I’ve worked with dozens of male clients and I’ve noticed that many of them have similar imbalances that are affecting their sleep.


Even though most of the men I work with are health-conscious, eat healthy, exercise, and take supplements, their bodies aren’t totally healthy or else they’d be sleeping normally. 


The good news is, no matter where you are on the “sleep spectrum,” you can get your body back in balance and sleep well again. 


My client Kurt, recently said:


“I am doing well and I am happy with my improvement in sleep. I have not hit a consistent sleep pattern yet, but I am not having sleepless nights and that is a big improvement for me. Furthermore, I feel I have a much better understanding of my barriers to sleep thanks to my coach and test results.”


Kurt is making consistent improvement in The Complete Sleep Solution program, and you can too. 


In this blog post, I will share the 6 common causes of insomnia for men specifically. Let’s dive in…


#1: Stress and overworking causes insomnia in men



Stress and overworking are extremely common amongst men with insomnia. It doesn’t matter whether the stress and overworking behaviors were in the past or currently being experienced now, both are contributing factors to insomnia in men. 


Some examples of stressful, overworked situations are going to be graduate school, growing your career, or starting a business. 


The body may be able to handle stressful situations better when you’re younger, but as you age it’s more challenging, because of your body’s changing ability to manage cortisol levels and handle stress, which directly affect your sleep quality. 


#2: Hormone imbalance causes insomnia in men



This might surprise you, but one common pattern I see with men with sleep issues is having estrogen dominance. Meaning, higher estrogen levels than testosterone levels. 


Men who are experiencing this usually have symptoms like low libido, brain fog, headaches, and irritability, as well as sleep issues. 


There are many causes of estrogen dominance in men, including:

  • Phytoestrogens, which are found in foods like soy


  • Xenoestrogens, which are found in the environment in personal care products, BPA found in plastics and beer cans, and pesticides


  • Unhealthy gut


  • Inflammation
  • Toxins
  • Liver detox issues



In addition to estrogen dominance, other common hormone imbalances that I find in my male clients are low testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone - caused mainly by chronic stress. 


Women and men both have these hormones, and it’s important to manage your stress, so the stress doesn’t deplete your hormones. Managing stress is one of the things I help my clients with in my sleep program.


Men who are experiencing these hormone imbalances usually have symptoms like low libido, decreased muscle mass, aches and pains, hot flashes, depression, anxiety, poor concentration and memory, and fatigue.


In my sleep program I use the DUTCH test to discover what’s happening with hormone levels. 


The DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) is a comprehensive hormone test using dried urine that shows what’s going on with your cortisol, DHEA, sex hormones, and melatonin. 


As I mentioned before, high cortisol at night and sex hormone imbalance can cause sleep issues so this test is critical for anyone suffering from insomnia. The DUTCH test also shows how your hormones are being broken down by your body which shows liver function.


#3: Liver detox issues causes insomnia in men



Men can experience liver detox issues, even when they don’t drink. 


How does this happen?


We are exposed to thousands of toxins every day. Heavy metals built up in your body can contribute to liver detox issues, including toxins from the environment or personal care products. Gut pathogens also release toxins which puts an extra burden on the liver.


In my sleep program, I use the DUTCH test and the GI Map test to find out how your liver is functioning. Then, we work together to reduce those toxins so your liver can recover and you can sleep normally. 


Once we know the source of the issue, we support your body with supplements during the detox process.


When the liver is detoxing properly, the liver will no longer contribute to sleep issues. 


#4: An unhealthy gut causes insomnia in men



All of my clients, including my male clients, have an unhealthy gut, that is contributing to their sleep issues. 


The good bacteria in your gut needs to be balanced, and the bad bacteria needs to be removed. 


Some people think probiotics will give them the balance they need, but that’s not always the case. If you have too much good bacteria, it’s inflammatory and so taking probiotics just adds more fuel to that inflammation. 


This is why it’s so important to test, instead of guess. 


In my sleep program, I use the GI Map test to find out what’s happening in your gut. Then, I customize a plan for you to get back in balance and improve your gut health. 


#5: Blood sugar imbalances causes insomnia in men



You could be eating healthy, exercising, and living a health-conscious lifestyle - and you could still be experiencing a blood sugar imbalance.


You can test your own blood sugar with a kit purchased from your local pharmacy. I recommend you get one today! 


Or you can get a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) with a prescription from your doctor or from Theia. 


When your blood sugar is out of balance, your body releases cortisol to try to balance itself out. If your cortisol level rises at night, it will wake you up when you’re sleeping. 


This is why it’s so important to find out what’s happening with your blood sugar and work on getting it back in balance. 


#6: Low neurotransmitters causes insomnia in men



Many men who are dealing with insomnia also have low neurotransmitters in their brain. 


When I say “neurotransmitters” this includes low serotonin, low GABA, and low dopamine. 


Serotonin is your “mood” neurotransmitter. 


GABA is your “anti-anxiety” neurotransmitter. 


Dopamine is your “pleasure” neurotransmitter. 


In my sleep program, I use a lab test called Neuro Focus to see what’s happening with your neurotransmitters, so I can create a customized plan for you. 


Conclusion



No matter what’s going on with your sleep spectrum, you can get your body back in balance and sleep well again.


Among my male clients, I have found 6 common causes of insomnia that can be improved for better sleep.


These 6 common causes include:

1. High stress and overworking

2. Hormone imbalance

3. Liver detox issues

4. An unhealthy gut

5. Blood sugar imbalances

6. Low neurotransmitters