Rockhampton, Jul 24 (The Conversation) We’re often hearing from news sources and social media that we need more sleep. Skipping on rest is known to harm our brain, heart, and general well-being, plus it impacts our appearance and sex drive.
But what if we sleep too much? Recent reports suggest sleeping over nine hours might be worse for our health than getting too little, leaving many perplexed.
It’s easy to feel anxious and confused. So, how much sleep is necessary? What does excessive sleeping indicate about our health? Let’s delve into the evidence.
Sleep: A Pillar of Health Sleep, like nutrition and exercise, is crucial for health. During sleep, our bodies undergo necessary physiological processes, including muscle recovery, memory consolidation, and emotional regulation.
The Sleep Health Foundation, Australia’s non-profit authority on sleep health, advises adults to sleep between seven to nine hours a night. Some people, however, naturally function well on less than seven hours of rest.
Nevertheless, insufficient sleep — less than seven hours for most — negatively impacts short-term energy, mood, stress levels, and concentration. Long-term, poor sleep poses risks like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, mental health issues including depression and anxiety, cancer, and premature death.
So, it’s clear that insufficient sleep poses health risks. But what about too much sleep?
Is More Sleep Bad for Us? A recent study reviewed findings from 79 other studies over a year, examining the impact of sleep duration on health risks or mortality. They found that sleeping less than seven hours heightened the risk of death by 14% in the study duration compared to those who slept seven to eight hours, reinforcing known health risks.
Interestingly, sleeping longer than nine hours also increased mortality risk by 34% compared to the seven to eight-hour group, aligning with a similar 2018 study involving 74 studies over 30 years. It associated sleeping over nine hours with a 14% higher mortality risk.
Long sleep linked with conditions like depression, chronic pain, obesity, and metabolic disorders raises concerns. Yet, these studies only point to a correlation, not causation between lengthy sleep and health issues or death.
Understanding the Connection Various factors may influence the observed link between long sleep and health concerns. Individuals with chronic conditions may inherently need longer rest for recovery or find themselves staying in bed due to symptoms or medication impacts. They may also not achieve high-quality sleep, extending rest time.
Moreover, known health risk factors like smoking and obesity also correlate with poor sleep, suggesting they might explain the excessive sleep, not that long sleep directly causes health woes.
In simple terms, long sleep might reflect underlying health issues rather than be its cause.
What’s the Ideal Sleep Duration? Individual differences contribute to why some require more or less sleep, a phenomenon not fully understood. Sleep needs evolve with age; teenagers typically need more, with a recommendation of eight to ten hours. Older adults, though preferring more bed time, generally need the same as younger adults unless a sleep disorder exists.
Most adults, however, should aim for the healthy seven-to-nine-hour window. Apart from quantity, sleep quality, and consistency are equally crucial for optimal health.
The Takeaway As many Australians fall short of recommended sleep, prioritizing achieving adequate sleep is crucial over worrying about excessive sleep. For better sleep, ensure daylight exposure, stay active, and stick to regular sleep schedules. Before bed, avoid screens, relax, and create a tranquil sleeping environment.
If you find yourself habitually oversleeping, it might indicate an underlying health issue. If sleep issues persist or concerns arise, consult your GP or check the Sleep Health Foundation’s resources. (The Conversation)
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