Your daily routine, hobbies, health, and sleeping habits all affect how much sleep you require each night. While certain people, like athletes, may require an extra hour of sleep, older adults may just need six hours.
Sometimes, you’ll need more sleep than usual, for example, after engaging in strenuous activities or traveling. If getting an extra hour of sleep makes you feel your best, your body might be trying to tell you something.
In this blog, we’ll discuss what oversleeping is, what causes it, and how you can avoid it.
How much sleep is too much? Generally, oversleeping (hypersomnia) is defined as having more than 9 hours sleep a night. Hypersomnia is characterised by both excessive daytime sleepiness and general fatigue. The condition is frequently brought on by sleep disorders like narcolepsy. Medical professionals may also refer to this as ‘an excessive quantity of sleep’ (EQS).
If you frequently wake up in the middle of the night, you might be suffering from hypersomnia. Even though you might not remember every midnight awakening, they can prevent you from receiving enough deep sleep to awaken feeling rested.
Usually, hypersomnia develops during childhood, but there may also be a role of lifestyle factors such as diet, daily activities, and profession.
Additionally, there are other medical disorders that could make you oversleep, including:
- Thyroid problems
- Heart condition
- Insomnia depression
- Narcolepsy
- Certain medications
- Sleep apnoea
But, what if there is no obvious cause? This is called Idiopathic hypersomnia, a term used when there is no known cause for excessive sleepiness.
Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Over time, your body will learn to expect sleep during those. Eventually, you might settle into a routine where falling asleep is easier.
Blue light is produced by the screens of computers and mobile devices. This type of light can interfere with sleep and your body’s natural circadian rhythm at night. In the two to three hours before bed, try turning off all your electronics and limit your exposure to blue light.
Consider the foods and drinks you ingest. If you ingest caffeine too close to bedtime, you may become agitated. Although it can make you tired, alcohol actually reduces the quality of your sleep. Better alternatives include warm milk or herbal tea. Even while exercise is excellent for your body, doing it soon before bed can make it difficult to fall asleep.
Making yourself comfy will encourage your body to go asleep. Ensure that your bedroom is cold, quiet, and dark. Consider getting blackout curtains to darken the room. Distractions can be blocked out with earplugs or a white noise generator.
Additionally, try to minimise the number of pets or kids who spend the night in your bed, and refrain from dozing off in front of the TV. You should also look towards your bedroom furniture, in particular, your pillows and mattresses to spot any signs of wear.
Write up any worries you have regarding your sleep. Include every detail about your daily routine and habits so you can show your doctor. Note all you can about your sleep, including how long it takes you to fall asleep, whether you nap during the day and any other details you think are significant.
Participating in daily exercise and having sunlight exposure can help you to sleep at night. After all, avoiding exercise means our bodies aren’t receiving as much stimulation as they should, leading to a build-up of physical tension.
However, try to avoid excessive exercise right before you go to bed, as this can raise your alertness levels, making it more difficult to achieve a full sleep cycle.
Daytime naps can make you feel overtired, especially if you don’t need them. Our body’s natural circadian rhythm cycle spans 7-9 hours of sleep and 15–17 hours of uninterrupted alertness. Going against this natural cycle will make you feel groggy and even more tired.
Take a look at our guide to healthy napping to find out more.
Oversleeping can be a real problem and one that should not be overlooked. To help you regain control over your bedtime routine, we supply a wide range of essential supplies like soft mattresses made from all sorts of materials and fillings to suit your needs. Start sleeping better with Mattressman, tonight.
