Reviewed by Jennifer Martin, PhD

Perhaps you’ve seen the headlines about how oversleeping has been linked to a larger danger of illness and loss of life. For those who’re the sort of one that usually clocks greater than eight hours of slumber, these information tales have most likely made you surprise, “Why do I sleep a lot? And is it unhealthy for me?”

On this story, sleep specialists aid you perceive the newest science. You’ll discover out what actually occurs once you oversleep, together with the way it impacts your well being.

(Spoiler: Chances are high, you don’t have anything to fret about.)

How a lot is an excessive amount of sleep?

On common, most individuals want someplace between seven and 9 hours of sleep every night time. However that’s a median, not a good-health edict.

“As you begin to transfer out in both path, there are individuals who require barely extra and barely much less sleep,” says Chris Winter, MD, sleep specialist, writer of The Sleep Answer and The Rested Youngster, and co-author of Precision Vitamin’s Sleep, Stress Administration, and Restoration Teaching Certification.

Above (and beneath) common sleepers fall into three principal classes.

1. Individuals who want fewer than 7 hours of sleep

Known as Pure Brief Sleepers, these genetically-gifted of us don’t want as a lot sleep as the typical particular person.

Elevated ranges of a hormone referred to as orexin permits them to really feel spunky and clear-headed with simply 5 to 6 hours of shuteye.

Right here’s an vital caveat, although. Loads of individuals who get lower than seven hours aren’t Pure Brief Sleepers. Somewhat, they skimp on sleep for different causes, starting from revenge-bedtime procrastination to parenthood to an “all the time on” work ethic.

For those who’re not genetically a Pure Brief Sleeper, skimping on sleep possible means you’ll both…

▶ really feel like rubbish the following day

▶ gained’t really feel like rubbish the following day—however solely since you’re so used to the results of sleep deprivation that you simply’ve now not keep in mind what it feels prefer to be effectively rested

Along with the above, over time, your danger for coronary heart illness, most cancers, and sort 2 diabetes can go up as effectively.

(Extra about sleep and well being additional down within the story.)

2. Individuals who want greater than 9 hours of sleep

Resulting from their genetic make-up, Pure Lengthy Sleepers normally want 10, 11, or 12 hours as a way to really feel refreshed. Their genetics additionally trigger them to really feel drained extra shortly than different folks.

Additionally on this longer-sleeping class: kids, youngsters, and lots of younger adults, all of whom want extra sleep so their our bodies can proceed to develop, says Jennifer Martin, PhD, Professor of Medication on the College of California, Los Angeles and likewise a co-author Precision Vitamin’s Sleep, Stress Administration, and Restoration Teaching Certification.

Sure prescription medicines also can enhance sleep time, says Dr. Martin.

“Normally this impact is reversed when the particular person stops the medicine, and in some instances, the sleepiness is lowered as soon as the particular person will get used to the medicine,” she says.

3. Individuals who want 13+ hours of sleep

Some folks sleep 14, 17, 24 or extra hours with little or no interruption, they usually nonetheless wake feeling drained.

“For those who discover you’re considered one of these folks, it could be a sign that there’s something flawed along with your sleep high quality, not essentially the amount,” Dr. Winter says. For instance, sleep problems like sleep apnea and insomnia can disrupt sleep, inflicting folks to wake feeling unrefreshed.

A wide range of well being circumstances—together with epilepsy, Parkinson’s illness, and despair—also can result in hypersomnia, which is the lack to remain awake. Narcolepsy, one other hypersomnia situation, causes folks to really feel drained on a regular basis, main them to go to sleep at inappropriate and harmful occasions, equivalent to whereas on a date or driving a automobile. These problems require medical remedy.

For those who suspect any of the above is true for you, it’s a terrific factor to say to your physician.

What occurs once you sleep an excessive amount of?

“For the typical particular person, if they’re sleeping, they most likely have to be sleeping,” says Dr. Winter.

That’s as a result of our our bodies all have a sleep set level—known as “homeostasis.” Get too little sleep one night time and your physique will reply by craving extra sleep the following. Alternatively, you could have seen: For those who gather extra sleep than standard by sleeping in on a weekend, you’ll possible end up conscious later that night.

There are, nonetheless, some exceptions. Extra about these beneath.

(Discover out: Would YOU make a terrific sleep coach?)

Does oversleeping hurt your well being?

Regardless of the entire scary headlines, it’s possible that lengthy sleep itself poses little to no well being issues. That’s as a result of, in individuals who sleep greater than most, it’s typically the results of a persistent well being drawback, not the trigger, finds analysis.^1,2

Sometimes, the issue is bi-directional, which means the well being drawback disturbs sleep, which worsens the well being drawback, which ends up in worsened sleep, and the cycle continues.

These well being issues embrace:

▶ Sleep problems like sleep apnea (the place respiration repeatedly stops throughout sleep) and narcolepsy (which is characterised by extreme daytime sleepiness and sleep assaults)

▶ Diabetes

▶ Hypothyroidism

▶ Melancholy

▶ Continual fatigue syndrome

▶ Coronary heart illness

For the above circumstances, it’s vital to notice that oversleeping doesn’t trigger them. Somewhat, it’s a symptom of them.

For instance, sleep apnea repeatedly wakes folks, typically for temporary moments, through the night time, which might result in hypersomnia (extreme sleepiness through the day) in addition to a powerful need to remain in mattress longer than eight hours or to take a nap through the afternoon.

“When medical issues disturb sleep, it takes an individual an extended time period to be sufficiently recovered,” says Dr. Martin.

For those who usually get greater than 10 hours, and you are feeling energetic and clear headed through the day, that’s nice! Get pleasure from your slumber with out concern. You probably don’t have anything to fret about.

Alternatively, for those who spend your days craving a nap—drained, mind fogged, irritated, and resolution fatigued—there could also be an underlying problem value exploring along with your physician.

(Study extra: Why folks with insomnia swear by CBT-I.)

Can sleeping an excessive amount of make you drained?

Ever seen that you simply really feel extra drained once you sleep in (say, on the weekends) than you do once you rise up early?

There are two possible causes for this phenomenon.

1. Oversleeping is usually a response to undersleeping

Some folks sleep 10+ hours on the weekends as a result of they’re sleeping six or fewer hours through the week.

“One motive folks really feel drained after sleeping loads is that they nonetheless haven’t paid again their sleep money owed from prior nights,” says Dr. Martin. “If you’re very sleep disadvantaged, it takes a number of days to get again on observe and ‘catch up.’”

2. Sleeping in can disrupt sleep-wake signaling.

For those who normally wake at 6 am, sleeping in on the weekends will disrupt your mind’s means to launch the neurochemicals wanted for that refreshed, ready-to-slay-the-world feeling.

“It’s actually extra about sleep timing than sleep quantity,” explains Dr. Winter. “The mind’s timing cues are being disrupted.”

Amongst these timing cues:

✅ Overhead and outside gentle that units your mind’s circadian clock

✅ The blaring noise of your alarm clock that triggers the discharge of cortisol and different alertness chemical compounds

✅ Conversations with housemates that nudge you to “get up! assume!”

✅ Caffeine

✅ Breakfast

✅ That feeling of being rushed as you race out the door

Once you sometimes oversleep, you deprive your mind of some or all of these cues. A few of the wakeup alerts may not happen in any respect. Others, like overhead lighting and caffeine, happen hours later than your mind is used to getting them.

Finish outcome: you’re feeling drained.

How are you going to inform for those who’re sleeping an excessive amount of?  

Dr. Winter suggests you contemplate this query:

In the course of the day, for those who sit all the way down to learn a e-book or watch a present, do you’re feeling a powerful urge to nod off?

If the reply is sure, it’s a sign that you simply’re not getting sufficient restorative sleep at night time, which can be an indication of a sleep problem or sleep high quality problem, he says.

Alternatively, for those who’re clocking a variety of bedtime hours and really feel energized through the day, 10+ hours may simply be your pure sleep sample.

“If you’re a protracted sleeper and really feel good, don’t fear about it,” says Dr. Martin. “Do your greatest to spend the period of time in mattress you want.”

References

Click on right here to view the data sources referenced on this article.

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