Sleeping a lot daily (more than 9 hours for adults) is linked to health issues like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, depression, headaches, and increased mortality risk, and can also cause daytime grogginess, focus issues, and low energy, often signaling underlying conditions like sleep apnea or mental health struggles. While occasional oversleeping isn't a major concern, consistent long sleep may indicate a problem that needs a doctor's attention, as the excess sleep itself can be both a symptom and potentially a contributing factor, notes the Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials.
While getting extra rest occasionally isn't usually a cause for concern, consistently oversleeping can be linked to underlying health issues, such as depression, sleep disorders, or chronic illness. It may also contribute to daytime grogginess, headaches, and increased risk for certain health problems.
Regularly getting too little sleep is linked to a number of chronic diseases, not to mention irritability and sluggishness during the day. But did you know that sleeping too much could also be problematic? Oversleeping is associated with many health problems, including: Type 2 diabetes.
Most adults need 10 hours of sleep a night, 12 is just two more hours so you're fine.
Your ideal wake up time should be no less than seven hours after your bedtime, and allow you to get as much rest as you need while still suiting your schedule, Harris notes. “The No. 1 thing is getting seven to nine hours per night," says Barone.
The koala is the animal that sleeps approximately 90% of the day (20-22 hours), a necessity due to its low-energy eucalyptus diet requiring intensive digestion, making it the ultimate champion of sleep in the animal kingdom, followed closely by sloths and bats.
The 3-2-1 bedtime method is a simple sleep hygiene strategy: stop eating 3 hours before bed, stop working 2 hours before bed, and stop using screens (phones, tablets, TVs) 1 hour before sleep, helping your body transition to rest by reducing stimulants and digestive load for better sleep quality. A more detailed version adds 10 hours (no caffeine) and 0 (no snoozing) for a 10-3-2-1-0 rule.
Musk goes to bed around 3 a.m. and gets about 6 hours of sleep every night. Although he's not getting eight hours a night, Musk has upped his sleeping schedule from being nearly nonexistent in the past. In May 2023, Musk told CNBC that he's no longer pulling all-nighters.
Conditions that affect your muscles, brain or central nervous system can all cause hypersomnia. Mental health conditions like depression may also trigger it. Injuries. Head injuries or traumatic brain injuries may cause hypersomnia or increase your risk.
Vitamin B12 is the best vitamin supplement for treating tiredness and fatigue. This essential nutrient helps your body produce energy and keeps you feeling less fatigued both physically and mentally.
Excessive daytime sleepiness is a warning sign that demands clinical attention.” Here are signs that it's time to speak with a primary care professional or sleep doctor about your sleep: Difficulty staying awake during daily activities, like work or commuting. Excessive snoring, choking, or gasping during sleep.
When it comes to sleep, can you have too much of a good thing? It's true a good night's sleep is essential for health. But oversleeping has been linked to a host of medical problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and increased risk of death.
About excessive sleepiness
This may be due to shiftwork, family demands (such as a new baby), study or social life. Other causes include sleep disorders, medication, and medical and psychiatric illnesses. Hypersomnia can be helped or cured with a few adjustments to lifestyle habits.
If you're consistently oversleeping and experiencing negative consequences, it's important to talk to your primary care doctor. Oversleeping can be a symptom of various underlying medical conditions, such as depression, anxiety, thyroid disorders and sleep apnea.
“Women's brains are wired differently, so their sleep need will be slightly greater. Women tend to multi-task—they do lots at once and are flexible, and so they use more of their actual brain than men do,” Horne says.
Sleep occurs in stages (from one to four). It is important that we pass through all of these stages. It is hard to say which organ goes to sleep first but we do know that our muscles relax and our heartbeat reduces during the second stage.
Like insufficient sleep, oversleeping is a sign of disordered sleep. It may be connected to a mental health issue, such as depression. It's often a signal that a person is experiencing poor sleep quality, and it can be a sign of a clinical sleep disorder, including obstructive sleep apnea or narcolepsy.
The 5-3-3 rule is a baby sleep training method for night weaning and fostering independent sleep, involving a baby sleeping 5 hours, staying awake for 3 (for a feed if needed), then sleeping another 3 hours, and continuing in 3-hour increments, teaching them to self-soothe after the initial long stretch, though it's a flexible guideline, not strict; it aims to create longer stretches for parents while meeting the baby's needs, often used around 4-6 months.
People who consistently log six or fewer hours tend to have a higher body mass index (BMI). And even just a few nights of short sleep can result in short-term weight fluctuations. Not getting enough sleep can also increase your glucose (blood sugar) levels. That raises your risk of Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Depending on one's age and individual needs, the National Sleep Foundation (USA) states that adults need seven to nine hours of good quality sleep per night to remain healthy and alert. School-age children require between nine and eleven hours, while older adults may need only seven to eight.
In his piece, he revealed that through his years of research, he's found that rumination is the biggest thing that causes poor sleep. He says that being worried about something at night has affected his own ability to fall asleep.
Signs of poor core sleep (deep, restorative sleep) include waking up foggy, daytime fatigue/energy crashes, poor concentration, irritability, frequent illness, memory issues, and mood swings, indicating your brain and body aren't fully repairing and consolidating memories. You might also experience increased sugar cravings, slow muscle recovery, and a weakened immune system.
The 80/20 Rule means that you stick to your healthy, consistent sleep schedule 80% of the time. You then can make exceptions to your schedule 20% of the time. The 80/20 Rule allows you to “live life” and enjoy those special moments with your family.