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Sleeping too much – Good or Bad?

Sleeping too much – Good or Bad?
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In one of my earlier posts I talked about sleep deprivation and the tips for a better sleep. So one of my friends asked me what if he is into the habit of sleeping too much or oversleeping.

Is oversleeping bad?

Is it possible to get out of the habit of too much sleeping?

So here are the answers to all the questions.

To begin with, sleeping too much or oversleeping is as bad as not getting enough sleep. We generally hear about the health problems associated with too little sleep, but on the other end of the spectrum, sleeping too much also appears to have its side effects.

Waking up after a little sleep is a terrible feeling. Not only is getting out of bed as good as walking over a bed of hot coals, but also how can we make it through the day on five hours of sleep? So, the next night you decide to get more than the normal eight hours of sleep. Your morning alarm rings, you move out of the bed, and… it’s all the same, you are just as tired as yesterday.

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Oversleeping may seem to be ideal to you, but it can be just as detrimental to our sleep cycle as not getting proper sleep. Now you must be wondering, what is a good night’s sleep? How much sleep a person needs varies from person to person. It depends on various factors including your age.  Although too much sleeping doesn’t have the same health risks associated with sleep deprivation, habitual oversleeping could indicate physical and mental health problems.

Oversleeping is as bad as not getting enough sleep. Click To Tweet

How Much Is Sleeping Too Much?

How Much Is Sleeping Too Much

The quantity of sleep a person needs varies considerably over the course of his lifetime. It depends not only on his age and activity level but also on the general health and lifestyle. For example, when you are under some kind of stress or illness, you may feel an increased need to sleep. Though sleep needs differ over time and from individual to individual, experts suggest that adults should sleep somewhere around 7 to 9 hours each night.

What causes oversleeping?

Another question that pops up in our minds is that why do people sleep too much? For some it can be a medical disorder. For instance, people suffering from hypersomnia feel sleepy throughout the day. They sleep for unusually long periods of time at night. Such people also show symptoms of anxiety, low energy, and memory problems because of their constant need for sleep.

Not every person who oversleeps has a sleep or a medical disorder. Other possible reasons of too much sleeping include the use of alcohol and some medications. Even depression can cause people to oversleep. And then of course there are people who love to sleep and just want to sleep.

The quantity of sleep a person needs varies considerably over the course of his lifetime. Click To Tweet

Effects of Sleeping Too Much

effects of sleeping too much

Oversleeping is associated with a host of problems such as:

  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Headaches
  • Back pain
  • Depression
  • Heart diseases
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Increased inflammation
  • Impaired fertility
  • Higher risk of stroke
  • Higher mortality rate

 

5 Tips You won’t Sleep through your Alarm

Sleeping through the alarm is very normal for most of you. There can be many reasons for doing so: you are not getting enough sleep, your sleep schedule is off, or you may have a poor mindset.

alarm sleeping too much

So sleeping too much beyond the irritating beep sound of the alarm or even the harmonious tune of your favourite singer is a result of all those reasons. However, too much sleeping or even hitting the snooze button can smash up your productivity for the whole day. So that you don’t ruin your day here are a few tips to help you:

1. Do not hit snooze!

Generally people think that a little extra sleep will help them feel better when they get up, but on the contrary it will actually make you feel worse. According to the researchers, when you hit snooze, your brain goes back into the sleep cycle. And this continues if you keep hitting snooze – your brain goes deeper and deeper into the sleep cycle. When you finally get up you feel groggy instead of feeling energized.

2. Keep consistent wake-up times

No matter at what time you get up at 6 a.m. every day or 10 a.m., you just need to be consistent. On the whole, our bodies have a system that monitors time, as well as seasonal changes and changes in light during the day and night. This system works in conjunction with our adrenal glands and determines when it is time for us to sleep, and when to be awake.

3. Accept that it’s time to wake up

Yes, we all pray for rains or work being cancelled due to some reason, but 99% of the time we have to get up. We need to accept that we have to get up early, and therefore, it is necessary to go to bed early the night before. A study revealed that if we anticipate when we have to wake up, it will be easier.

4. Make a positive morning routine

There are some simple things you can do in the morning to help you wake up. Don’t walk around in the dark, when you get up. Open the curtains and let some sunlight come in!

5. Plan your day out

If you keep your day planned, you will have something to look forward to. This will help you wake up on time. If you have no plans, when the alarm goes off you will think that there is nothing special to do so why not sleep a little more. So have something to look forward to which can get you out of the bed!

Set the Stage for Healthier Sleep

The cause and effect relationship between oversleeping and health is like the egg and chicken dilemma. Does too much sleeping leads to health problems or some health problem leads to oversleeping? It is still unanswered.

Not considering the cause of your oversleeping, if you practice good sleep hygiene you can reap the benefits of a healthy 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Keep the consistent bedtimes and wake times, avoid caffeine and alcohol at bedtime, exercise regularly and make your bedroom comfortable to get the amount of sleep you require.

Do you keep hitting snooze in the morning or do you hop out of bed? Tell us in the comments! 


Comments (14)

  • This is a very interesting subject Sonal. Many years ago when I was a lot younger I did have a habit of sleeping through my alarm. I did work shifts as a nurse (but not night shifts at that time) so that may have had something to do with it. I don’t now.

    Interestingly, although my husband does not get too much sleep he has trouble waking up in the mornings. A test showed that his melatonin was high when it should be getting low in the morning. Bright light is one way to switch it off and I wake up much earlier when the mornings are lighter. He, on the other hand, does not. There are of course reasons for this which are being looked into.

    There are occasions when we need more sleep like when we are ill. The body needs the sleep time to repair.

    Have a great weekend!
    Sandy Halliday recently posted…Slow Cooker Detox Food RecipesMy Profile

    • Author

      Hi Sandy

      Many people have this habit of sleeping through the alarm. I never faced the problem of oversleeping and above all I never use an alarm clock or need anyone to wake me up. I get up in the morning on time.

      Yes you are right that soem people need repair time so they sleep extra. But that is totally a different condition. For normal and healthy people oversleeping is not good.

      Thanks for writing in

      Have a nice day!

  • Hi Sonal Talwar, Great tips about oversleep. Sleeping 8 hours good for health everyone knows but only few people may be aware of the fact that oversleep also leads to health problem. so there should be equal balance to live healthy and happy life. Thanks for sharing
    sazia recently posted…Vision and Nutrition Vitamin B complexMy Profile

    • Author

      Hi Sazia

      You are absolutely right. * hours of good sleep is optimum amount a person needs. Oversleeping leads to many health problems.

      Thanks for writing in

      Have a nice day!

  • Hi Sonal,

    A very important topic to discuss. Being an internet marketer, I used to work late nights, as that is the most chaos free time. And in the morning find it tough to drag myself for regular chores. That is for lack of sleep though.

    However, too much sleeping also happens as an effect of more need of sleep. I liked the points you have made to not to sleep through the alarm. Thank you for sharing. Take care and have a lovely weekend 🙂
    Manidipa recently posted…Free vs Premium WordPress Themes [Infographic]My Profile

    • Author

      Hi Manidipa

      First of all thanks for visiting my blog and sharing your vies.

      Sleep deprivation and oversleeping both are bad for our health. Its true that if you sleep late at night it is difficult to get up on time in the morning. But we need to set our schedule in such a way that we get enough sleep. This will make us feel energetic and refreshed.

      Thanks for writing in

      Have a great day!

  • Hi Sonal

    This is an interesting subject. Experts talk about the effect of little sleep but it is great that you discuss the effect of sleeping so much.

    As you shared, the causes of sleeping so much are so true . The worst thing about sleeping too much is that it affects productivity and one can be filled with anxiety because there is the guilt of not being up to meetup with deadlines.

    Thanks for sharing. Take Care
    ikechi recently posted…4 Crazy Things You Did Not Know When You Lose EverythingMy Profile

    • Author

      Hi Ikechi

      I guess at some time or the other we must have faced this situation of getting up late – then we have to work under pressure to complete our work on time. This leads to stress and ultimately affects our health. So we must try to avoid oversleeping.

      Thanks for sharing your views

      Have a nice day!

  • That’s a really useful list. I like to have a morning routine, I always get dressed, even on the weekends, I think it’s really important. I know others who take the opportunity to lounge around in the pyjamas though…not for me!

    Enjoy the journey!
    Mandy Allen recently posted…Do You Want To Make Money From Writing?My Profile

    • Author

      Hi Mandy

      That’s what even I do. No matter its the week day or weekend I get up on time and follow my schedule.

      Thanks for sharing your views

      Have a nice day!

  • Hi Sonal

    Seems I can’t win LOL

    I must confess my number of hours sleep is more commonly 5 than 7, but last night I made a determined effort (SHOULD getting to sleep be such an effort LOL?) and I had 7 hours.

    I can’t say I feel any better after 7 than I do after 5 🙁

    OK – so thinking positive, I will try the one tip that jumped out and smacked me round the head, because I am an inveterate “snooze button user” and it’s so depressing to wake up and hour later and find your 5 minute snooze turned into an hour. I try to tell myself it was got I managed another hour of sleep, but I still feel bad about it.

    The clue is probably in my strapline below, but I don’t see any cure for that, as I’m just NOT a “morning person”

    Joy – Blogging After Dark
    Joy Healey recently posted…Lead Generation Process InfographicMy Profile

    • Author

      Hi Joy

      Wonderful to read your comment.

      The mantra is to stay positive – I hope you can get over your snooze button thing. Oversleeping really affects our health in the long run.

      Have a nice day!

  • Hello Sonal
    You nailed it! and i agree with you, less sleep and oversleeping are both at the extream. From my personal experience when i sleep less i end up grumpy and touchy all through the day, and when i oversleep,i feel less productive.The key is ‘balance’ it will ultimately make us happier people.Thanks sonal for responding.
    Toby Nwazor recently posted…12 Weekend Business Ideas for the Busy ProfessionalsMy Profile

    • Author

      Hi Toby

      You are most welcome. Love to read your comments

      Its true that in life there should be a balance of everything and so is for sleep. The extremes are bad for our health.

      Thanks for writing in

      Have a nice day!

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