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How Much Sleep Is Too Much

sleep habits, sleep habits effecting weight gain, sleep health, Sleeping, sleeping and weight, sleeping habits, oversleeping, to much sleep, sleep effect
Legs sticking out from under the blankets in the bedroom

Good sleep is essential to a healthy life. In fact, we spend about one-third of our lives sleeping, so if you’re getting to little or too much sleep, you could be doing serious damage to your body and mind. How much sleep is too much? And how do you know if you need more or less sleep? There are ways to know how much sleep you should get each night and the signs that indicate that you need more or less.

How Much Is Too Much?

Sleep is a vital part of our health and wellness, but how much sleep is ideal? What happens when we don’t get enough sleep? And how can we tell if we need more or less than the average person?

Oversleep is when an individual sleeps longer than the amount recommended by their doctor or health professional. Generally, doctors recommend about 8-9 hours of sleep for most adults and children over 4 years old; however, many people need more or less than this amount depending on personal factors such as age and lifestyle choices. When oversleeping occurs in excess of two weeks or so, it can become harmful both physically and mentally especially if it becomes chronic.

The Trouble With Oversleeping

Oversleeping can be problematic for both your physical and mental health. Sleeping too much can have negative effects on your mood and energy levels, making you feel groggy and lazy. This can lead to a vicious cycle of sleeping more than is required, which then makes it hard to wake up in the morning.

Getting too much sleep can also cause weight gain by changing levels of appetite-regulating hormones that regulate hunger cues from the brain. If you eat large amounts of food while still feeling tired and unmotivated, this may contribute to weight gain as well as diabetes, heart disease, or depression.

What Are The Signs That One Is Getting To Much Sleep?

The first sign that you’re getting too much sleep is feeling groggy. If you feel like you’ve been hit by a bus, then it’s likely that your body is just tired from not getting enough sleep.

Another sign of too much sleep is having trouble staying awake throughout the day. If this happens regularly, it could be due to various factors such as stress, lack of exercise and poor diet. Most importantly though, if there really isn’t any reason for this other than getting more and more hours in bed at night then it could be a sign that they’re getting too much rest each night causing their circadian rhythm to get out of sync with their bodies’ needs throughout the day! This can lead to many health problems including depression, diabetes and even heart disease!

Sleep is a vital part of our health, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough but not too much. If it seems like you never get enough sleep and wake up still feeling tired, you could be oversleeping or there could possibly be something more serious going on. The best thing to do would be to talk with your doctor about what your options are.

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Sleep and Mental Health

person sleeping in their bed with the glasses next to them
person sleeping in their bed with the glasses next to them

Sleep has a direct impact on mental health. Insomnia, for instance, can contribute to the development of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. Moreover, people who have these conditions often experience sleep problems. The links between mental health and sleep are established but still being studied. Here, we’ll explore why sleep is crucial to healthy moods and brain function.

Brain Activity and Sleep

While the body rests during sleep, the brain is engaged in fluctuating activities known as sleep stages. These stages are part of the overall sleep cycle and are essential for normal brain function. The brain is involved in NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep that is associated with slowed brain activity and REM sleep, which involves more intense dreaming. Both of these sleep stages are important because they’ve been shown to support cognitive functions like learning and memory. These stages have also been shown to have a direct impact on emotional and mental health, according to the Sleep Foundation.

Sleep and Mental Health Conditions

Poor sleep is often a factor involved in a number of mental health conditions. For instance, 75% of people who suffer from depression have marked sleep problems such as insomnia. Some people with depression sleep excessively. Poor sleep is also associated with conditions like anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. The presence of these conditions also impacts sleep. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 50% of people with insomnia have a mental health disorder such as depression or anxiety. When these conditions are properly managed, sleep is improved. Similarly, when insomnia is treated, mental health symptoms may dissipate or disappear. 

How to Improve the Quality of Sleep

Getting good sleep is sometimes out of our control. However, there are steps we can take to improve the quality of our sleep on a routine basis, such as:

Practice Good Sleeping Habits

Try to structure your nighttime routine to enhance your sleep routine. For instance, try to get to bed at about the same time each night. 

Eliminate Electronics an Hour before Sleep

Refrain from your screens like your television and smartphone about an hour before your intended bedtime. Your brain needs time to wind down from the stimuli of the day. Watching TV or surfing the internet keeps your brain stimulated and can detract from the sleep process.

Use a Sleep Aid

Many people rely on sleep aids, especially during bouts of insomnia, in order to promote quality sleep. Talk to your healthcare provider about taking a sleep aid or supplement designed to enhance sleep. While many are safe, your doctor can tell you what remedies may be right for you or safe for you given the other medications you currently may be taking.

Practice Physical Fitness

Exercise is associated with healthy sleep practices. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, people who practice 30 minutes of aerobic activity each day enjoy improved sleep.

It’s important to get quality sleep on a routine basis. If you’re suffering from sleep disturbances and experiencing mental health symptoms, try these ideas. You may need to consult your doctor if they continue. Some conditions such as sleep apnoea may require treatment.

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Are Your Sleeping Habits Hurting Your Weight Loss Goals?

sleeping, sleeping and weight, sleep habits, sleeping habits, sleep habits effecting weight loss, sleep health
sleeping, sleeping and weight, sleep habits, sleeping habits, sleep habits effecting weight loss, sleep health
sleeping, sleeping and weight, sleep habits, sleeping habits, sleep habits effecting weight loss, sleep health

It’s summer and time to hit the beach. You’ve put in a long winter of home workout sessions, you’ve been tracking your macros, and you’ve been following all the popular weight loss advice.

But you’re still not where you want to be. When you’re at your wit’s end when it comes to weight loss, there’s a good chance you’re skipping over a key factor. Sleep.

A nutritionist’s advice suggests there are three tenets to follow that will make sure you’re getting the most out of the work you’re putting in. These are Rest, Recovery, and Sleep.

REST

According to Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar speaking with the NDTV Health Desk, rest isn’t the time we spend lounging on the couch. When we say rest, what we mean is proper posture and a relaxed spine.

One easy rule of thumb is the “30-3”. For every 30 minutes you spend sitting or in a dormant position, spend 3 minutes standing or walking around.

Without actively making time for rest, it’s going to be hard to start the process of weight loss in any meaningful way.

RECOVERY

Here is the area where most of us walk a thin line. We want to exercise, but we don’t want to over-exercise. We want to take a refreshing nap around mid-day to give our body’s a chance to absorb and process the stress of the day, but we don’t want it to extend into a 2-3 hour nap and hurt that night’s sleep.

So how do we recover in the right way?

The first step is to allow your body adequate time after exercise to recover. Going into your next session at 70% isn’t helping you.

Secondly, according to the Mayo Clinic, you’ll want to keep those mid-day naps to around 10-20 minutes. By doing this, you give yourself a chance to recuperate without affecting that night’s sleep process.

SLEEP

The final step—and what should be around one-third of your life—is sleep.

Why does sleep play such a large role in weight loss? Your body is operating, even at a reduced level, while you’re not consuming any new sources of energy. This is important for your metabolism, your hormonal balance, and several other regulatory processes your body completes while you sleep according to Diwekar.

Your best bet is to develop a sleep schedule. Prepare your body to relax and shut down around the same time every night. Avoid gadgets or any bright screens before bed. Only use your bed for sleep. The more factors you can turn in your favor, the easier it will be to get the consistent sleep you need.

THE WRAP-UP

When you’re struggling to get the results you want, consider taking a look at your sleep habits. Ask yourself if you’re getting the right kind of rest and if you’re giving yourself the time and space to recover.

If you’re not, this could be the next key area to focus on to help you reach those fitness and weight loss goals. As personal trainer Joe Siracuse of F45 Black Rock once said, “Eight hours of sleep is the best pre-workout no one talks about.”

Interested in learning more about sleep health? We frequently share articles and news related to the subject on our Facebook page. 

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