It’s safe to say that most adults love to sleep. It energizes us, makes us feel happy, and also allows us to forget about our problems, even if just for a couple of hours. On top of that, getting a good night’s rest is necessary for our bodies as they regenerate faster while we’re asleep. However, just like with everything, we can also overdose on sleep. And surprisingly, the negative effects of too much sleep can be quite interesting.
What are the negative effects of oversleeping?
According to research, oversleeping has been linked to a range of medical issues, including diabetes, heart disease, and an increased risk of death. Since our bodies require regular movement and exercise to stay healthy, sleeping too much can prevent us from achieving that goal. It’s a no brainer that our physical health suffers.
However, it’s not only our physique that we should be concerned about. Sleeping too much can worsen depression symptoms as a regular sleeping schedule is detrimental to the recovery process. As a result, oversleeping can make you miss work, neglect your health, and ignore your social circle, which are all essential aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Furthermore, sleeping over eight hours a night for a prolonged time has been linked to a higher risk of dying young. The exact correlation isn’t clear yet, but scientists believe that it might have something to do with depressive moods and lower socioeconomic status.
How much should you sleep?
The amount of sleep you should get changes over the course of your lifetime. For adults, a good number of hours to aim for is between seven and eight. Regularly sleeping less than seven hours a night can have negative effects not only on your physical wellbeing but also on your mental and emotional state. People who don’t get quality sleep tend to have an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and many other health issues. So even though sleeping too much isn’t a good idea, make sure that you’re still getting all the necessary z’s every night.
Of course, getting over eight hours of sleep a night every once in a while won’t kill you. Sleep is necessary and depending on your activity levels and how exhausting your day has been, it’s perfectly healthy to sleep a little more from time to time. After all, it’s always important to listen to your body — everyone’s is different.
So next time you feel hungover after getting too much sleep, you may now be able to identify the culprit. Sleeping always feels great, but overdoing it may not be the greatest way to avoid fatigue. Instead, try going to bed earlier, avoid using your phone or computer at least an hour before bed, and don’t consume caffeine right before bed. After all, it’s not worth to sleep throughout your whole life. There’s so much to do!
Featured image via Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels
