{"id":26137,"date":"2020-11-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog-staging.saatva-node-stage.tsc-starts-coding.com\/oversleeping\/"},"modified":"2024-10-03T12:54:14","modified_gmt":"2024-10-03T12:54:14","slug":"oversleeping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva-node-stage.tsc-starts-coding.com\/blog\/oversleeping\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways Oversleeping Can Hurt Your Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it comes to sleep, it turns out you really can<\/em> have too much of a good thing. In fact, just like getting too little sleep<\/a>, oversleeping can lead to a variety of health complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To find out more about how to recognize when you\u2019re getting too much sleep, the negative health issues associated with oversleeping, and how to get the right amount of sleep, we tapped W. Chris Winter<\/a>, MD, who runs a sleep medicine and neurology clinic in Charlottesville, Va.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The health impacts of oversleeping<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Winter acknowledges that oversleeping is complicated\u2014and there are a number of potential root causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is related to depression, to inconsistency of sleep, to poor sleep at night resulting in an individual wanting or needing to sleep more during the day,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the cause, sleeping too much can lead to some serious issues. Here are the risks posed by oversleeping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worsens depression<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Per the Cleveland Clinic, about 15% of people with depression are over-sleepers. [1]<\/sup> But the relationship between depression and oversleeping is bidirectional. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a 2014 PLos ONE <\/em>study explains, those who sleep more than eight hours a night can have more symptoms of depression than those who sleep less than eight hours. [2] <\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raises heart disease risk<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association<\/em> links heart disease to oversleeping. In this case, the study authors define oversleeping as anything over the recommended seven to eight hours. [3]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study authors note that the connection between oversleeping and heart disease still isn\u2019t fully understood\u2014and oversleeping doesn\u2019t necessarily cause heart disease. (Learn more about how sleep affects your heart<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Causes weight gain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Research also shows a correlation between oversleeping and weight gain. One study, published in the journal Sleep<\/em>, followed 276 adults between the ages of 21-64 over the course of six years. [4]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study found that the \u201clong-duration sleepers\u201d (aka over-sleepers) were 25% more likely to experience weight gain of around 11 pounds over the six years the study took place, compared to normal sleepers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The researchers note that the long-duration sleepers who participated in the study had higher BMIs than the normal sleepers to start. That\u2019s one possible reason why they were more likely to gain weight over the six-year period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oversleeping also throws your body clock out of whack, which can lead to changes in appetite and, in turn, weight gain. [5]<\/sup> (Check out this guide to time-restricted eating<\/a> to learn more about the link between your circadian rhythm and your weight.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exacerbates headaches<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re prone to\u00a0morning headaches<\/a>, it may be tempting to\u00a0stay in bed<\/a>\u2014but oversleeping won\u2019t help. As the American Migraine Foundation notes,\u00a0oversleeping is a common headache trigger. [6]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research suggests oversleeping disrupts neurotransmitters in your brain, like serotonin, causing headaches. [7]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increases mortality risk<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sleeping too much (nine hours or more) is associated with higher mortality rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the PLoS One <\/em>study, \u201cthe evidence that long sleep is associated with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, or other cardiovascular diseases and with a 20%-30% higher mortality risk has consistently been found even stronger than the associations with short sleep.\u201d [2] <\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is just a correlation, so experts can\u2019t say oversleeping is a cause of death\u2014but it\u2019s still an interesting connection. The researchers note that oversleepers tend to be depressed or of low socioeconomic status, which could be related to the increased mortality rate.\u00a0[2]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you sleeping too much?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How can you tell if you\u2019re sleeping too much? Pay attention to how you feel when you get out of bed. Getting too much sleep can make you feel lethargic and unmotivated, according to Harvard Health Publishing. [8]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond that, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has sleep recommendations broken down by age range, which you can use as a guideline to determine approximately how much sleep you need<\/a>: [9]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n