Nicole Gleichmann
Nicole is a health and wellness writer who has spent many years perfecting the science of sleep. Now her days are filled with adventure and writing, and her nights with peaceful slumber.
Nicole is a health and wellness writer who has spent many years perfecting the science of sleep. Now her days are filled with adventure and writing, and her nights with peaceful slumber.
Oversleeping isn’t something that many of us worry about. Sleep is a good thing, so can you really get too much of it? Unfortunately, excess sleeping can be just as dangerous as not clocking enough hours under the sheets each night.
Scientists have conducted many studies to examine the effects of sleep on our health. In these studies, researchers have discovered that excess sleeping can lead to health problems including:
Those who are depressed are more prone to poor sleep habits, such as oversleeping or insomnia, than those who are not. Depression can make it hard to want to get up and do anything, and instead, some people with depression will stay cooped up in their bed for long hours.
There are a variety of conditions that lead to disordered sleep. When you wake up often during the night or you are unable to get enough deep sleep, you may find yourself needing to extend the quantity of time that you sleep each night. Conditions that impair your sleep and lead to oversleeping include:
These and other conditions can make getting a good night’s rest next to impossible without proper treatment. While some people may know that they have a condition that is making quality sleep difficult, there are others who do not know that they have a sleep disorder. If you find that you always need a lot of sleep, see a sleep specialist to determine if you have one of these conditions.
Some medical conditions increase the quantity of sleep that you need each night without directly inhibiting sleep quality.
One of the most common of these is hypersomnia, a neurological sleep disorder that results in excessive sleepiness. Symptoms of hypersomnia include:
Another condition that can directly lead to a need to sleep more is narcolepsy. Narcolepsy interferes with the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which can result in oversleeping during the night and falling asleep unexpectedly during the day.
Both recreational and pharmaceutical drugs can disrupt the sleep-wake cycle, resulting in fatigue and oversleeping. Alcohol is one of the primary culprits. When you consume alcohol close to bedtime, your sleep quality suffers, which can lead to a need to sleep longer hours.
Some medications can lead to oversleeping. These include antidepressants, sedatives, antihistamines, anti-anxiety medications, and antipsychotics.
There are two ways in which oversleeping may be dangerous. The first is that an underlying condition may lead to increased mortality risk as well as excess sleeping. The second is that sleeping too much may itself lead to health issues.
In a review of sleep studies published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, it was found that when healthy adults sleep longer than they normally do, they report increased difficulties with mood, energy, and fatigue. This study suggests that getting too much sleep in and of itself can lead to decreased health and quality of life.
Scientists have long sought the answer to what the ideal amount of sleep is. While it no doubt varies from one person to the next and over one’s lifetime, one length of time appears in study after study. Research suggests that the ideal length of sleep for the average adult is 7 hours a night.
However, if you clock more than 7 hours, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you sleep too much. According to the National Sleep Foundation, some adults may need up to 9 hours of sleep. If you find yourself regularly getting more than 9 hours of sleep each night, you may want to see your doctor or a sleep specialist.
When we talk about oversleeping, we are not discussing sleeping in on the weekends. In a study of 43,800 adults <65 years old, scientists discovered something interesting. Those who didn’t sleep enough during the week and caught up on sleep during the weekend had no significant difference in mortality rate when compared to people who regularly slept 6-7 hours per night (the quantity associated with the lowest mortality risk).
So, if you find yourself sleeping only 5 hours each weeknight, let yourself sleep in on the weekends. That extra sleep may just help you live a longer, healthier life.
Oversleeping can be just as dangerous as not sleeping enough when it comes to your health and longevity. Aim for 7 hours of sleep per night, and if you find yourself averaging more than 9 hours, or if you feel tired after getting a full night’s sleep, see your doctor to determine if your oversleeping is a sign of a bigger issue.
Comments (0)