How Prohormones Can Affect Your Sleep and What You Can Do About It

Prohormones are special substances that help people—especially athletes and bodybuilders—build muscle and strength. These supplements get converted into hormones by your body, which makes them quite powerful. While prohormones can help you get stronger, they can also come with some unwanted side effects. One of the biggest problems is that they can make it hard to sleep.

Sleep is very important for muscle recovery, keeping hormones balanced, and staying healthy. This article will help you understand why prohormones cause sleep issues and what you can do to improve your sleep if you’re taking them.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways:

Prohormones can cause hormone imbalance, which makes it hard to sleep.
There are ways to manage these sleep problems, like changing your dosage, improving sleep habits, and using natural supplements.
If sleep problems continue, you may need to talk to a doctor or switch to safer supplements.

What Are Prohormones and How Do They Work?

Prohormones are a type of supplement that your body turns into powerful hormones. These hormones help your muscles grow and make you stronger. Unlike steroids, prohormones aren’t active until your body changes them into their final form.

Different Types of Prohormones

Andro Prohormones: These are changed into testosterone, which is the hormone that helps build muscle and make you stronger.
DHEA Prohormones: This type of prohormone is used to help with anti-aging and building muscle.
Methylated vs. Non-Methylated:
- Methylated Prohormones: Known for their high potency, these prohormones have an added methyl group that helps them survive liver metabolism. However, they are hepatotoxic, meaning they can significantly stress the liver. Learn more about liver support supplements for prohormone users.
- Non-Methylated Prohormones: Although less potent, these are generally safer for the liver.

Prohormones vs. Steroids: What’s the Difference?

Prohormones need to be changed by your body before they work, while steroids are already in their active form. Prohormones are not as strong as steroids, but they can still cause side effects, like sleep issues and mood swings.

Common Side Effects of Prohormones

Physical Side Effects

Liver Problems

Methylated prohormones can hurt your liver, which helps clean toxins from your body. To help protect your liver, you can take supplements like milk thistle or N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC). Read more about how to mitigate liver stress on prohormone cycles.

Skin Issues

Acne: Because prohormones increase oil production, you may get pimples. Here are some tips for dealing with acne on prohormone cycles.
Oily Skin: Your skin might get greasier because of the extra hormones.

Heart and Blood Problems

Prohormones can affect your heart and blood health by:

Raising Blood Pressure: Your blood pressure might increase because of more water and stress on your blood vessels. Learn more about prohormones and blood pressure management.
Bad Cholesterol: Prohormones can raise LDL (bad cholesterol) and lower HDL (good cholesterol).

Hair Issues

Some people might experience hair loss or thinning hair, especially if they are prone to baldness.

Mental and Emotional Side Effects

Mood Swings and Anger

Taking prohormones can increase aggression and make your mood change quickly. You might find yourself feeling angry or upset more often than usual.

Anxiety and Stress

Prohormones can cause anxiety because they change the balance of hormones, like cortisol (the stress hormone). This makes it harder for your body to relax.

Sleep Problems

The increase in hormones can interfere with melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep, making it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Hormone Imbalances

Low Testosterone Later On: After using prohormones, your body may produce less testosterone naturally. This can cause low energy, tiredness, and low sex drive. To learn more about correcting these imbalances, read how to correct hormonal imbalances from prohormones.

Why Do Prohormones Cause Sleep Problems?

How Hormones Affect Sleep

Testosterone, Estrogen, and Sleep

When you take prohormones, your testosterone and estrogen levels get thrown off. This imbalance can mess up your body’s natural sleep cycle.

Melatonin Production

Your body makes melatonin to help you sleep. When you take prohormones, it reduces melatonin production, which makes it hard to fall asleep.

High Cortisol and Stress

What is Cortisol?

Cortisol is the hormone your body makes when you’re stressed. Prohormones can increase cortisol levels, which keeps you feeling alert and awake, making it hard to rest.

Extra Energy and Alertness

Why It’s Hard to Relax

Prohormones can make you feel restless and full of energy, which is great for workouts but makes it tough to relax at night.

Nervous System Effects

Prohormones also make your body’s nervous system more active, keeping you in “fight or flight” mode. This makes it even harder to fall asleep.

Different Types of Sleep Problems from Prohormones

Trouble Falling Asleep

Why You Can’t Fall Asleep: The extra energy and alertness from prohormones can make it hard for you to wind down.
How to Improve It: Try a calming routine, like reading, meditating, or avoiding screens before bed.

Waking Up Often

Hormones Mess Up Sleep Cycles

Hormone changes from prohormones can make you wake up often at night, which makes it hard to stay in deep sleep.

Less REM Sleep

REM sleep is when you dream and process emotions. Waking up often interrupts this important stage, making you feel tired during the day.

Non-Restorative Sleep

Signs of Non-Restorative Sleep

Non-restorative sleep is characterized by waking up feeling tired and groggy despite spending enough hours in bed.
Users might report daytime lethargy, lack of focus, and impaired recovery from workouts.

Daytime Tiredness

Feeling tired during the day makes it hard to focus, perform well in school, or have a good workout.

How to Deal with Sleep Problems from Prohormones

Change Dosage and Cycle Length

Safe Dosing Tips

Start Small: Start with a low dose and see how your body reacts. This will reduce the risk of serious side effects.
Avoid High Doses: Using high doses can make it harder for your body to manage the extra hormones, making sleep even worse.

Cycle Length

Shorter Cycles Are Better: Keeping cycles to 4-6 weeks can help reduce side effects.
Post-Cycle Therapy (PCT): After finishing a cycle, PCT helps your hormones go back to normal and helps with sleep issues.

Best Time to Take Prohormones

Morning is Best

Take prohormones in the morning so that by the time it’s bedtime, your energy levels will have gone down.

Avoid Taking Before Bed

Never take prohormones in the evening, as they can make it harder for you to wind down and fall asleep.

Improving Your Sleep Environment

Sleep Hygiene Tips

Go to Bed and Wake Up at the Same Time

Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps your body get into a good rhythm.

Make Your Room Sleep-Friendly

Cool Temperature: Keep your room cool, around 65°F (18°C).
No Lights: Make sure your room is dark; blackout curtains help keep it that way.
Keep Noise Low: Use earplugs or a white noise machine to help stay asleep.

Relaxing Before Bed

No Screens Before Bed: Avoid using your phone or computer before bed since the blue light makes it harder for you to fall asleep.
Relaxing Activities: Activities like yoga, stretching, and deep breathing can help relax your body and get ready for sleep.

Physical Activity and Exercise Adjustments

Timing of Workouts

Avoid intense workouts too close to bedtime as they increase cortisol and adrenaline, making sleep difficult.

Incorporating Relaxing Exercises

Yoga, stretching, and breathing exercises are effective ways to prepare the body for sleep by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

Supplements and Natural Remedies to Help Sleep

Natural Sleep Aids

Melatonin: Taking 1-3 mg can help you fall asleep more easily.
Magnesium: Magnesium helps your muscles relax and makes it easier to get to sleep.
L-Theanine: Found in green tea, L-theanine helps you relax without making you feel tired during the day.

Herbal Supplements

Valerian Root: Valerian acts as a mild sedative, helping reduce the time needed to fall asleep.
Chamomile and Passionflower: These herbs have calming properties, often consumed as tea before bed.

Over-the-Counter Sleep Aids

Some sleep aids from the pharmacy can help, but they shouldn’t be used all the time since they can have side effects.

Monitoring Your Sleep and Making Improvements

Tracking Your Sleep

Sleep Devices

Wearing smartwatches like Fitbit or using sleep apps can help you track how long and how well you’re sleeping.

Keeping a Sleep Journal

Write down when you go to bed, when you wake up, and how you feel each morning. This can help you see what’s working and what’s not.

Signs That Your Sleep is Getting Better

More Restful Sleep

If you’re sleeping longer and waking up less, that’s a sign things are improving.

Feeling More Energetic During the Day

If you feel more awake and focused, your sleep is probably getting better.

Long-Term Problems from Poor Sleep Due to Prohormones

Health Risks of Long-Term Sleep Loss

Heart Health

Not sleeping well for a long time can put a strain on your heart and increase the risk of high blood pressure and other heart problems.

Weight Gain and Diabetes

Bad sleep can cause you to gain weight and even lead to diabetes because of changes in blood sugar.

Bad Effects on Performance

Memory and Focus

Without good sleep, it’s hard to remember things or concentrate well, which makes school or work tougher.

Workout Problems

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t recover as well, which means your workouts suffer and you’re more likely to get hurt.

When to Get Help from a Doctor

Severe Sleep Problems

If your sleep problems last for more than two weeks, you should talk to a doctor.
If you feel super tired during the day or notice that you’re feeling really down, it’s time to get help.

What the Doctor Can Do

Blood Tests

Doctors can do tests to check your hormone levels to see if they are out of balance.

Sleep Specialist

If the sleep problems are severe, a doctor might send you to a sleep specialist for more help.

Safer Alternatives to Prohormones

Other Supplements That Are Safer

Creatine, BCAAs, and Protein Supplements

These alternatives promote muscle growth and strength without disrupting hormone balance. Creatine has proven efficacy for strength enhancement without affecting sleep.

Adaptogenic Herbs

Ashwagandha: This herb helps reduce stress and keeps cortisol levels balanced.
Rhodiola Rosea: This herb helps increase energy without the jittery feeling you can get from prohormones.

Training and Nutrition Changes

Better Workouts

Focusing on good exercises like squats and deadlifts can help build muscle without needing prohormones.

Eating Right

Eat foods rich in healthy fats like avocados and nuts to help naturally boost testosterone.
Foods rich in zinc, like pumpkin seeds, also help keep your hormones in balance.

Improving Performance Naturally

Manage Stress

Meditation and deep breathing can help lower stress, which in turn helps you sleep better.

Sleep is Key

Getting good sleep is just as important as working out. It helps your body recover and gets you ready for the next day.

Conclusion

Prohormones can help you build muscle and strength, but they can cause problems—especially with sleep. Sleep is incredibly important because it helps your body recover, keep hormones in check, and improve performance.

If you’re using prohormones and having trouble sleeping, try adjusting your dosage, improving your sleep environment, and using natural sleep aids. If you continue to have sleep issues, consult a doctor or consider safer supplements like creatine. Remember, quality sleep is just as important as exercise for reaching your fitness goals!

FAQ

Q: Why do prohormones cause sleep disturbances?

A: Prohormones can cause sleep problems because they mess up your body’s natural hormone balance, raise cortisol (the stress hormone), and lower melatonin, which makes it harder to fall asleep.

Q: What are some effective ways to prevent sleep disturbances while using prohormones?

A: To prevent sleep issues, take prohormones in the morning, practice good sleep habits (avoid screens before bed, follow a regular sleep schedule), and try natural sleep aids like melatonin and magnesium.

Q: Are natural alternatives to prohormones effective for muscle gains?

A: Yes, creatine, BCAAs, and herbs like ashwagandha can help build muscle without causing the same side effects, like sleep disturbances.

Q: How can I track if my sleep is improving while adjusting my prohormone regimen?

A: Use a sleep tracker like a smartwatch or keep a sleep diary to see if your sleep is getting better after changing your routine.

Q: Should I stop using prohormones if my sleep problems don’t get better?

A: Yes, if your sleep doesn’t improve, it’s a good idea to stop taking prohormones and talk to a doctor. It’s better to find a solution that helps your health in the long term.