Study says too much sleep is bad for you
What's the story
While we often hear about the importance of getting enough sleep for our overall health, a new study suggests that oversleeping may also be bad for us. The research found that sleeping more than nine hours a night could be linked to an increased risk of death. This has led to questions about how much sleep is actually good for us.
Importance
How much sleep do you actually need?
Sleep is as important as diet and exercise for our well-being. It helps with muscle recovery, memory consolidation, and emotional regulation. The Sleep Health Foundation recommends adults sleep between seven to nine hours a night. But some people can function well on less than seven hours due to their individual sleep needs.
Consequences
Effects of chronic sleep deprivation
Not getting enough sleep can have immediate effects like low energy, bad mood, and difficulty concentrating. However, over time, lack of quality sleep can lead to serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes, mental health issues like depression and anxiety, cancer, and even death.
Study findings
Study links short and long sleep durations to increased mortality
The recent study reviewed 79 studies on sleep duration and health. It found that people who slept less than seven hours a night had a 14% higher risk of dying during the study period than those who slept between seven and eight hours. But those who overslept (more than nine hours a night) had an even higher risk (34% greater) than those sleeping seven to eight hours.
Correlation
More research needed to understand the link
The study's findings support earlier research from 2018 that found a similar link between long sleep duration and increased mortality risk. Other studies have also linked excessive sleep to health issues such as depression, chronic pain, weight gain, and metabolic disorders. However, it's important to note that these studies only show a correlation between long sleep duration and poor health, not causation.
Influences
Chronic health problems may lead to longer sleep durations
Chronic health problems could lead to long sleep durations as the body may need more rest for recovery. People with chronic conditions may also not get quality sleep and spend more time in bed trying to catch up on lost rest. Additionally, risk factors for poor health, such as smoking or being overweight, are also linked with poor sleep.
Variability
Why some people need more sleep than others
Individual differences determine why some people sleep less while others need more. Sleep needs can also vary with age. Teenagers may require more sleep than adults, while older adults may want to spend more time in bed but not necessarily need more sleep. Most adults fall within the seven to nine hours range for optimal health.