Andropause is the loose name for the gradual drop in testosterone that many men notice in midlife and later. It is not a neat switch like the last menstrual period. Levels slide. Sleep changes. Morning erections may thin out. Desire can flatten or become patchy.

Not every slump is hormones. Medication, alcohol, depression, sleep apnea, and relationship weather all mimic low T. A blood test in the morning, repeated if needed, is how a clinician sorts the story. Treating a mood problem with testosterone gel because an ad promised vitality is a poor trade.

When levels are truly low and symptoms match, treatment can include replacement under medical care. Side effects and prostate monitoring belong in that conversation. Exercise, sleep, and going easy on evening drinks still move the needle for a lot of people who will never need a prescription.

Partners often feel the change as fewer initiations, not as a lab number. Naming that without blame is useful. So is asking for a checkup instead of guessing.