I love a good lie in and I thought it was doing my body good rather than bad to rest it- however you can get too much sleep. The average person spends about 33% of their life in bed so it begs the question is too much sleep just as detrimental as too little?
Do you sleep excessively at weekends?
Memory
The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that those who oversleep are mentally two years older than those who get the recommended amount or less and also their quality of sleep deteriorates the longer they are horizontal for.
Strokes
Those who spend longer in bed are 46% more likely to have a stroke according to a Cambridge study.
Depression
The Centres for Disease Control said that those who spend longer asleep have an increased likelihood of poor mental health and mental distress. If you oversleep, you often end up feeling low in mood and groggy, which can lead to depression.
Confusional arousal or sleep drunkenness is the feeling of being disorientated or having amnesia like symptoms if you are woken up suddenly from a long sleep.
Diabetes
Those who choose not to get up after their designated 8 hours sleep, have longer periods of inactivity, which in turn leads to increased glucose levels and then possibly diabetes.
Headaches
Too much sleep can be a precursor to headaches and migraines. This is due to the suggestion that neurotransmitters in the brain such as serotonin alternate during sleep which causes headaches. According to Worst Foods That Ruin Your Sleep- people who sleep during the day at seemingly inappropriate times can suffer from anxiety, restlessness and reduced appetite.
How much is just right?
The amount of sleep one needs is person dependent; however those who are classed as long sleepers exceed 9 hours every night. The average is 7-8 hours, however below 6 and above 9 can be dangerous to your health.