A pattern can be challenging to break, mainly if you’ve been doing it for years. Yet, there are specific items you can do to break the habit of oversleeping and start getting enough sleep (and less of it).
We all know that some habits take more time to break than others, so don’t get frustrated if you don’t notice immediate results.
The good news is that various techniques are available to help you combat oversleeping, including keeping a sleep journal, developing a nightly routine, and modifying the type of alarm clock you use.
To help prevent the urge to oversleep, we’ve listed a few suggestions that can help you. Remember, if you continue to oversleep, you may want to discuss this with your primary physician.
Sleep Cool and Wake Up Refreshed
Make every night a good night's sleep with the help of our bed cooling systems, Chilipad Dock Pro, and Cube.
Understanding Oversleeping
Oversleeping, or excessive sleep, goes beyond occasional indulgence. It's characterized by consistently sleeping beyond recommended durations, typically exceeding 10 hours daily. While temporary oversleeping can occur due to illness, injury, or intense physical exertion, persistent oversleeping may indicate an underlying health issue requiring professional evaluation.
What is Oversleeping?
Oversleeping is when you regularly sleep for more than the recommended seven to nine hours per night. While everyone’s needs can vary, consistently sleeping for 10 hours or more can indicate a problem. It’s important to understand that oversleeping isn’t just about the quantity but also about the quality.
Sometimes, people who oversleep may not be getting restful sleep, leading to a cycle of excessive sleepiness and long sleep durations. If you find yourself needing to sleep longer regularly, it might be worth exploring why this is happening.
Common Causes of Oversleeping
Several factors of why you keep oversleeping, ranging from lifestyle habits to medical conditions. Here are some common causes of sleeping so much:
- Sleep Apnea: This disorder causes breathing interruptions during sleep, leading to poor sleep quality and excessive sleepiness during the day.
- Depression: Mental health conditions such as depression can lead to changes in your patterns, including both insomnia and oversleeping.
- Chronic Pain: Ongoing pain can disrupt sleep, causing individuals to stay in bed longer to feel more rested.
- Anxiety Disorders: Conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder can affect sleep, leading to oversleeping as the body tries to recover.
- Sleep Disorders: Others, such as insomnia or restless leg syndrome, can lead to oversleeping.
- Lifestyle Habits: Irregular sleep schedules, lack of physical activity, and poor sleep hygiene can all contribute to oversleeping. Maintaining good hygiene and regular sleep patterns is crucial for healthy sleep.
Identifying the Signs of Oversleeping
Recognizing the signs of oversleeping is the first step towards addressing the issue. Oversleeping can manifest in various ways, and being aware of these symptoms can help you take action. Symptoms of Oversleeping
Oversleeping can present several symptoms, including:
- Waking Up Groggy: Feeling disoriented or groggy upon waking is a common sign of oversleeping.
- Daytime Fatigue: Despite getting long sleep durations, you may feel tired or lethargic throughout the day.
- Difficulty Concentrating: Oversleeping can affect your ability to concentrate or pay attention.
- Mood Changes: Experiencing mood changes, such as irritability or depression, can be linked to oversleeping.
- Extended Sleep Durations: Regularly sleeping for nine or more hours per night for weeks at a time is a clear indicator.
- Unrefreshed Sleep: Waking up feeling unrefreshed or unrested, despite long hours, can signal an issue.
If these symptoms persist for more than six to eight weeks, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare provider. Chronic oversleeping can be a symptom of an underlying health issue, and addressing it early can help improve your overall well-being.
By understanding and identifying the signs of oversleeping, you can take proactive steps to improve your sleep habits and overall health. Remember, achieving a balance in your sleep patterns is key to feeling your best each day.
If you're ready to break the cycle of oversleeping, these practical tips can help you establish healthier sleep habits.
Create a Sleep Diary
If you find yourself sleeping too much, it can be difficult to understand why it's occurring. Often, it's recommended to use a diary to track your nighttime habits. They are used to help you easily document your sleep and help you and your physician understand your pattern.
It can also help identify disruption and other factors influencing sleep quality. [1] Identifying details about your sleep habits can show ways to explain your sleep issues further.
What Does a Sleep Diary Include:
It records daily important sleep habits or related details. Although not all sleep diaries are similar, they typically include details about:
- Start of bedtime
- Wake-up time
- Sleep latency; how long it takes to fall asleep
- The number and duration of sleep interruptions
- Duration and number of daytime naps
- Perceived sleep quality
- Consumption of caffeine, alcohol, and/or tobacco
- Daily medications
- Number of exercises and duration
Develop a Sleep Schedule
It sounds simple, but it can be difficult for some individuals. It's best to work on setting aside no more than eight hours of sleep. Creating a sleep schedule can help you train your mind and body. Being consistent helps get you back on track with a program.
Read More: Circadian Rhythm and Sleep: Structure, Function & More
If you're unsure about a schedule, give it at least a month, but try to always go to bed at the same time and always wake up at the same time, including on the weekends. You may be amazed how much sleep loves habit and consistency.
Sleeping Tip: If you don't fall asleep within the first 20 minutes, leave your bedroom and try to do something relaxing.
Avoid Sleeping in on the Weekends
We're all guilty of indulging in some extra shut-eye on the weekends. However, sleeping longer than usual on weekends can disrupt your sleep patterns and have a negative effect on your overall health.
The American Heart Association found that people who sleep in for two or more hours on weekends are more likely to have poor cardiovascular health than those who don't try to catch up on sleep. [2]
Maintain a Healthy Bedtime Routine
Like a healthy sleep schedule, a soothing nighttime routine can do wonders! It can help create a relaxing evening close to bedtime. This can help with falling asleep, delivering quality sleep, and making it easier to wake up in the morning.
Create a Sleep Routine
It's best to embrace it and develop a healthy nighttime routine. Give some of the below a try before sleeping and see which works best for you:
- Listen to relaxing music
- Perform Yoga Nidra
- Reading a book or favorite magazine
- Sleep meditation
- Journaling: write down your thoughts
- Avoid bright lights and sounds, including TV and computer
- Try a calm activity such as meditation
- Limit heavy meals, caffeine, and exercise
- Create a dark sleeping environment
- Lower your core body temperature using a cooling mattress topper
Sleeping Tip: For ideas on improving your bedroom to improve your sleep quality, check out our blog, Designing the Ideal Bedroom for Enhanced Sleep Quality, where we share top tips on creating the ideal sleeping environment.
Take Fewer Naps During the Day
Naps offer plenty of benefits, but taking a nap, especially when you don't need them, can make you groggy and overtired. While napping can offer benefits, it's important to understand the different types of naps and their potential effects.
Sleeping Tip: Some people may find that power naps of just 10 to 20 minutes help them feel refreshed and more energized. It's best to limit the time to less than 30 minutes; otherwise, you may wake up groggy. Read more about how long naps should be.
Improve Your Bedroom Environment
Creating a bedroom ideal for sleeping can help significantly. Take time and make sure that your bedroom temperature is cool, free of excess lighting, and free of objects that can affect the quality of your sleep, including your television.
Studies have shown that individuals sleep better when their bedroom is optimized for light exposure, noise levels, temperature, and comfort. [3] Additionally, the bedroom temperature is essential in creating the ideal environment. A bedroom that promotes sleep can improve your feelings while awake.
Limit the Amount of Screentime
Removing all technology from the bedroom is a simple way to improve your sleep. It's important to keep screentime away from the bed.
Harvard Health Publishing recently wrote an article highlighting the harmful effects of blue light in technology on sleep. [4] Blue light, in particular, affects melatonin production, a hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle. You can improve your sleep quality and quantity by putting away your technology before bed.
Avoid the Snooze Button
Hitting the snooze button is easy to do, but completely getting up and out of bed may help wake the body and mind up and help prevent you from falling back asleep or oversleeping. Do you snooze? You may want to think twice before hitting that button. Take a look at our previous blog, Is Hitting the Snooze Button Healthy?
Fact: Roughly 57% of people say they snooze daily. [5]
Exercise Daily
Whether walking your pet or hitting the gym, any exercise is beneficial. Exercising during the day prepares your body for deep sleep at night, which helps you wake up feeling refreshed in the morning. When you feel energized and refreshed, you’re less likely to wake up groggy or tired, making you want to continue sleeping.
Final Thoughts
If you still struggle with oversleeping despite trying a few of the above changes, you may want to speak to your primary doctor to rule out any underlying health issues.
Remember, improving your sleep habits can take time and a lot of effort, but the results and benefits are worth it. By implementing some of the above tips and staying committed to your sleep routine, you can wake up feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the day full steam ahead!
