THOUGH winter weather may earn a few snow days here and there, the lack of sunshine can also dampen one's spirits.

Some people may resort to quick fixes like coffee and sugar to give a temporary burst. But here are three healthier ways to raise your energy level and keep it up.

Tip 1 - GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP

Sleep is quite obviously one of the most vital ways to restore an individual's energy level. If a person is overly tired, exhausted or even incoherent, the issue is most likely related to sleep in some way. Lack of sleep is even an important indicator of many health issues, such as depression and multiple sclerosis.

Teenagers on average need 9.5 hours of sleep a night--while a study by the National Sleep Foundation suggests that teens sleep for an average of only 7.4 hours a night.

More information on stress reduction and hormone levels 

A good night's sleep is a hard thing to achieve, but a rewarding one. To do so, one must not sleep with the lights or the television on, as both are too stimulating to the brain, and the television may even cause certain glands within your brain to function improperly.

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Hormones, which supply life-giving nutrients, tend to decline with age. For men, lower hormone levels could lead to fatigue, irritability, and weight gain.  Plus, many men also experience erectile dysfunction and a lowered sex drive during and after middle age.

These symptoms can affect the quality of life for men. But that's just what they are - symptoms of a treatable condition that affects many middle aged men known as andropause.

Andropause is a known cause of hormone deficiency in men. With the advancement of medical science, hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, has turned out to be an answer to issues related to andropause. As the therapy gains popularity, researchers are working hard to ensure maximum benefits of HRT with minimal side effects.

More Information on Andropause Symptoms 

To find out if you have a deficiency of hormones and would benefit from HRT, your doctor should measure the amount of testosterone in your blood. There are different types of HRT available. Based on your doctor's advice and your needs, you can choose the HRT. Bioidentical hormone therapy uses by-product of plant oils, a totally organic material. It will replace the hormones, which your body had lost but are required to function well. Another treatment option for HRT makes use of the male steroid hormone, DHEA. It slows down bone loss, improves the health of your skin, and enhances sexual drive in old men too.

How will HRT help you?

• Increases stamina.

• Noticeable increase in productivity and creativity.

• Improves memory

• Improves sexual drive

• Decreases moodiness and irritability.

You cannot reverse the process of aging. But you can surely control the process. According to research, testosterone replacement therapy can help older men deficient in the hormone reduce their risks of heart disease, diabetes, and unhealthy weight gain or loss. Before you choose to undergo hormone replacement therapy, your doctor will ask you to undergo a number of tests to check your level of testosterone and other important hormones.

If you have decided to go in for HRT, you need to look for a therapy provider, who can tailor the HRT to meet your individual needs and budget. Ensure that your HRT is conducted under the supervision of trained physician.

You can find more information on Hormone Replacement Therapy and other anti aging treatments from the Atlanta Medical Institute.