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Testosterone Levels Drop in Fathers Who Sleep Closer to Children

by Sheela Philomena on Sep 6 2012 10:11 AM

 Testosterone Levels Drop in Fathers Who Sleep Closer to Children
Fathers who co-sleep with children have lower testosterone levels, finds study published in PLOS ONE.
Fathers' testosterone levels have been associated with parenting behavior and involvement across species, with higher levels generally associated with lower parental involvement. The authors of the current study, led by Lee Gettler of the University of Notre Dame, studied 362 fathers in the Philippines to determine whether their sleeping arrangements – either sleeping on the same surface as their children, in the same room, or separately – were related to their testosterone levels. The researchers found that close sleep proximity between fathers and their children was associated with greater decreases in testosterone level as the men transitioned to fatherhood, as well as lower overall levels relative to fathers that slept apart from their children.

Source-Eurekalert


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