We’ve talked a lot in our previous articles about the risks associated with poor-quality sleep, and many people now understand that not getting enough sleep (six hours or less per night) is unhealthy.
But what about the flip side of this?
Can too much sleep be harmful?
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
Sleep is critical for good health and well-being.
While sleep needs are individual and variable, the average healthy adult aged 18-64 requires between 7-9 hours of good quality sleep every night (source).
As a general rule, adult daytime napping should not be required and, if it is, it should not exceed 20-30 minutes in the mid-afternoon.
For other age groups, daily guidelines are as follows:
- Newborns to 3 months = 14-17 hours per day (naps included)
- Babies 4-11 months = 12-15 hours (naps included)
- Toddlers 1-2 years = 11-14 hours (naps included)
- Preschoolers 3-5 years = 10-13 hours (naps included)
- School Age 6-13 years = 9-11 hours
- Teenagers 14-17 = 8-10 hours
We all have the occasional late night or big day that results in a need for more sleep. Failure to regularly get enough sleep at night, however, or not getting good-quality sleep, can lead to daytime sluggishness, irritability, headaches, fatigue, poor concentration and memory, and a higher risk of accidents and health issues including heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, mood disorders, diabetes, and more.
Scientists have found that sleeping too much, especially on a regular basis, can also be problematic.
The Risks of Oversleeping
Regularly sleeping 10 or more hours per night can be harmful to one’s health and could indicate a sleep disorder or another medical issue.
Oversleeping is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and depression in adults aged over 45 years. These risks are even greater with oversleeping than with sleeping too little.
Sleeping longer than 7-9 hours at night and still feeling tired may indicate a health issue.
(It’s important to note that researchers have identified that depression and low socioeconomic status are strongly linked with oversleeping, and some of the negative health impacts of too much sleep may, in fact, be more associated with these than the sleeping amount itself. This may be because people of lower socioeconomic status often have limited access to healthcare and hence chronic health conditions remain undiagnosed and untreated – resulting in oversleeping.)
But Why Am I So Tired?
Do you still feel tired and sluggish even after a solid 8 hours in bed at night?
Addressing your need to sleep a lot more than the average first requires that you understand why. These causes include conditions in your body or environment that either disrupt your sleep or interfere with its quality, and include (but are not limited to):
- Snoring
- Obstructive sleep apnoea
- Bruxism (teeth clenching/grinding)
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Restless legs syndrome
- Chronic pain
- Overuse of smartphones and other backlit devices
- Some medications
- Alcohol consumption
- Bedroom too hot/cold/light/noisy
Needing more sleep can also be a natural part of ageing, especially in later life. Moreover, some health conditions increase the amount of sleep you need:
- Acute illness (e.g. flu, Epstein Barr Virus)
- During pregnancy
- Chronic diseases like cancer (and their treatments)
- Circadian rhythm disorders
- Idiopathic hypersomnia
Medical Conditions Linked to Too Much Sleep
Sleeping too much can cause:
- Headaches: people prone to headaches are more vulnerable to experiencing them in the morning when they oversleep, including sleeping in on weekends or during holidays. This is a result of brain chemicals including serotonin.
- Obesity: study participants who slept 9-10 hours nightly were shown to be 21% more likely to become obese (compared with those who slept 7-8 hours). These results were the same regardless of accounting for exercise and food intake.
- Diabetes: the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes increases with both too much and not enough sleep.
- Depression: while the association with undersleeping (insomnia) is stronger, oversleeping is a factor for 15% of people with depression and sleeping too much may be both a cause and effect.
- Heart Disease: research has shown that women who sleep 9-11 hours at night are almost 40% more likely to have coronary heart disease. The connection between the two is not yet understood.
- Death: not to be alarmist, but numerous medical studies have concluded that death rates are significantly higher for people who sleep 9 or more hours every night. The reasons for this are not understood. (As mentioned above, depression and low socioeconomic status may play more of a role in this rather than the sleeping volume itself.)
When to See Your Doctor
If you habitually get a long night’s sleep, needing more than 9 hours, but still feel tired or flat, or wake feeling exhausted, it’s a good idea to go for a medical checkup with your GP. They will be able to listen to your concerns, perform an examination, and order any relevant tests to help understand why you need so much sleep, and rule out or diagnose issues including:
- Sleep apnoea
- Insomnia
- Anaemia (a low red blood cell count, often a result of low iron levels)
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Another medical issue
Getting answers and implementing the right treatment is the best way to take control and feel better.
In the meantime:
- Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
- Avoid Caffeine After 4 pm
- Implement a Sleep Schedule
- Address Snoring and Bruxism
Improve Your Sleep Quality with SnoreMD
Improving the quality of sleep you get plays a big part in ensuring you don’t feel the need to oversleep.
SnoreMD can help.
SnoreMD is an Australian-made mouthguard for sleep. Arguably the most convenient and effective of snoring aids, it is highly recommended by doctors, pharmacists, and sleep specialists. By actively addressing the root cause of most snoring, it alleviates and prevents snoring, which enables the user (and those within earshot) to enjoy a deeper, healthier quality of sleep – and wake more easily, fresher and on time.
SnoreMD is a Class 1 Medical Device that is worn in the mouth for sleeping. It works by gently moving the lower jaw slightly forward, opening the airways, and minimising the soft tissue vibrations in the mouth and throat that cause snoring. Explore how SnoreMD works here.
