How Does Sleep Affect Testosterone Production?

In the United States, adults are recommended to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. However, about 20% of U.S. adults report getting only about 6 hours of sleep per night. Many things can make it harder to get enough sleep. Blue light from phones, computers, and TVs, scrolling through social media late at night, and caring for children can all interfere with sleep.

Sleep is important for many functions in the body. When normal sleep is disrupted, it can affect hormone levels, including testosterone. Poor sleep can also affect thinking, mood, muscle function, weight, and sexual function.

Sleep Quality and Testosterone

Men’s hormone levels follow a daily cycle. This means testosterone levels are usually higher in the morning and slowly decrease throughout the day. When sleep is disrupted, it can interfere with the body’s ability to make testosterone. Some studies have found a complex link between sleep and testosterone. For example, in some groups of men, getting more sleep did not always mean having higher testosterone levels. However, this does not mean that getting less sleep is better for testosterone or overall health.

Poor or prolonged sleep can increase cortisol, a hormone that helps the body respond to stress. Higher cortisol levels may interfere with the body’s normal hormone production, including testosterone. This is one reason why getting enough good-quality sleep is important for maintaining healthy hormone levels.

Sleep quality is also important. It is not just about how many hours you spend in bed. Good-quality sleep allows your body to move through its normal sleep cycles and get enough deep, restorative sleep. Frequent waking or poor-quality sleep can interrupt these cycles and may affect hormone production. Poor sleep can also increase cortisol, a hormone that rises with stress and can interfere with normal hormone production.

Slow-wave sleep is an important part of deep, restorative sleep. It happens more often during the first half of the night. Frequent waking during this time can reduce the amount of deep sleep you get. This means that two people who sleep for the same number of hours may not get the same benefits if one has more broken or interrupted sleep.

Sleep Disruptions and Testosterone

Conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and insomnia can affect sleep quality and may be linked to lower testosterone levels. Both conditions can cause frequent waking and may reduce the amount of deep, restorative sleep you get. OSA occurs when the upper airway repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep. This can cause brief awakenings as the body works to reopen the airway. Insomnia can make it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get enough good-quality sleep.

Shift work may also affect sleep and hormone levels. Working outside normal daytime hours, such as on the evening or night shift, can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Over time, this may affect sleep quality and the normal daily pattern of hormone production.

Key Takeaways

• Sleep is important for testosterone production and many other functions in the body.
• Frequent waking during the night can interrupt deep, restorative sleep and may affect testosterone production.
• Conditions such as OSA and insomnia can disrupt sleep. Shift work can also interfere with the body’s normal sleep-wake cycle.
• Long-term lack of sleep can increase cortisol levels, which may interfere with normal hormone production.
• If you regularly have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting good-quality sleep, consider speaking with your doctor or a sleep specialist.

Resources

CDC. (2025, February 12). About sleep. United States Government. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html

Davuluri, T., Aslot, V., Seliger, B. J., Edgington, A., Nadiminty, N., Shah, T., & Sindhwani, P. (2025). Sleep deprivation: A lifestyle risk factor for male infertility. Uro, 5(3), 17. MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/uro5030017

Hernández-Pérez, J. G., Taha, S., Torres-Sánchez, L. E., Villasante-Tezanos, A., Milani, S. A., Baillargeon, J., Canfield, S., & Lopez, D. S. (2023). Association of sleep duration and quality with serum testosterone concentrations among men and women: NHANES 2011-2016. Andrology, 12(3), 518–526. Wiley Online Library. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.13496

Wittert, G. (2014). The relationship between sleep disorders and testosterone. Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes & Obesity, 21(3), 239–243. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.1097/med.0000000000000069