Some complications may include:. People who oversleep may also be at higher risk of auto accidents. At your appointment, your doctor will likely ask you questions about your sleep and lifestyle habits, medications, and health history. You may also have a physical exam and even be asked to engage in a sleep study.
If your oversleeping cannot be attributed to other medical conditions, your doctor may recommend the following:. If your oversleeping is caused by an underlying health issue, treating the issue may help you start sleeping normally.
Making lifestyle changes that address poor sleep habits may also help. Also, ask your doctor if there are medications that might work for you. Modafinil Provigil , for example, is a wake-promoting drug. In a study on people with narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia, this medication was shown to improve driving performance and alertness. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even on the weekends.
When you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, you condition your body to expect sleep during that time. You may eventually get into a rhythm where sleep comes more easily. Being comfortable will help your body give in to sleep. Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. You may want to darken the room using curtains. Earplugs or a white-noise machine can help drown out distractions. Try to limit the number of pets or children sleeping in your bed, and avoid falling asleep with the television on, even if the sound is off.
And consider switching your pillow or mattress if they are uncomfortable. Computer and phone screens emit what is called blue light. Power down your devices and limit your exposure to blue light in the two to three hours before bed.
Taking care of yourself during waking hours will help your sleep. Think about the things you consume. Caffeine may wind you up if consumed too close to bedtime. Certain medications to treat health conditions may make a person feel tired and drowsy often. Therefore, they will want to sleep more—oftentimes to what is considered excessive. Drinking alcohol, regardless of how much, can promote sleep disorders.
This includes sleep apnea and snoring. It is also known for causing sleep disturbances, especially with sleep patterns and daytime sleepiness. Most causes of sleeping too much are temporary. They can be resolved with simple lifestyle changes, including eating healthy, being active, keeping a regular schedule, and putting a stop to unhealthy habits.
Sleeping too much can be just as damaging as sleeping too little. Sleeping too much can put a person at risk for a number of health conditions. This risk is higher for women because they sleep more than men. Research has shown that people who sleep too much tend to weigh more. It is possible that heavier weight is due to sleeping more and being less active—the more a person sleeps, the less they are moving and the fewer calories they are burning.
Sleeping too much can raise blood sugar and increase the risk for type 2 diabetes. However, this risk may be more so related to being sedentary and overweight rather than related to any specific connection between diabetes and excessive sleep. Oversleeping can cause the brain to age faster and make it difficult to perform the simplest daily tasks, according to research reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
This may have to do with how often a person wakes up during the night, which means they may not be getting enough restorative sleep necessary for refreshing and restoring the brain. Depression and sleep tend to be intertwined. Depression can make a person sleep longer. In turn, sleeping longer can perpetuate a person's depressed state.
When people who are prone to headaches sleep too much, they will experience more head pain. Researchers think this happens because excessive sleep triggers certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Spending too much time in bed can lead to feeling achy, especially for people with back problems. The lack of movement, lying down in one position for too long, or even a bad mattress can all lead to more pain. People who have pain also suffer from poor sleep, which makes them want to sleep longer.
Anyone who finds themselves consistently sleeping 10 or more hours per night should see a doctor to determine why they are oversleeping. If oversleeping is the result of drinking too much alcohol or certain medications, cutting back or the elimination of these substances may help. Of course, if oversleeping is due to the effects of prescription medication, the medication should not be stopped without the approval of a doctor.
If oversleeping is caused by a health condition, managing that condition and practicing better sleep habits may help reduce the need to oversleep. It is also a good idea to go to bed at the same time every night and have the same wake-up time.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol too close to bedtime. Regular exercise can improve sleep quality, too. Lastly, make sure your bedroom is comfortable and free of distractions. Tossing and turning night over night can have a big impact on your quality of life. Our free guide can help you get the rest you need.
Sign up for our newsletter and get it free. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Sleeping too little — or too much — associated with heart disease, diabetes, obesity.
Updated October 1, National Institutes of Health. NIH Research Matters. Gene identified in people who need little sleep. Updated September 17, Sleep Foundation. How much sleep do babies and kids need? Updated September 24, So how much is too much sleep? Well, it depends. Your sleep needs will vary over your lifetime, your sleep chronotype , age, activity level, general health, and lifestyle. T he AASM recommends the following sleep amounts based on age that you can use as a general baseline:.
Instead, look for sudden changes in your sleep schedule. Were you normally getting 7 hours of sleep and feeling fine, but now you need closer to 10 and feel terrible? Likewise, there are often temporary causes of oversleeping, too.
0コメント