Sleep: Too Much of a Good Thing?

Woman can't sleep due to insomnia

Can You Sleep Too Much?

A good night’s sleep is essential for health. But oversleeping has been linked to a host of medical problems, including:

Diabetes:People who sleep less than 5 hours per night or more than nine hours each night have a 50 percent greater risk of diabetes than people who sleep seven hours per night.

Obesity:One recent study showed that people who slept for 9 or 10 hours every night were 21 percent more likely to become obese over a six-year period.

Headaches:Sleeping longer than usual can cause head pain. Researchers believe this is due to the effect oversleeping has on certain neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin.

Back pain: No more lying in bed if your back hurts and make sure your mattress is in good shape.

Depression:Roughly 15 percent of people with depression sleep too much. This may in turn make their depression worse, because regular sleep habits are important to the recovery process.

Heart disease:The Nurses’ Health Study, which involved nearly 72,000 women, showed that women who slept nine to 11hours per night were 38 percent more likely to have coronary heart disease.

Death: Multiple studies have found that people who sleep nine or more hours per night have significantly higher death rates. No specific reason for this correlation has been determined.

So be sure to get your zzzzzz’s, but not too much!