Are you sleeping too much? You may fall prey to these health hazards!

Sleeping too much may seem ideal, but it can be just as damaging to our sleep cycle as not getting enough sleep. Now you may be wondering, what is considered a good night’s sleep? How much sleep a person needs varies from person to person and is dependent on a person’s age among other factors. Although oversleeping doesn’t carry the same serious health risks associated with a lack of sleep, habitual oversleeping could indicate physical and mental health complications. Research carried out over the past 10 years appears to show that adults who usually sleep for less than six hours or more than eight, are at risk of dying earlier than those sleep for between six and eight hours.

Health hazards-

It can affect your memory

It was found that people who sleep more than nine or 10 hours often have poor sleep quality. They do not get enough amount of oxygen required for their brain functioning so it can lead to mental blocks and reduce IQ.

Pain

People who oversleep often complain about headaches throughout the day. Researchers speculate getting too much sleep has an effect on certain neurotransmitters in the brain, especially serotonin. Other potential side effects of oversleeping include lower back pain, stroke, diabetes, and heart disease.

Disease

Increased risk for depression. Increase risk for Type 2 Diabetes. Increase risk for coronary artery disease. Those that sleep too much are at greater risk of dying. Adequate sleep is important to your health.  Not only can oversleeping be a sign of disease it also can put you at increased risk for problems.  If you find you are sleeping too much see a health professional make sure there isn’t a medical problem.

Sleep guidelines

Age	Hours of sleep per day
newborn baby	14 - 17 hours (includes naps)
infants	12 - 15 hours (includes naps)
toddlers	11 - 14 hours (includes naps)
preschool-age children	10 - 13 hours
school-age children	9 - 11 hours
teenagers	8 - 10 hours
adults	7 - 9 hours
seniors	7 - 8 hours

Not everyone who sleeps nine to 10 hours a day is unhealthy. Some people just need more than the average amount of sleep to be functioning well the next day. Less than 2 percent of people are likely to fall in that category.

How can we stop ourselves from sleeping too much?

There are a number of options for dealing with their oversleeping-

1

   If you’re taking any medication that causes drowsiness, consult your physician and stop taking it.

    Exposure to light and darkness is essential to our circadian rhythm. Let the morning sun shine through and be your secondary alarm clock.

    Speaking of alarm clocks put yours out of your arm's reach. Getting out of bed to hit the snooze once should provide a burst of energy.

      Most importantly, establish your sleep schedule and stick to it. Yes, even on your weekends. Oversleeping on Saturday and Sunday will mean trouble waking up on Monday.