7 Unexpected Risks of Sleeping Too Much You Should Know

As a neurologist with over 25 years of experience, patients often ask me – can you really sleeping too much? Surely catching some extra zzz’s helps recharge the body.

Yet emerging research reveals sleeping too much on a regular basis can invite some unexpected health issues over time.

Today we dive into 7 lesser-known ways oversleeping impacts your body and brain, so you can find your personal healthiest sleep balance.

1. Weight Gain

Multiple studies connect sleeping too much to higher risk of weight gain and obesity over time. How does extra time asleep pack on pounds?

Research shows oversleep causes imbalances in ghrelin and leptin – key hormones regulating hunger and fat storage. People who sleep longer than 9 hours nightly tend to have suppressed leptin. This low leptin increases appetite, prompting overeating the following day.

Oversleeping also drives down calorie-burning metabolism while awake less. Both effects contribute to gradual weight gain, especially belly fat accumulating around organs.

2. Sluggish Brain Function

We all know that skimping on sleep degrades focus and cognition. But did you realize too much sleep impairs mental sharpness as well?

Excessive sleep causes brain fog, dulls concentration, and slows processing speed critical for learning and good decision-making.

Why? Over sleeping may indicate you aren’t reaching the deeper, more restorative stages of REM sleep necessary for mental clarity. Too much lollygagging in lighter stages brings diminishing brain benefits.

3. Greater Inflammation

While adequate rest helps repair body tissues, overdoing slumber appears linked with raised inflammatory markers like CRP and interleukin-6 over time.

One study found people sleeping over 9 hours nightly were more likely to have elevated CRP levels than people getting 7-8 hours. Other cellular studies note melatonin, vital hormones, gene expression and gut health get thrown off by prolonged time asleep as well.

This systemic imbalance and excessive oxidative stress then accelerate inflammatory pathways.

4. Increased Stroke Risk

If that wasn’t enough cause for concern, oversleeping seems correlated to a frightening prospect – higher stroke risk!

One 6-year study tracking 150,000 people found folks sleeping over 8 hours nightly had 46% greater incidence of stroke compared to people getting the recommended 7 hour average.

Research connecting these dots remains very new. But scientists hypothesize pineal gland activity shifts with too much time unconscious may negatively impact vascular health.

5. Greater Chance of Heart Disease

Along similar lines, studies associate higher cardiovascular disease in those sleeping 9 or more hours routinely.

For example, one extensive meta-analysis of over 1.3 million people found a J-shaped curve. People sleeping under or over 7-8 hours showed sharply higher incidence of heart disease or strokes over multiyear periods compared to the healthiest middle group.

While genetics contribute too, researchers noted poor lifestyle habits like inactivity and poor diets compounded problems for over sleepers.

6. Increased Depression/Mood Issues

Snoozing too long paradoxically relates with darker moods – higher anxiety, brain fog, irritability, fatigue and even depression after prolonged weeks.

Why? Our circadian cycles crave consistent wake-sleep rhythms synchronized with light. Getting too much dark time disrupts hormone cascades which may exacerbate mood disorders long-term.

Plus inactivity from marathoning bed rest could worsen motivational reward pathways and inactive lifestyles.

7. Earlier Mortality According to Studies

Finally, the most alarming risk on our list – scientific analyses found connections between routinely sleeping more than 8 or 9 hours nightly and earlier mortality including years lost off expected lifespan.

Of course, extended sleep doesn’t directly shorten life expectancy. Rather it signals underlying conditions like chronic inflammation, mental illnesses or undiagnosed respiratory issues that may contribute to earlier death over time if left unaddressed.

But it proves prudent not to ignore oversleeping patterns plus related health behaviors either if longevity remains the goal!

Finding Your Optimal Sleep Sweet Spot

Clearly no one right sleep requirement exists fitting all people equally. Rather we each have a personal goldilocks zone – not too little, not too much slumber – that sustains optimal health especially long-term.

Aim to tune into your body’s innate cycles first, then fine tune with sleep efficiency tracking if needed. Allow some flexibility too accounting for illness recovery, exhausting training periods or stressful projects occasionally requiring extra pillow time.

But recalibrate back to baseline habits soon as possible. Long-term consistency helps lock in circadian wellness across seasons.

People Also Ask:

How many hours should you sleep based on age?

Recommendations average:

• Newborns: 14-17 hours
• School kids: 9-12 hours
• Teens: 8-10 hours
• Adults: 7-9 hours
• Seniors: 7-8 hours

What are the side effects of sleeping too much everyday?

Alongside the 7 impacts covered, other risks may include headaches, memory and immunity issues, low motivation/performance, poor eating habits and relationship strain.