Sunday, April 14, 2013

Does Cosleeping Contribute to Lower Testosterone Levels in Fathers? Evidence

A previous Chinese study footnoted in this article showed that fathers had lower T than single men and married, non-fathers.

This article is a fascinating addition to the role of testosterone in males and environmental influences.  


JR


Does Cosleeping Contribute to Lower Testosterone Levels in Fathers? Evidence from the Philippines





  • Lee T. Gettler, James J. McKenna,
  •  
  • Thomas W. McDade,
  •  
  • Sonny S. Agustin,
  •  
  • Christopher W. Kuzawa


  • Because cross-species evidence suggests that high testosterone (T) may interfere with paternal investment, the relationships between men's transition to parenting and changes in their T are of growing interest. Studies of human males suggest that fathers who provide childcare often have lower T than uninvolved fathers, but no studies to date have evaluated how nighttime sleep proximity between fathers and their offspring may affect T. Using data collected in 2005 and 2009 from a sample of men (n = 362; age 26.0 ± 0.3 years in 2009) residing in metropolitan Cebu, Philippines, we evaluated fathers' T based on whether they slept on the same surface as their children (same surface cosleepers), slept on a different surface but in the same room (roomsharers), or slept separately from their children (solitary sleepers). A large majority (92%) of fathers in this sample reported practicing same surface cosleeping. Compared to fathers who slept solitarily, same surface cosleeping fathers had significantly lower evening (PM) T and also showed a greater diurnal decline in T from waking to evening (both p<0 .05="" 4.5-year="" a="" among="" arrangements="" at="" baseline="" compared="" cosleepers="" decline="" did="" experienced="" fathers.="" fathers="" follow-up="" greater="" in="" longitudinal="" men="" not="" over="" p="" period="" pm="" predict="" same="" significantly="" sleeping="" solitary="" study="" t="" the="" these="" to="" were="" who="">0.2). These results are consistent with previous findings indicating that daytime father-child interaction contributes to lower T among fathers. Our findings specifically suggest that close sleep proximity between fathers and their offspring results in greater longitudinal decreases in T as men transition to fatherhood and lower PM T overall compared to solitary sleeping fathers.

    Full article here

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