No one can deny the importance of a good night’s sleep. If you are sleeping less than eight hours or experiencing irregular and disturbed sleep, there are chances that you are in a ‘sleep debt’. It is a real problem that can initiate a number of health issues in the future. On the other side, experts suggest that sleeping for six to eight hours is normal. But what if a person likes to sleep 12 hours or more? Is that normal? How to know if sleeping for 12 hours is a threat to health?
Although there are adult sleeping guidelines available but how to determine if your sleeping cycles are right for your body? the requirement of sleep is based on a person’s age but it is also a personal preference. There are a number of factors that change a person’s sleep cycle such as pregnancy, physical work, aging, etc.
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Many people don’t know that oversleeping is a genuine medical concern. The ideal is to talk to a doctor if you sleep 12 hours or more. On the basis of your medical history, daily routine, and habits, he can determine the risk for your health. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that oversleeping is bad for you.
The National Sleep Foundation suggests that adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per day. Babies, toddlers, and school-age children need more restful hours but for adults, this 7-9 hours sleep is enough. Any person who is sleeping more than this could be suffering from a medical condition called hypersomnia.
Hypersomnia means long sleep is a condition that hits up to 2 percent US population. These long sleepers tend to sleep 12 hours or more per night to wake up fresh the next day. But finding this much time to sleep is a problem as the work, travel, and responsibilities don’t really leave much time for sleep. So sleeping as per their choice is never done and they often end up complaining about it. they may also blame their lack of sleep for poor academic or work performance. According to researchers, people can sleep up to 15 hours per night, still finding it normal.
Hypersomnia or long sleep often starts during childhood. It is more common among people who wake up around midnight. This irregular sleep can prevent people to get the sleep that they need. The result is that they never wake up fresh even after sleeping.
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If you are a longer sleeper who normally sleep 12 hours or more, you are at risk of many diseases. These diseases include heart problems, depression, thyroid diseases, sleep apnea, obesity, narcolepsy, diabetes, etc. Additionally, they are always low on energy and may suffer memory-related problems.
Only a certified doctor can diagnose oversleeping. If the symptoms persist for at least six weeks, talk to a doctor, and share the true details about the sleeping cycle, medicines, medical history, substance use, dietary habits, etc. Any complication which may arise after this irregular sleep pattern cant be treated without regulating the sleep cycle first.
