Chemical messengers: how hormones help us sleep

When it comes to motives for getting a good night's sleep we don't usually think about our body's hormones. But sleep allows many of our hormones to replenish so we have the optimal energy, immunity, appetite and coping ability to face the day's highs and lows. The activities we do during the day - from having a fight with a partner, using our iPhones at night, running in a race, to travelling overseas - also affect our hormone levels and, in turn, our quality of sleep. For both men and women, changes in our levels of sex hormones can affect how well we sleep. These differences also change with age. Understanding the connections between hormones and sleep may help improve your own sleep and well-being.