Did you know that sleeping too much can also increase your risk of getting sick? New research has shown that sleeping too much or too little are both linked to higher chances of developing chronic disease in middle-aged adults.
Sleeping pills are found on most bedside tables of millions of people who’ve insomnia. But can sleeping too much be a problem – and from when do we sleep too much? Let’s discuss this.
How much sleep should you get?
For years, the magic number for sleep has been 8. The period of eight hours of sleep per night has long been considered the optimal duration of a night’s sleep for adults. But research has put this old belief to rest. Even found that the folks who slept more than 8 hours had just as many sleep problems as those who slept less than 7 hours. The new figure of magical sleep duration is, therefore, between 7 and 8 hours.
Researchers found that “short sleep” was more common than “long sleep.” But both short and long duration was linked to higher risks of chronic disease.
• Almost a third of respondents – 31.1% – reported sleeping 6 hours or less per night. The majority of respondents, 64.8%, indicated sleeping the optimal time, between 7 and 9 hours per night.
• Just over 4% of adults reported sleeping 10 hours or more a night.
• Short sleep duration, as well as a long duration, have been associated with a higher risk of CAD.
The study, conducted on 230,000 Australians and published in the journal PLoS Medicine, also looked at tobacco use, excess alcohol, poor eating habits, and lack of exercise. Analysis of these combined behaviors reveals that sleeping too long, sitting too long, added to lack of exercise, increases the risk of dying prematurely by four times.
When we talk about sleep disorders, we think more often of insomnia than of excess sleep. However, sleeping too much is not suitable for your health. Oversleeping can increase health risk with severe consequences. Here are a few examples:
Cardiovascular risks
If our body starts to need more than 9 hours of sleep, it may be trying to tell us something. Sleeping too much is not a problem in itself, explains the Reader’s digest site, but it may indicate that sleep has become ineffective and that our health is in danger. More and more studies have linked excess sleep to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. If you notice unusual tiredness despite your long nights, it may be time to take care of your heart.
The risks of sleep disorders
If you are tired despite sufficient rest time, the reason is perhaps the quality of your nights. Untreated sleep apnea, for example, can split the phases of deep sleep. Other problems, such as gastroesophageal reflux or hot flashes and poor sleep environment, may also come into play. If you are unable to rest properly, consult with your doctor.
The risks of obesity and diabetes
Weight gain is also one of the factors associated with large amounts of sleep. Although sleep is essential for the functioning of the body when you spend a lot of time in bed, the body burns no energy. Studies have found an association of both cause and effect between the risk of obesity and diabetes and excessive sleep. More research is needed to understand this mechanism better. But scientists suspect a link between sleep and blood sugar levels.
The risks of headaches
It can happen after a long nap or a night of more than 9 hours that you wake up feeling foggy in your head, even real pain. The best way to avoid this is to establish a regular sleep routine by trying to go to bed. Additionally, wake up at about the same time every day, even on weekends.
The impact on the quality of life is noticeable with, in addition to increased fatigue, lack of attention, irritability, nervousness and greater sleepiness.
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