
People who sleep too much during the day and disrupt their nighttime sleep may also find themselves suffering from headaches in the morning.īack pain. Researchers believe this is due to the effect oversleeping has on certain neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin. For some people prone to headaches, sleeping longer than usual on a weekend or vacation can cause head pain. This association between sleep and obesity remained the same even when food intake and exercise were taken into account. One recent study showed that people who slept for nine or 10 hours every night were 21% more likely to become obese over a six-year period than were people who slept between seven and eight hours. Sleeping too much or too little could make you weigh too much, as well. Studies have shown that sleeping too long or not enough each night can increase the risk for diabetes.

Medical Problems Linked to Oversleepingĭiabetes. And then there are people who simply want to sleep a lot. Other medical conditions, including depression, can cause people to oversleep. Other possible causes of oversleeping include the use of certain substances, such as alcohol and some prescription medications. Of course, not everyone who oversleeps has a sleep disorder. That's because it disrupts the normal sleep cycle. Obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder that causes people to stop breathing momentarily during sleep, can also lead to an increased need for sleep. Many people with hypersomnia experience symptoms of anxiety, low energy, and memory problems as a result of their almost constant need for sleep. It also causes them to sleep for unusually long periods of time at night. The condition causes people to suffer from extreme sleepiness throughout the day, which is not usually relieved by napping. Why Do People Sleep Too Much?įor people who suffer from hypersomnia, oversleeping is actually a medical disorder.

But although sleep needs differ over time and from person to person, experts typically recommend that adults should sleep between seven and nine hours each night. For instance, during periods of stress or illness, you may feel an increased need for sleep. It depends on your age and activity level as well as your general health and lifestyle habits. The amount of sleep you need varies significantly over the course of your lifetime. Oversleeping: How Much Sleep Is Too Much?

For example, people of lower socioeconomic status may have less access to healthcare and therefore more undiagnosed illnesses, such as heart disease, which, in turn, may cause oversleeping. Those two factors may be the reason for the observed negative health effects. Researchers are careful to note, however, that two other factors - depression and low socioeconomic status - are strongly associated with oversleeping. But oversleeping has been linked to a host of medical problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and increased risk of death. When it comes to sleep, can you have too much of a good thing? It's true a good night's sleep is essential for health.
