […]
I wonder if Dr P have any input on John Welbourn’s comments on having to sleep between the hours of 10pm – 2am or 2pm – 4pm for the best effects. He seems to be the only person ive heard this from so it’d be interesting to get Dr Parsley’s ideas since he’s an expert in the field.
Is this accurate regarding melatonin and negative feedback? I’ve read multiple claims to the contrary. I’m almost all of the way through your sleep episode but don’t recall hearing specifics on this….however I was also lifting at the time, so could’ve been in the zone. Either way, you guys are the best!