While oversleeping may feel like a dream, it could be costing you more than you think! If you find yourself hitting “snooze” just a little too often, then it’s time to explore why you are oversleeping, and how catching those extra zzzs can be a harming your wellbeing.
Sleep as a Basic Necessity
Sleep is essential for maintaining both physical and mental health.
“In terms of the physical aspect, it helps to maintain our cardiovascular health as well as boost our immunity,” elaborates Dr Ashwin Chee, a Senior Consultant and Psychiatrist at Private Space Medical.
“It also helps with our memory retention and recall, as well as helping to regulate our emotions.”
Considering the host of benefits it brings, does this mean that the more sleep you get, the healthier you are?
Not quite.
While inadequate sleep can certainly be a hazard to your health, constantly getting more shuteye than needed could be indicative of an underlying issue.
Watch more: Help, I Can’t Sleep! | Dr Ashwin Chee (Psychiatrist)
Oversleeping: What It Is and Possible Causes
While the amount of sleep needed varies for each individual, most adults tend to require 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night, give or take an hour.
Oversleeping refers to sleep durations beyond what’s necessary for rest—typically more than 10 hours a day. The irony of oversleeping is that it leaves you feeling tired throughout the day, even when you’ve had more than sufficient rest.
Oversleeping can be due to several factors:
- Disruptions to Your Sleep Schedule
Oversleeping is often linked to prior sleep deprivation, where extra sleep compensates for missed rest.
Schedule changes as a result of jet lag or shift work can also interfere with your body’s internal clock, leading to oversleeping.
- Illnesses
Oversleeping could also be a consequence of falling ill, in which case, sleeping for a longer period of time is not only normal, but necessary for recuperation.
- Medications
Certain medications like antihistamines and antidepressants can have side effects that make you feel drowsy, leading to oversleeping.
- Sleep Disorders
Medical conditions such as sleep apnoea and narcolepsy also contribute to the problem of excessive sleepiness and oversleeping.
Health Effects of Oversleeping
Other than fatigue, symptoms of short-term oversleeping can include irritation, grogginess, headaches and even anxiety. While these health effects are likely to be temporary, chronic oversleeping can be a negative influence on your long-term health.
- Weight Gain
Research shows oversleeping is linked to weight gain. Excess sleep disrupts the natural sleep-wake cycle, slowing metabolism and affecting hormones, which increases obesity risk.
Even with food consumption and exercise being accounted for, oversleeping can still increase your chances of developing obesity in the future.
- Higher Risk of Chronic Conditions
Other than obesity, research has also shown that oversleeping is associated with an elevated risk of getting diabetes, hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions.
Sleeping too much also increases the likelihood of developing cancer; oversleeping interferes with our circadian rhythm, promoting inflammation and disrupting our immunity functions, thus encouraging the growth of cancerous cells.
- Impact on Mental Clarity and Health
As oversleeping has an adverse impact on alertness and daytime energy levels, it can also lead to issues with focus, memory and mood. It also has a bearing on productivity and motivation, making it harder to engage in daily activities.
In addition, oversleeping has also been linked to depression – while depression itself can lead to excessive sleep, this can, in turn, create greater feelings of tiredness over the day and also worsen the depression, as good sleep quality plays an important role in psychological wellness.
The effects of oversleeping can be enduring, drastically lowering your quality of life and even raising mortality rates. As such, addressing the root causes of oversleeping is crucial to safeguarding your overall wellbeing.
Achieving the Right Amount of Sleep
There are a few measures you can take to stop oversleeping.
- Properly Schedule Your Sleep
Be sure to establish a consistent sleep schedule, which involves going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
“What this does is it trains your brain to recognise what time to fall asleep and what time to wake up,” explains Dr Chee.
- Set a Regular Alarm
If you find it difficult to wake up in the morning, setting an alarm can prompt your body into wakefulness, making it easier to get back into the regular rhythms of sleep over time. Resist the urge to press the snooze button – think about placing your alarm clock far away from your bed so that you’re forced to get up and get moving.
- Avoid Long Naps
While the temptation to nap can be particularly strong because of the daytime fatigue you feel, it is more important to ensure that your normal sleeping pattern remains uninterrupted, as napping can further drive oversleeping. If you must nap, make sure to keep it short.
- Practice Good Sleep Habits
Follow sleep hygiene practices, such as limiting your caffeine intake, ensuring you’re sleeping in a dark and cool environment, and incorporating soothing pre-bedtime habits such reading or meditating. This will help you achieve quality sleep within your recommended sleep duration.
- Consult a Doctor
If you’re still struggling with oversleeping, do consult a healthcare professional for a diagnosis and to better understand how to resolve your condition.
Ultimately, finding the right balance is key when it comes to sleep. So think twice the next time you find yourself reaching for those extra minutes of slumber – by breaking the cycle of oversleeping, you can embrace a healthier sleep routine, and feel more energised and refreshed every day.
