Sleeping All Day: Is It A Cause For Concern?

Sleeping for long periods can be a cause for concern and may indicate an underlying health condition. While occasional long sleeps can be normal, regular long sleeps may be a sign of a sleep disorder, mental health disorder, or other health issue. Hypersomnia, a condition characterised by extreme sleepiness, can lead to a person sleeping soundly at night for 12 hours or more, but they will still feel the need to nap during the day. This condition is more common in females than males and usually affects people aged 17 to 24. Other causes of oversleeping include environmental factors, medication, alcohol use, and physical and mental health conditions. If you are concerned about the amount you are sleeping, it is recommended that you consult a healthcare professional.

Sleep disorders

There are several sleep disorders that can cause a person to sleep all day. These include:

• Hypersomnia: This is a condition where a person feels extreme daytime sleepiness despite getting an adequate amount of nighttime sleep. People with hypersomnia may sleep for 12 hours or more at night but still feel the need to nap during the day. This condition is more common in females and usually affects people in adolescence or young adulthood.
• Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders: These disorders are related to misalignments between sleep-wake cycles and light-darkness cycles.
• Narcolepsy: A sleep disorder characterised by a person's need to sleep or their tendency to fall asleep throughout the day. People with narcolepsy experience sleep attacks and involuntary napping.
• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): A sleep-related condition where a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep, causing issues like snoring or pauses in breathing.
• Restless leg syndrome (RLS): A disorder that causes an individual to feel like they need to move their legs due to tingling, creeping, burning, or other sensations in the legs.
• Insomnia: A common sleep disorder that makes it difficult for a person to fall asleep or stay asleep.
• Idiopathic hypersomnia: A type of hypersomnia where the cause of excessive sleepiness is unknown. People with idiopathic hypersomnia may sleep for up to 18 hours a day and often do not feel refreshed after sleeping.

If you suspect you may have a sleep disorder, it is important to consult a healthcare professional or sleep specialist for diagnosis and treatment. They may recommend lifestyle changes, medications, or other therapies to improve your sleep quality and duration.

Mental health disorders

Oversleeping, or hypersomnia, is often a symptom of an underlying mental health disorder. Mental health conditions can worsen sleep problems, and sleep problems can, in turn, lead to changes in mental health.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders affect an estimated 20% of adults and 25% of teenagers in the US. They are characterised by worry and fear, which contribute to a state of hyperarousal that makes it difficult to fall asleep. Sleep problems may become an added source of worry, creating anticipatory anxiety at bedtime that further exacerbates insomnia.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD is strongly associated with sleeping problems. People with PTSD frequently replay negative events in their minds, suffer from nightmares, and experience a state of being constantly alert, all of which can interfere with sleep.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder involves episodes of extreme moods that can be both high (mania) and low (depression). Sleep patterns change considerably depending on the emotional state of the person experiencing them. During manic periods, they usually feel less need to sleep, but during depressed periods, they may sleep excessively.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder characterised by a difficulty in differentiating between what is and is not real. People with schizophrenia are more likely to experience insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders. Poor sleep and symptoms of schizophrenia may be mutually reinforcing.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that involves a reduced attention span and increased impulsiveness. Sleep problems are common in people with ADHD, who may have difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, and excessive daytime sleepiness.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

ASD is a term that encompasses several neurodevelopmental conditions affecting communication and social interaction. Children and adolescents with ASD have a higher prevalence of sleep problems, including insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing. Addressing these issues is an important component of care as it may decrease excessive daytime sleepiness as well as other health and behaviour problems.

Health issues

Oversleeping can have a variety of negative impacts on your health and well-being. It is associated with an increased risk of accidents and a higher risk of dying from a medical condition. It can also be a sign of an underlying health issue, such as a sleep disorder, mental health disorder, or other medical condition.

Sleep Disorders

Oversleeping may be a symptom of a sleep disorder such as:

• Sleep apnea: This disorder causes brief pauses in breathing during sleep, leading to snoring, choking, and sleepiness during the day.
• Restless leg syndrome: A brain disorder causing an urge to move the legs when at rest.
• Narcolepsy: Characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden muscle weakness triggered by emotions.
• Idiopathic hypersomnia: A disorder causing excessive sleepiness for unknown reasons.
• Insomnia: Difficulty falling or staying asleep.
• Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder: Misalignment between sleep-wake cycles and light-darkness cycles.

Mental Health Disorders

Depression and anxiety are commonly associated with oversleeping. People with these conditions often experience sleep disorders or other health disorders that can disrupt their sleep.

Other Medical Conditions

Oversleeping can also be a sign of other medical conditions, including:

• Obesity
• Cardiovascular disease
• Chronic pain
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Seasonal depression
• Head trauma
• Tumours
• Central nervous system diseases
• Hypothyroidism
• Encephalitis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Delayed sleep phase syndrome
• Myotonic dystrophy
• Genetic disorders
• Mood disorders
• Epilepsy

Medications and Substances

Certain medications and substances can also cause oversleeping, including:

• Sedating medications (benzodiazepines, barbiturates, melatonin, sleeping aids)
• Anti-hypertensive drugs
• Anti-epileptic drugs
• Anti-parkinsonian agents
• Skeletal muscle relaxants
• Antipsychotics
• Opiates
• Cannabis
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Illicit drugs (with oversleeping occurring during withdrawal)

Negative Health Impacts

Oversleeping can have a range of negative impacts on the body and mind, including:

• Increased risk of accidents, especially motor vehicle accidents
• Worsening inflammation in the body
• Decreased immune function
• Greater risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease
• Frequent mental distress
• Foggy mind and difficulty thinking, making decisions, and concentrating
• Memory problems
• Irritability and anxiety
• Slow speech
• Headaches

Sleep debt

Oversleeping can be a sign of an underlying sleep or medical problem. If you regularly sleep for more than nine hours in a 24-hour period, this could be a symptom of conditions like depression, illness, or a sleep disorder. However, it could also be caused by environmental factors, such as shift work, family demands, or social life.

How to Avoid Sleep Debt

To avoid sleep debt, it is important to learn how much sleep your body needs and improve your sleep hygiene. This includes keeping a sleep diary, developing a nighttime routine, reconsidering your daytime schedule, and making your bedroom more sleep-friendly. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night, while teens and children need more.

How to Recover From Sleep Debt

If you are sleep-deprived, taking a nap or sleeping in on the weekends can help you feel more refreshed. However, it is not clear how much sleeping in can make up for sleep loss, and it may not be enough to adequately recover from sleep debt. It can take up to four days to recover from one hour of lost sleep and up to nine days to completely eliminate sleep debt.

Lifestyle factors

Additionally, certain lifestyle choices can impact sleep quality. Consuming alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and tranquillisers can disrupt sleeping patterns. Environmental factors such as a snoring partner, a baby that wakes up frequently, noisy neighbours, uncomfortable temperatures, and an uncomfortable mattress can also contribute to broken sleep.

To improve sleep quality and reduce oversleeping, it is recommended to make adjustments to lifestyle habits, such as:

• Maintaining a regular sleeping schedule
• Establishing a relaxing bedtime routine
• Exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight
• Eating a well-balanced diet
• Reducing disturbances, such as avoiding watching television in the bedroom
• Ensuring the bedroom is well-ventilated, cool, dark, quiet, and comfortable
• Limiting caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine consumption, especially close to bedtime

Frequently asked questions