Why too much sleep is unhealthy & makes you tired

Why too much sleep is unhealthy

According to recent studies, too much sleep leads to poorer health. What you should pay attention to as a late riser. With helpful tips.

Sleep researchers and doctors repeatedly warn against too little sleep.

If you don’t give your body a chance to sleep, you risk serious health problems.

Too much sleep also worsens your health

However, the latest research on sleep duration has revealed another surprising discovery:

  • According to a study by the University of Cambridge, the risk of a stroke is significantly higher in late risers .
  • Heart disease was significantly more likely in a study with 72,000 women (37% higher risk for more than 11 hours of sleep).
  • Other research shows that late risers also die earlier than people who sleep normally.

When does long sleep become unhealthy?

The researchers emphasize that these findings do not apply to everyone – some people need their 10-12 hours of sleep and need not necessarily fear health risks.

Conversely, long sleep can also be an indication that something is wrong.

Illnesses may weaken the body or the quality of bed rest is poor due to undetected sleep disorders .

Am I at risk as a late riser?

So you see: it is often not the long sleep itself, but other reasons that lead to increased health risks.

  • For example, people with depression tend to sleep longer and usually suffer from poorer health.
  • In this case, too much sleep is just the symptom, not the real cause. An important difference.

But how do you know if your sleep duration is unhealthy for you?

Unfortunately, there is no online guide that can help you here, but rather you should monitor your sleeping habits very closely.

Infobox: Which sleep duration is natural?

The optimal length of sleep in healthy people not only depends on the quality of sleep, but also on genetics – and in adults it is between 6-10 hours.

It also differs by age group (developing children need more sleep than adults). Read this article to learn more about the recommendations of leading sleep researchers: How much sleep is optimal?

Persistent fatigue is an indication of “wrong” sleep

If you feel tired and without energy despite 10-12 hours of sleep, it is best to talk to your doctor about it.

Ask yourself the question: why do I sleep so much?

  • If the body is still powerless after so many hours of sleep, it may be due to untreated illness or sleep disorders.
  • You sleep several hours a night, but the important deep sleep phase (which brings the greatest regeneration) does not occur.

Then you can sleep that long – you will not feel really powerful.

On the other hand, if you wake up full of energy and have enough strength for the day, then it is likely that your body is just taking longer to recharge.

Note: If you sleep longer than 8 hours a day, it is best to discuss this length at your next doctor’s visit.

What are the reasons for sleeping too long?

If you suspect that you are not sleeping optimally as a late riser, then one of the following could be the cause of your problem:

Low quality of sleep. Even healthy people often have little restful sleep. This may be due to an incorrect sleeping position, an unsuitable mattress or poor sleep hygiene.

Sleep disorders. Sleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep), snoring, sweating or nasal congestion can prevent the body from regenerating. Only a visit to the doctor will help.

Diseases and drugs. Many diseases such as diabetes put a strain on the body and it needs more rest. Medication or psychological complaints such as depression can also lead to longer sleep.

Poor diet. Alcohol, too much coffee, cigarettes, or too much sugar can all affect the quality of your sleep. They put a strain on the body and impair regeneration during the night.

Social environment. Long sleep is often associated with listlessness. People without clear goals in life (e.g. after losing their job) sleep longer & have less drive to get out of bed in the morning.

All of these reasons can be the trigger or side effect of sleeping too long.

How to improve the quality of your sleep

Regardless of how long you sleep, it doesn’t hurt to improve your sleep hygiene and give it some thought.

Even completely healthy people without sleep disorders can benefit from it.

Take a close look at the above and see if there is an area that you can improve.

  • For example, if you frequently drink alcohol before bed or if the mattress has been sagging for years, then these are the things to start with.
  • Stick to fixed sleep times. The body gets used to the rest phases and after a while falling asleep shortens and you rest better.
  • Even “harmless” stimulants such as coffee, black tea or sugar can have a negative impact on sleep – especially in excessively large quantities.

Monitor your sleeping habits

Whether as a short or late sleeper: observing your own sleep can improve the quality of your night’s sleep immensely.

You can either keep a sleep diary, write a short note after waking up or try out one of the numerous sleep apps for smartphones.

All of these aids help to document your sleep.

You can use them to identify weak points in your sleep hygiene and take action.

However, they are not a miracle cure: in contrast to simple “solutions”, observing your sleep requires a little time and discipline.

On the other hand, it works much better than expensive sleeping pills from the Internet.

In any case, you should also seek advice from your doctor. Not only can he give advice on sleep hygiene, but it can also diagnose serious sleep disorders.

More tips about sleeping

If you are interested in improving your sleeping habits, then this is the best place to do a little browsing.

Everything here revolves around the topic of sleep: from advice on how to sleep better and tips on furnishing your bedroom to the latest findings from sleep research .

Simply click on one of the links to get to the respective article overview.

I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.

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