Symptoms of low testosterone can show up in many ways; reduced sex drive, fatigue, depressed mood, and erectile dysfunction are all possible red flags.

It can seem overwhelming to think about how to raise testosterone levels without the aid of medication or testosterone replacement therapy. And whether you are older or even as young as your mid-20s, men of most ages are bombarded with ads for aids and supplements that claim to help raise testosterone levels—but can they really be trusted?

Studies show that men have less testosterone than previous generations, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing we can do now to reverse poor levels.

This article will go over 5 tips that can help you raise testosterone levels—the natural way!

1. Pump Some Iron

This is an easy one. Executing a resistance training routine and sticking with it isn’t easy for everyone, but studies have clearly shown the positive relationship between resistance training and healthy testosterone levels.

And what’s reassuring is that you don’t need to live a heavy life every day to see the benefits. Resistance training 2 to 3 days a week is plenty, and focusing on compound movements like the squat, deadlift, and bench press are tried-and-true staples.

When we lift weights or receive a stimulus that promotes a muscle-building response, a signal is sent to the body to grow muscle, which in turn elevates testosterone levels. This doesn’t happen overnight, but consistent weight training will yield better testosterone levels over time.

2. Maintain An Ideal Body Weight

Obesity-related illnesses are some of the leading causes of death in the U.S., contributing to the development of heart disease, Type II diabetes, and forms of cancer. It has also been found that obesity is linked to lower levels of testosterone.

Those with a higher body fat percentage tend to produce more estrogen, which therefore leads to a lower production of testosterone. By maintaining a healthy diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, protein, and doesn’t neglect any macronutrients, an ideal body weight is easier to manage.

Excessive sugar, caffeine, and processed foods should be kept to a minimum to help prevent cravings and overconsumption (which is easy to do with calorie-dense foods filled with crappy ingredients).

3. Get Better Sleep

As we make healthier choices, we tend to forget that sleep plays a huge role in our overall health. The same goes for how well we produce testosterone. It turns out that most of the body’s testosterone is made during deep sleep, when a person is in the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase of sleep. If this phase is disrupted and less time is spent in REM sleep, there could be a negative impact on testosterone production.

Strive to establish a consistent bedtime routine that includes refraining from using technology 2 hours before bed (or using blue-light blocking glasses), relaxing and calming the mind by reading, journaling, or meditating–I like brain.fm to help me turn my mind off, and avoiding eating 2 to 3 hours before bed. Eating, especially large meals, before bed has been shown to disrupt sleep patterns.

4. Avoid Alcohol

I know this can be hard for some people, but alcohol has been shown to reduce testosterone levels. When drinking consistently (more than two drinks a day), there is an increase in the conversion from testosterone to estrogen.

If you don’t drink often and just have a drink here and there, you are probably okay, but this is something to keep in mind if you enjoy your daily beverages and would like to see better testosterone levels.

5. Have More Sex

Yep, I said it. Though studies are mixed when it comes to the association between better intimacy and long-term improvement in testosterone levels, frequent sex can help lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve sleep.

Remember when I mentioned how important sleep is?

A reduction in stress and better sleep tend to help you make better, health-conscious choices, which can lead to a more ideal body weight.

Seeing as a lot of these tips coincide with each other, I hope you are able to implement most of them as you try to improve your testosterone levels.