You’ve no doubt heard that getting enough sleep is good for you, but is too much sleep bad? You’ve reduced your caffeine intake at bed time, you’re getting into bed earlier every day and you take a sleep aid. The problem is, you’ve gone from sleep deprived to getting too much sleep. What is the harm in sleeping too much? Getting too much sleep is a contributing factor to severe problems such as diabetes and heart disease. If you are in a low socioeconomic level, then you may be getting too much sleep. If you have depression, you are also prone to oversleeping.
What can cause me to sleep too much?
1. Narcolepsy
A neurological disorder with no control over the activity in the brain triggering sleep. Collapsing and immediate sleep can at any time, especially in times of high emotion.
2. Hypersomnia
This is a medical condition that literally means “too much sleep.” Most people have some form of this from time to time and it may not be permanent. Chronic sleep deprivation may cause prolonged hypersomnia.
3. Obstructive sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a disorder where the breathing stops at different times during sleep. When this happens, the brain may not get enough oxygen. Without enough oxygen, you may not function well during the day and be extremely sleepy during the day leading to oversleeping at night.
4. Obesity
Getting enough sleep helps weight loss. Not getting enough sleep or getting more sleep than you need can make you gain weight. Even if you exercise moderately and eat right, oversleeping can stall weight loss.
Just about every symptom of not getting enough sleep can also be attributed to getting too much sleep, including headaches and backaches. People who receive more than nine hours of sleep each night or less than five are twice as likely to get diabetes in their lifetime. So, now you know the answer to the question, “Is too much sleep bad?”
