Sleep is vital to your health and well-being. It helps you maintain a healthy weight, boosts your immune system and improves mental alertness. However, too much sleep can negatively affect your body in some ways.
Too much sleep is not a good thing. It can lead to health problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. It’s also possible that excess sleeping can signal an underlying medical condition.
For example, if someone has heart disease and they’re having more than eight hours of continuous sleep per day (or more than five hours if they’re over age 65).
In this article, we will discuss some of the possible health effects of getting too much shut-eye.
7 Health Effects of Too Much Sleep
Sleeping too much can have negative effects on your health. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Sleeping more than this can lead to a number of health problems, some of which are discussed below.
1. Depression
If you’re sleeping too much, it could be a sign that you’re depressed. Depression is a severe mental illness that affects millions of people worldwide, and untreated depression can lead to suicidal thoughts or actions.
A 2015 study found a link between oversleeping and depression, but it suggested that oversleeping is a symptom, not a cause, of depression.
If you think you may have depression, seek professional help from your doctor or another healthcare provider that specializes in this area.
2. Can cause diabetes
People who get more than eight hours per night are at increased risk for developing diabetes, according to a study conducted by scientists.
The excessive amount of time spent in bed may also contribute to weight gain and other health problems associated with diabetes—and these problems could be alleviated by increasing daily exercise beyond what is done on weekends or holidays.
3. Affects your concentration
Too much sleep may make it hard for you to concentrate on tasks that require complex thinking.
Studies have shown that too much sleep affects cognitive ability, with verbal ability being the most affected.
4. Increases your risk of high blood pressure
Too much sleep also increases the risk of high blood pressure. Studies have shown that too much sleep leads to a spike in blood sugar, which can trigger high blood pressure and heart problems.
Also, too much can worsen the already diagnosed high blood pressure condition. You have to meet the doctor for guidelines and help.
5. Might lead to increased weight gain
A Canadian study has shown the link between sleep and weight gain. Long are more likely to experience significant weight gain, which may lead to obesity if not properly managed.
It has been proven that people who sleep over nine hours have 21% more likely chances of becoming obese.
6. Higher risk for heart disease
As reported in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NAHNES), researchers have shown a connection between short and long sleep with a higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.
The study proved that people who consistently sleep over eight hours per night have a 10% higher chance of developing coronary heart disease and are twice as likely to develop angina chest pain.
7. Can cause headaches
Another likely health effect of sleeping too much is that it could cause headaches.
Low blood sugar levels and dehydration can cause headaches.
When you sleep too much, you likely haven’t had the chance to feed or hydrate your body, which can lead to waking up with a headache.
Conclusion
Sleep is important and helpful to the body, but it can become a problem when it becomes too much. Yes, sleeping too much can have negative effects on your health. It can increase the risk of certain health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
It’s important to aim for a healthy balance of sleep and to speak with a medical professional if you’re consistently sleeping more than the recommended amount.
By taking steps to ensure that you’re getting the right amount of sleep, you can help to improve your overall health and well-being.
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Collins Nwokolo is a human physiologist, writer and health enthusiast. He loves writing helpful articles on health and fitness, which he enjoys sharing with everyone.
