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We know lack of sleep harms your brain, heart, and overall health. It also harms your skin and lowers libido. We know far less about the risks of sleeping too much.
Recent studies show sleeping more than nine hours can be worse for your health than not getting enough sleep. So how much sleep do we actually need, and what does a craving for extra sleep mean?
Quality Sleep: The Key to Good Health
Alongside nutrition and physical activity, sleep is a crucial foundation of health. During sleep, physiological processes occur that let our bodies function effectively while we’re awake. These processes include muscle recovery, memory consolidation, and emotional regulation.
Most sleep experts recommend adults get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Some people feel fine on less, but researchers at CQUniversity in Australia have warned about the risks of regularly getting too little sleep.
For most people, sleep deprivation causes more than mood swings, increased stress, or trouble concentrating the next day. In the long run, a lack of quality sleep is linked to numerous health problems. A lack of quality sleep is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes and thyroid disorders, and mental health conditions.
But Too Much Sleep Can Be Just as Harmful
A recent analysis led by Professor Zoltan Ungvari at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center pooled 79 previous studies that tracked sleep duration and health for at least a year.
The researchers found that people who slept less than seven hours a night had a 14 percent higher risk of death during the study period than those who slept 7–8 hours. That aligns with the well-known risks of sleep deprivation.
However, the team also found that people who slept more than nine hours had a 34 percent higher risk of death compared with those who slept 7–8 hours.
That echoes a 2018 analysis published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, which reviewed 74 studies and found that sleeping more than nine hours was tied to a 14 percent increased risk of death.
The studies also linked excessive sleep—sleeping longer than what a person’s age requires—to higher rates of depression, chronic pain, weight gain, and metabolic disorders.
More on the Connection Between Long Sleep and Health
People with chronic illnesses often sleep longer than others because their bodies need extra rest to recover. Risk factors for poor health, such as smoking and obesity, are also tied to poor sleep. That means longer sleep can be a symptom of underlying health problems or lifestyle factors rather than the direct cause.
Sleep needs change with age. Teenagers often physically need more sleep, which is why the recommended duration for them is 8 to 10 hours. Older adults also tend to spend more time in bed.
Spend more time outdoors, stay active, and keep a regular sleep-wake schedule to support better sleep.
If you constantly want more sleep than usual, talk to your doctor — it could be a sign of an underlying issue.
