The Dangers of Oversleeping And What to Do About It

Sometimes it's so nice just to sleep in a little bit, and stay all comfy under the covers. But it goes hand-in-hand with some health issues, especially when it becomes a habit.

Why Do We Oversleep?

There are a number of reasons for getting a little too much sleep. It's not a big deal if it just happens once in a while, but it becomes a problem when you regularly find yourself sleeping in later and later, and it's harder to get up in the morning.

Some people can't help their oversleeping. Medical conditions like hypersomnia (which causes extreme sleepiness through the day, and a need for what feels like constant sleep), sleep apnea, or depression will cause you to sleep more than usual.

There are those who don't suffer from those medical conditions, but find themselves sleeping in more and more. When you start sleeping in more, it becomes a vicious cycle. It's almost like your body feels like it needs more sleep and you're more tired, just because you have become used to sleeping longer. It's a tough habit to break, but it needs to be broken.

What Happens When We Oversleep?

There's tons of health risks associated with oversleeping. Studies have linked getting too much sleep with diabetes, obesity, depression, heart disease, and a handful of other health issues. A lot of these are the same health problems that have been linked to not getting enough sleep.

How Do You Break the Cycle?

If there's a medical reason to why you oversleep (like depression or sleep apnea), that's something to bring up to your doctor.

If you're oversleeping just because you've become used to sleeping in, it's a tough habit to break, but it's possible. Start by slowly cutting back on your sleep. If you've gotten used to sleeping for 10 hours, go down to nine and a half hours for a week. When that alarm goes off in the morning get up! It's really hard to do, but it's something you have to do to break the cycle.

Plan something as soon as you get up (something that will make you want to get up and do it). Even if it's something as simple as checking your Facebook, or reading a chapter out of your favorite book. Make it a reward for getting up on time.

Hopefully this can help you break the cycle of oversleeping so you don't have to worry about the health risks associated with sleeping too much.