Most often we hear about the dangers of not getting enough sleep. Studies have shown us that skimping out on sleep can lead to irritability, sluggishness, and not being the best versions of ourselves. Did you know that sleeping too much can also be problematic?
Getting too much sleep can lead to a host of problems that are just as serious as not getting enough sleep. See how much sleep is too much, factors that cause oversleeping, side effects of oversleeping, and how to prevent getting too much sleep.
How Much Sleep is Too Much Sleep?
Oversleeping, or long sleeping, is defined as sleeping more than nine hours in a 24-hour period. Researchers say that for most healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 64, seven to nine hours of sleep is optimal.
Of course, different ages can make these time recommendations vary, but, typically if an adult is getting more than 9 hours a night, it can be considered too much sleep.
More and more research has come out to say that closer to 7 hours of sleep may be ideal, however, we understand that this is dependant on every individual person. Some might need an extra hour or two to feel completely rested.
Sleeping in on occasion is not something we would consider “oversleeping.” After a long night out or a rough week at work, it can be beneficial for the body to get some extra hours of recovery. We also see this as more necessary when the body is recovering from an illness. The problem occurs when people are consistently sleeping more than nine hours a night or do not feel well-rested when they get less than that.
Factors That Can Cause Oversleeping
When sleeping too much becomes routine, it is important to know what may be causing a person to oversleep. There are various reasons as to why this may be occurring and it is best to meet with a sleep specialist, however, here are a few reasons as to why this may be happening.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition that causes people to temporarily stop breathing in their sleep. People who experience this often report waking throughout the night from choking or snoring loudly. This leads to less restorative sleep and breaking up cycles of sleep by frequent waking.
When the sleeper feels less well-rested due to these sleep interruptions, it can result in staying in bed too long to try and recover some of the lost sleep, thus, getting too much sleep.
Depression & Anxiety
Oversleeping as well as difficulty sleeping can be side effects of depression and anxiety. Those who suffer from these diseases may struggle with having to deal with everyday life and turn to sleeping more as an escape.
Narcolepsy and Hypersomnia
Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep. Hypersomnia is characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness or prolonged nighttime sleep. Both of these disorders can lead to excessive sleep, however, there are medications and lifestyle changes that can help.
Medications
Some medications can cause the user to feel extremely drowsy, this is common in allergy medications. When we feel drowsy, we naturally sleep, therefore, if there is a regular medication that someone is prescribed that causes drowsiness, it could be the cause of oversleeping.
With that being said, no one should abruptly stop taking the medication without consulting with their physician first or unless instructed to do so by a medical professional.
Issues With Thyroid
Hormones play a large role in sleep and sleep quality. If the thyroid is not producing enough of certain hormones, it can cause extreme exhaustion. With extreme exhaustion comes excessive sleeping.
How Oversleeping Can Impact Your Health
Research has shown that sleeping too much can have as many negative side effects as sleeping too little. Here are some things to watch out for if you are getting too much sleep.
- Diabetes – The risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes has been linked to is increased when people either get too much or too little sleep.
- Obesity – People that sleep over nine hours a night are more likely than normal sleepers to become obese. This can be due to lack of activity therefore lack of burning calories and storing more fat.
- Back Pain – Sleeping too much can cause back pain. Laying on one’s back for extended periods of time can cause strain on the back.
- Depression – About 15% of people with depression sleep too much. This can make depression and anxiety worse for that person, as sleep habits play a vital role in depression recovery
- Heart Disease and Stroke – Researchers have found that people who sleep nine to eleven hours a day are 38% more likely to develop heart-related diseases which can lead to heart attack or stroke.
Preventing Oversleeping
Now we know why we may be oversleeping and what effects that too much sleep can have, but how do we prevent it?
- Do not sleep in too much on weekends, it can throw off your circadian rhythm
- Expose yourself to sunlight upon waking
- Avoid excessive napping
- Place your alarm clock across the room so you must walk to turn it off
- Withdraw from technology a few hours before bed
- Eat healthy, clean foods
- Get exercise in but not too close to bedtime hours
- Sleep in a cool dark room for a more restful sleep
Sleep Specialist Dr. Jeannine Gingras
If you or a loved one thinks you are getting too much sleep, it may be beneficial to make an appointment with a sleep doctor. At Gingras Sleep Medicine, we will review your family history, go through symptoms, and potentially even do a sleep study to get diagnose and treat any sleep issue you may have.
Dr. Gingras has been serving as medical director and sleep doctor at Gingras Sleep Medicine in Charlotte and Concord, North Carolina. If you are looking for a sleep specialist, call our office today at (704) 944-0562 or visit us at http://gingrassleepmedicine.com/.