Too Much Sleep May be Just as Unhealthy as Too Little Sleep

Whether you’re a big-time Hollywood actor, a sought-after cosmopolitan supermodel, or an average Joe trying to make ends meet, getting the right amount of sleep is crucial to your ability to function properly. However, many Americans are astounded to hear from their doctors that they may, in fact, be getting too much sleep. And although it may seem paradoxical, sleeping too much can be just as bad for you as not getting enough sleep. Not only is sleeping too much hazardous to your health, it also tampers with your internal clock, hampers your metabolism, and dampens your mood. And to top it all off, oversleeping squanders precious time that could be used for more productive things.

What Are the Symptoms of Oversleeping?

Have you ever slept in on the weekend, only to wake up at noon with a throbbing headache? While chronic headaches are one of the more common symptoms of sleep deprivation, they are also the mere tip of the iceberg. As you continue to oversleep night after night, your headaches may soon evolve into full-blown migraines. And unless your pattern of sleeping is corrected, other disorders, such as severe depression, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity won’t be far behind. Eventually, sleeping too much can even result in death. Fortunately, correcting your sleep schedule can virtually eliminate your risk for sleep-related ailments. Some additional signs that you may be sleeping too much, are:

.     Anxiety

.     Paranoia

.     Difficulty Falling Asleep

.     Sleep Apnea

.     Memory Loss

.     Brain Fog

.     Weakness

Why Is Sleeping Too Much Bad for You?

While scientists aren’t precisely sure why oversleeping is bad for you, a highly regarded theory states that oversleeping reduces the amount of water and oxygen that reach the brain. Another theory states that oversleeping causes the brain to go into panic mode, thereby wreaking havoc on its ability to process information. One final theory claims that oversleeping reduces the overall quality of sleep and is tantamount to having not gone to sleep in the first place. However, the process that occur when we are sleeping is essentially the final frontier of modern medicine, and nobody is even one hundred percent positive as to why we need sleep in the first place.

How Much Sleep is Too Much Sleep?

Experts agree that between 7 to 8 hours a night is the ideal amount of sleep, with 6.5 hours and 8.5 hours marking the limits of your tolerable range for sleeping. Although sleeping 8.5 hours is less than ideal, you are unlikely to experience any of the symptoms associated with the extreme outliers. Another factor consider when attempting to get enough sleep is the quality of sleep you are receiving. Variables such as the surface you are sleeping on and the amount of light in the room can make the difference between a restful night of uninterrupted sleep, and an uncomfortable evening of tossing and turning. In fact, did you know that having a sleeping with the lights on is one of the primary causes of daytime tiredness?

At the end of the day, achieving the recommended 8 hours of sleep nightly is the cornerstone of maintaining a healthy mind and body. And while sleeping too little can indeed reduce your brain’s ability to function, sleeping too much may in fact be worse. When it comes to safeguarding your health and wellness, sleeping less is an investment that pays dividends on a nightly basis.

Share

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our health risk assessment, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years.

User Reviews

Reply

Your email address will not be published

three + five =

Written by HealthStatus
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our health risk assessment, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years.

View all post by HealthStatus