6 Daily Habits for Higher Testosterone Levels

To become a badass alpha male you have to live like a badass alpha male. As the masculine philosopher Aristotle once said:

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore, is not an act, but a habit.”

Your identity, then, is nothing but a sum total of your habits. What you do everyday, day in and day out, determines the direction of your destiny.

Adopt the following 6 habits and move towards a life of more energy, health, virility, and, of course, higher testosterone levels.

Why You Need More Testosterone

We all know that more testosterone is better—but unfortunately, the West seems to have lost its vitality. Everywhere you look, you will see effeminate, soy boy men, refusing to take up the reigns of their forefathers, and fight for a better world. The boys of our generation are lost, and need guidance.

According to numerous scientific studies, testosterone levels have been dropping at an alarming rate. In fact, according to a study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, the average 70 year old man in 1987 had higher testosterone levels than an average 20-year-old boy does today.

This is extremely alarming, and is in large part due to a society that is actively waging war on masculinity. Rather than teaching boys how to become men, we drug them up on Ritalin and all sorts of other pharmaceutical drugs, tell them to shut up, sit down, and stop playing with toy swords. It’s disgusting, and it needs to stop.

Fortunately, I’ve compiled this quick punch list of habits that raise testosterone. You would be wise to start integrating some of these habits into your daily lives, as you’ll notice a difference almost immediately. So without further ado, here we go.

Habit #1 – Track Your Water Intake

You already know the importance of staying hydrated, but common sense does not always manifest as common practice. According to Medical Daily, 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration. The feeling of thirst is already a sign that you’re mildly dehydrated. Even slight dehydration can lead to elevated cortisol and a significant dip in growth hormone levels as well.

In this study, researchers had subjects complete identical bouts of exercise in three different hydration states – hydrated, dehydrated at 2.5% of body mass, and dehydrated at 5% of body mass. The more dehydrated the subjects were, the higher their cortisol levels and the lower their anabolic response after training.

Ensure that you’re consistently staying hydrated by making it a habit to drink water before every meal, after every bathroom break, and especially during/around workouts. Of course, the amount of water we require is totally individualized. I recommend that you track your water intake (you can use this app for iOS or this app for android), monitor how you feel, and adjust your intake as you see fit.

Habit #2 – Get In The Sun

Your skin synthesizes vitamin D upon exposure to the sun. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in more than 1000 bodily functions – testosterone synthesis being one of them. Men with sufficient levels of vitamin D have have significantly higher testosterone compared to men who are deficient in it. 

Most of us don’t spend as much time outdoors as we should. The result? Vitamin D deficiencies have become the leading micronutrient deficiency in Western developed countries, with some estimates showing 74% of Americans to be deficient.

Other than vitamin D, another major benefit of getting in the sun is that it regulates your biological clock. This means that your body’s hormone secretions become properly aligned with the rising and setting of the sun whereby, not only will you feel energized in the morning, but you will also feel tired when it’s time for you to go to bed. No more tossing and turning. Just deep, rejuvenative sleep that recovers and rebuilds both your mind and body for the next day.

There is no exact recommendation for the amount of time you should spend in the sun because that depends on factors such as your skin tone, where you are in the world, and the time of day. But, as Shawn Stevenson writes in his book Sleep Smarter, not all sunlight is created equal. Stevenson writes that the body clock is most responsive to sunlight during the early hours between 6am and 8:30am. Making it a habit to get outdoors during this prime time will ensure that you receive the most beneficial hormone secretions.

Habit #3 – Practice Mindfulness 

Whether it’s your job, financial situation, family obligations, dating life, or anything else – we all have something to stress about. But the problem lies not in the stress itself, but in our inability to deal with it effectively. When stress becomes chronic, it leads to a significant elevation in baseline cortisol levels.

Cortisol holds an inverse relationship with testosterone, i.e. higher cortisol leads to lower testosterone. Not only that, but chronic stress also brings with it a host of other negative side effects like chronic inflammation, a suppression of the immune system, and an increased incidence of pain. It’s no wonder that 70-90% of doctor visits are due to a stress-related issue.

Adopting a mindfulness practice – whether that’s a walk in the park, a round of golf, 5-10 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing, etc. – is a proven way to fight off chronic stress and lower cortisol levels. What’s more is that a mindfulness practice can also help you gain perspective and properly deal with whatever it is that you have to deal with. 

If you’re struggling to adopt a mindfulness practice or don’t know where to start, check out Oak, a guided meditation app. It’s completely free and you can get started with as little as 5 minutes a day. Also consider checking out my quick 5-Step Guide to Meditation for Beginners, and if you really want to take things to the next level, try using some binaural beats.

Habit #4 – Engage In Competition

As men, we are competitive by nature and it is testosterone that fuels our desire to win. Winning in any form of competition leads to a spike in testosterone. This is known as the “Winner Effect,” and it has a tremendous impact on not only your testosterone levels, but your dopamine levels as well.

When was the last time you competed, like really competed against another man? Each of us has an inner beast that’s waiting to be unleashed. Provide your inner beast with an avenue for expression – whether it’s jiu jitsu, muay thai, or even soccer – and compete in it often.

Habit #5 – Take Cold Showers

Men of the past have long known that the cold raises testosterone. It was said that when pioneers first came to America, they saw the Native American children playing and swimming in freezing cold rivers and lakes, as if it was nothing. Likewise, many ancient Greek warriors and Barbarians used to do “cold plunges” during times of war.

It’s no secret that exposing your body to the freezing cold does wonders for testosterone. In fat, Jon already wrote an article on how taking cold showers makes you more masculine—you should go and read it. If you want to really take things to the next level too, you can try “cryotherapy” where you expose your body to sub-freezing liquid nitrogen for 2-3 minutes at a time.

Habit #6 – Get Laid

Having sex boosts your testosterone more than testosterone fuels your desire for sex. Studies show that having sex can spike testosterone levels by up to 72%. This is why sexually active elderly men (>60 years old) have significantly higher testosterone levels compared to their non-sexual counterparts.

Also keep in mind that having sex with another person (rather than with your hand) involves a number of factors such as interpersonal touch, feelings of dominance, pheromones, etc. that contribute to higher T. As Jon has said many times before, masturbation lowers testosterone, while sex actually raises it.

Conclusion

Your habits form the bridge between where you are right now and where you will be in the future. The above 6 habits can set a foundation, but it’s up to you to identify where you’re lagging and to adopt the practices that will have the most significant positive impact in your life.

Always remember that little improvements day-by-day are what eventually compound into big dramatic breakthroughs over time. This is known as the slight edge effect. If you simply improve your life by a meager 1% per day compounded, your life will be over 1,000% better in just a year. That’s the power of the slight edge.

If you’re struggling to boost testosterone, become more confident, and get more women into your life, consider checking out my highly secretive 7 Strategies to Develop Your Masculinity. It’s my best-selling eBook package, and it’s literally transformed thousands of mens’ lives for the better.

All in all, having high levels of testosterone will fix nearly all of your problems. Low testosterone is responsible for a lack of women in your life, a lack of physical health, and a lack of overall success. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to let me know—and as always, I’ll see you next time.