We often hear about the real dangers of getting too little sleep, what most people don’t know is that on the other end, sleeping too much is also associated with some health risks.
This, Francis Kazungu, a general practitioner in Kigali says normally comes about due to one not getting enough sleep the night before, or cumulatively during the week.
Ideally, he says the gold standard of normal sleep has long been considered eight hours, seven to nine hours is normal and healthy for most adults between 18 and 64 years of age.
Kazungu explains that when one exceeds these recommended hours on regular basis, then it can in return lead them to health issues including the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and death according to several studies.
Meanwhile, more evidence shows that spending an excessive amount of time in bed is also linked with health hazards, as oversleeping itself appears to directly influence certain risk factors, and in other cases, it may be a symptom of other medical conditions.
What you should know
Iba Mayale, a medic at Galien Clinic, Kigali says according to numerous researches, it’s evident that sleeping too much, more than 9 hours is not healthy and that the best thing to go about this is by evaluation.
He says that this is because there could be other medical conditions that one is suffering from, therefore, getting to know it is important as it can save one from many health issues that come along with oversleeping.
He goes on to add that when evaluated and the quality of your sleep is poor, it could be definitely the reason why you spend more time in bed than usual.
"In real sense, the body needs deep restorative sleep, and if that is not happening during the recommended hours, the body will instinctively try to prolong the sleep period to obtain the quality of sleep it needs,” he says.
Karungu says sleep plays an important role in the brain; therefore, there is a need to watch out on the reasons as to why one might be oversleeping so as to help your brain function well.
He says longer sleep may have an effect on mood and mental health.
Just like not getting enough sleep, he says that too much sleep raises the risk of chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, and obesity in adults age 45 and older.
Aside from this, the medic notes that sleeping too much puts one at a greater risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
He also notes that other research indicates that getting too little or too much sleep may be tied to increased Alzheimer’s disease risk factors.
Also, oversleeping is considered a potential symptom of depression.
Here, it has been proven that people with long sleep durations are also more likely to have persistent depression or anxiety symptoms compared to normal sleepers.
Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist says certain lifestyle factors like smoking, being obese, and prolonged infections can contribute to inflammation, and getting too little or too much sleep may also play a role.
On top of this, he says if one oversleeps, it can lead to increased pain such as back pain.
The pain, he says can be worsened if one sleeps in the wrong position and for a long time or using an unsupportive mattress.