Reddit reviews Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival

Yes! Unfortunately, it's not super simple. Low sex drive is pretty individualistic, but there are a lot of likely culprits:

1. Body fat. Higher body fat (like above 10-12% for dudes) will lower testosterone levels. 10-12% is no joke either: if you're not ripped, you're higher than that.
   
   
2. Phyto- and Xeno-estrogens. Plant estrogen analogues and chemical analogues from plastics and chemicals. These things are chemically castrating a lot of us bros... =(
   
   
3. Bad sleep & low Vitamin D. Both things that generally fuck up your endocrine system... 9 hours sleep in a pitch black room + supplemental Vit D really is a goddamn personal revolution.
   
   Hormones are strange beasts - they are basically master signals for your body. Low 'lutenizing hormone' goes hand in hand with low T and lower sex drive. Few things to try:
   
   
4. Lean out. Hey, it's good for you anyhow. Cardio ain't gonna do it: lift heavy stuff and do the quality lifts like squats and deadlifts. If you don't know how, make sure you find someone who does (who really does...).
   
   
5. Don't eat shit out of plastic containers or wrappers. Also, avoid foods high in phytoestrogens (soy, grains, legumes, most seeds). Eat meat instead. Meat is awesome. And grass-fed meat is actually insanely good for you.
   
   
6. Get 'dat sleep. Seriously. At minimum, with a sleep mask. Better yet in a cave-like dark-ass room. Take some Vit D (prolly around 5,000 IU a day, but what do I know - I'm just some random dude on the net. Maybe find someone who knows about such things).
   
   
7. Herbals like 'maca' and 'tongkat ali' will give you a little short-term jolt of horniness, in my experience. Better
   to fix the underlying problems tho... 'Tribulus' is 'meh' in my experience.
   
   EDIT: 5) Fructose, in particular, seems to be really bad for testosterone. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071109171610.htm
   
   EDIT: meh, links fo' teh haters:
   
   Obesity and T:
   http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0026049595903151
   http://www.sciencemag.org/content/294/5549/2166.abstract
   http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/002604959090297P
   http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v14/n2s/full/oby2006277a.html
   
   Phyto/Xeno estrogens:
   http://joe.endocrinology-journals.org/content/170/3/591.short
   ...messin' with your mood:
   http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0892036201001970
   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1469672/
   
   For the sleep stuff, check out the book "Lights Out"
   http://www.amazon.com/Lights-Out-Sleep-Sugar-Survival/dp/0671038680
   
   

Humans have stress responses to altered light cycles like plants and all other life on earth. There's a great book on the subject called "Lights Out! Sleep Sugar and Survival"

https://www.amazon.com/Lights-Out-Sleep-Sugar-Survival/dp/0671038680

One thing that worked well for me - managing light levels in my room for the purposes of maximizing melatonin production. Get a blackout curtain or some other makeshift device for blocking all incoming light through windows, and cover up all LEDs, blinkies, etc. around the room. Basically, make it pitch black. If you want to do it really well, get a program on your computer that shifts your display's color profile to match that of the setting sun (adjusts over time), but still shut it off by about 8:00 or 9:00 if possible (maybe a last minute check before bed). Then, get a gentle awake alarm (not sure of the name, but it gradually increases a light until it's at the maximum brightness at the time you set).

This is a fantastic book on the subject. Unfortunately, it's also way over-dramatized and largely unscientific (read the Amazon reviews). Still, very important subject.

You can't expect to get answers more intelligent than "derp, sleep more!" unless you give some specifics.

1. How much sleep are you getting?
   
2. What, exactly, are you eating?
   
3. Are you on any medications?
   
4. What kind of workouts are you doing?
   
5. What are your stress levels like?
   
6. How much caffeine do you take?
   
   Possible answers:
   
   

• Eat more
  
• Eat better (see the /r/fitness faq)
  
• Sleep more (8-9 hrs a night)
  
• Sleep better (i.e. in a pitch dark room)
  
• Ween yourself off of caffeine (max 1-2 shots a day for a start)
  
• Get an adrenal stress test to see if you have adrenal fatigue
  
• Change the frequency of your workouts (maybe you're overtraining?)
  
• Relax
  
• Supplement (fish oil, magnesium, b-12, vit-d, etc) to fix your deficiencies.
  
  Def check out the book Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival.

Redensity ll in the tear troughs for undereye dark circles. Botox & fillers as needed.

Sunscreen is going to be your greatest ally. UV both damages elastin and causes loss of collagen synthesis. Look to asian or few euro brands of chemical sunscreens as superior to the chem filters in US options - biore aqua spf50+++ , avene spf50+++. Use them liberally - dont forget backs of hands, neck, ears, decolletage along with face. Asian cleansers and emulsifiers - haba lado HA cleansing foam, haba lado super plumping gel cream. Moisturizer - Dr jart ceramidin, CeraVe PM, for body PM - eucerin complete repair. BHA with SA, periodic use of differin ( OTC ) , topical retinoid cream ( prescription ). Your skin care routine need not be expensive just consistent to your skin type ( the joys of aging is it may decide to change without notice hehe thus my own list above ). Lots of high end skincare is complete garbage or equivalent to much cheaper drug store brands.

Diet - beware advanced glycation end products accumulation. Glycation occurs when a sugar molecule ( glucose/fructose ) binds to a protein generating AGEP that is absorbed from the gut and is pro inflammatory. Produced both endogenously ( high blood sugars ) and exogenously ( via foods ) . We naturally produce AGEP at a rate of 3-4pc a year as we age however the food will increase the rate of glycation thus advancing aging. Avoid sugars.

Maintain bone density and more importantly keep T levels healthy through weight lifting. Mobility exercises to keep supple. Move your body.

Someone already mentioned sleep. Sleep is critical in the health of your body. Do recommend reading -
https://www.amazon.com/Lights-Out-Sleep-Sugar-Survival/dp/0671038680

Oh yeah big time. That little sleep you will be as insulin resistant as a type 2 diabetic.

Bad night's sleep can hamper body's insulin use
http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/05/05/us-insulin-sleepless-idUSTRE6441S020100505

I'd recommend reading Lights Out by TS Wiley
http://amzn.com/0671038680

You might try quietly placing a copy of this next to him on the desk. I would avoid joke or prank, sudden noises, etc.

Then maybe check out books and programs like this. The upshot of which seems to be get enough sleep every night, and be careful with artificial lighting.

I've heard good things about this book.

Sleeping in a pitch black room, avoiding artificial light and TV and (shook) computers at least two hours prior sleeping. Believe it or not, this software helps a lot with that. There are a bunch of supplements you can take, talk to your doctor. Just don't go with them until you tackle the rest of the stuff and avoid medications like clonazepam and anti allergic pills that will knock you out but leave you restless the next morning. Go with melatonin or magnesium (this one works for me). Avoid stimulants like tea, coffee, sodas and sugar before bed. Exercise or go for a walk. Be constant and soon your body will get it right.

I don't see how water could help. Too much of it and you'll wake up in the middle of the night.

Great reply! And of course I looked up the links you gave, which seem highly relevant and are provoking some productive thinking. Especially the Personality Hacker article.

Re sleep: Based on reading I've done (and it's probably obvious to anyone anyway), real (deep and sufficient) sleep is probably of foundational importance for an INFP. Given that high sensitivity (vulnerability to even "small" stresses and frustrations) is the INFP default setting, getting the body's hormones reset to normal each night is probably one the single best things one could do.

EDIT: The most enlightening book on how the body works -- well presented and an enjoyable read -- is "Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival," by T.S. Wiley and Bent Formby. Major, interesting, and useful insights you don't hear from mainstream media/establishment gatekeepers, and backed by tons of respectable research (the last third of the book is footnotes to legit studies).

I like the idea of compatible, like-minded INFPs banding together to achieve success. For whatever particular goal and in whatever particular way they might see fit. Presumably, everyone's got skin in the game and no one person would have to shoulder every aspect of the enterprise. Cool idea.

OKCupid includes type testing indices? That's awesome. There's also a web site called TypeTango that specializes in MBTI type matching. Free, I think.

Re Living Situation: I know what you mean.

Re Mentor: The more I thought about this, the better it sounded. And all it would take is a simple web site to coordinate people and location. Younger INFPs able to tap the life experience of older ones ... Could be set up to cater to any or all the types as well, of course. Maybe even a small living could be made from such a matching service, especially if it also included other helpful offerings in the same place: facilitation of pen pals, local events/meetings, maybe dating, a bulletin board for people searching for potentially compatible roommates, ...

Thanks for your thoughts!

I don't know much about sleep but I've heard this is a very good book...

http://www.amazon.com/Lights-Out-Sleep-Sugar-Survival/dp/0671038680

I would expect that muscle repair is almost constant between workouts. Whether there's any benefits at night is a good question. Maybe it's answered in that book. I should read it.

I don't know a ton about sleep apnea, but were you diagnosed with an obstructive airway? If not, maybe getting your circadian rhythm fixed will help you. After going to bed earlier, and using a sleep mask to block out light, I feel like a new person in the morning and whole day. Here's a book on the topic

http://www.amazon.com/Lights-Out-Sleep-Sugar-Survival/dp/0671038680

Worked for me.

There is some incredibly valuable information in this book. http://www.amazon.com/Lights-Out-Sleep-Sugar-Survival/dp/0671038680/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421056643&sr=8-2&keywords=Lights+Out+book

dim the lights and read a book. Melatonin helps you sleep, and that is triggered by the dark. I believe there are supplements for this as well, just remember that the more you supplement, the less your body will produce.

Lights Out