Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for maintaining excellent mental and physical health.
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for maintaining excellent mental and physical health.
Many health advantages are associated with getting enough quality sleep. Not only does sleep restores your energy and gets you ready for the next day, but it also helps you heal from the day before. It is possible to sleep too much, even if quality sleep is essential.
A good night’s sleep for most adults is between 7 and 9 hours, and for teenagers, it’s between 8 and 10 hours.
You will feel sleepy during the day and may have more severe health repercussions if you consistently go without adequate sleep.
Oversleeping, defined as more than 9 or 10 hours of sleep per night regularly, can also hurt your mood and well-being.
If you get too little sleep, you could feel sluggish and confused, but you might also feel down and depressed.
But can excessive sleeping lead to depression? Below, we’ll discuss the link between the two.
Hypersomnia And Depression: Are They Related?
Even though a study from 2015 revealed correlations between excessive sleeping and depression, the weight of the data suggests that excessive sleeping is more of a symptom than a cause of mental health conditions.
Depression frequently causes difficulties sleeping. Most patients with severe depression have trouble sleeping, according to 2017 research.
About 92% of the 3,573 patients with severe depression in the study reported having problems falling or staying asleep. Most people had insomnia, but nearly half also suffered from hypersomnia. One-third or more of respondents reported suffering from both hypersomnia and insomnia.
Atypical depression, a major depressive disorder with atypical symptoms, is increasingly linked to hypersomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness despite adequate sleep.
In contrast to significant depression, which seldom responds to external influences, events like a change in circumstances or the arrival of joyful news can temporarily lift this type of depression.
The 2008 study found that women and those under 30 are more likely to experience oversleeping in conjunction with depression.
1. This Connection is Bidirectional
Experts have yet to pinpoint how precisely sleep issues may increase the likelihood of depression. But they have observed a correlation between the two conditions that persist long before depression is diagnosed.
Oversleeping can often exacerbate depression. An 8-hour sleep duration may be optimal for preventing depression. However, a 2014 study found that those who slept longer than 8 hours each night were more likely to have depressive symptoms.
One’s attitude, vitality, and disposition can all suffer from depression. It’s normal to feel exhausted and listless, to lose interest in your typical hobbies, and to lose faith that your health will ever improve if you’re dealing with a chronic illness. The best way to understand this is as a perpetual loop.
Hence, sleep provides more than one answer. Your chances of dozing off are high because:
You’re exhausted and unmotivated, and sleeping is the only way to alleviate the other symptoms momentarily.
When you don’t feel like doing much of anything, being in bed and dozing off is the ideal option. But then your low spirits would be compounded by your guilt for staying in bed all day.
2. What Else May Be Happening?
Feeling “blah” or low after sleeping in is common and is not a sign of depression.
Mood swings from clinical depression affect nearly every facet of a person’s existence.
You may observe.
- fluctuations in your usual levels of energy
- persistent negative emotions such as despair or loss of hope decreased motivation to engage in previously enjoyable experiences
Often, these signs and symptoms stay relatively high from day to day. On the other hand, oversleeping can make you feel down, but your spirits will likely improve after a while.
The question then is, why do you feel so disconnected? Some reasons are discussed below.
3. When You Oversleep, You Throw Off Your Natural Sleep-Wake Rhythm
The body’s internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, can be disrupted if sleep deprivation persists. Your body’s internal biological clock sends messages to your brain to indicate when it’s time to sleep and wake up, allowing you to maintain a consistent level of awareness throughout the day and night.
If you don’t get enough or too much sleep, your body might not know how to respond to the messages it receives. Do you expect to feel refreshed upon arising? What we need is more shut-eye.
As a result, you may feel tired and lethargic when you wake up or even sleepy a few hours after waking up. Over time, it might not be easy to get the sleep you need, even if you aim for the optimal amount if your sleep-wake cycle is all over the place.
4. It’s Easy to Have Your Day Derailed if you Sleep in
You went to sleep last night anticipating a productive morning where you would get a jump on your to-do list, take a long walk, and go grocery shopping in preparation for an afternoon BBQ with friends.
When you discover that you slept in by two hours instead of the scheduled hour, your attitude plummets since you know you’ll have to rush to finish even half of those tasks. You had planned on doing some housework and going to the gym today, but now you’ll have to choose between the two.
It’s easy to get frustrated and cranky if you feel like you’ve already squandered the day. Since you can’t do everything you had in mind, you may decide not to do anything.
You can start to feel guilty and dissatisfied with yourself if oversleeping prevents you from meeting friends or engaging in other activities you enjoy. You could quit making plans altogether, leading to isolation and, eventually, sadness.
5. If you’re Having Trouble Sleeping, you Need Medical Attention
Oversleeping during the day and being awake all night are hallmarks of hypersomnia.
When you wake up from hypersomnia, you may feel disoriented and exhausted. You may wake up feeling sluggish and uninspired rather than ready to take on the day.
However, there are other symptoms, such as:
- distractions and memory lapses
- the slowing down of one’s thoughts or speech
- irritability
- anxiety
- shifts in one’s hunger and body weight
These symptoms often accompany depression. Hence, it’s probable that you have a sleep issue and not depression if you tend to sleep too much.
Having trouble sleeping at night might lead to oversleeping. Even if you’re able to get 7–9 hours of sleep per night, you may find that your sleep is regularly interrupted by:
- disruptions from the surroundings
- nightmares
- Disorders of the mind or body, such as stress or sleeplessness
- Side effects of medication
- Stress
What Can You Do to Recover From Oversleeping?
Disoriented, you stumble out of bed hours later than expected. Confusion and dismay fill you as you look at the time. Now what?
It can be tempting to call it a day and skip out on life if you’re not feeling well.
When getting out of bed on a late Monday morning may feel like a challenge, the following tips can help.
1. Get Going
While studies conducted in 2020 revealed that a brief morning workout could improve focus, memory, and concentration throughout the day, only some enjoy exercising first thing in the morning.
As exercise has been shown to increase energy and improve mood, it may help you overcome any lingering exhaustion or frustration you may be feeling after a night of excessive sleep.
Put on some upbeat dance music and briefly stroll about the neighborhood for instant mood elevation.
Even simple stretches and yoga can assist can make you feel more awake and alert.
2. Eat Some Breakfast
If you struggle to get out of bed in the mornings, the first thing on your mind is finding a cup of coffee, a refreshing cup of green tea, or something else to help you perk up.
A light, protein-rich breakfast can boost energy and make you feel more ready to take on the day, even if you aren’t starving when you get up.
These are some healthy options for breakfast:
- Fruit and yogurt on oats
- Fruits with nut butter
- Whole-grain toast with either avocado or eggs
Drinking some water will help, as mild dehydration can also produce tiredness. (And rinsing your face off won’t hurt!)
3. Soak Up Some Sun
When you first wake up, let the sunlight in by opening the curtains or heading outside. Sunlight, which your body interprets as signaling the beginning of the day, can improve your mood and vitality.
You can get a mood and energy boost from doing yoga on the lawn or eating breakfast on the porch.
Lighting can help if it is gloomy or early in the morning.
Summary
Oversleeping is a common problem that almost everyone has at times. It’s especially true after late nights or strenuous physical activities. If you aren’t the type of person who has difficulties waking up, a few extra hours of sleep occasionally won’t hurt you.
On the other hand, if you find yourself sleeping longer than usual, it may be time to consult a doctor. Medical and mental health professionals can only diagnose sleep disorders and mental health concerns.
Sleep problems and depression share many symptoms, so being completely honest with your doctor is vital.
Anxiety, rage, aches and pains, and heightened tearfulness are all indicators that a medical expert can use to assist you in knowing what’s keeping you awake at night.
Hypersomnia and despair can reinforce one another. Don’t feel bad if you recognize any of these signs in yourself. There are lots of people who can relate to this and who, after getting some professional guidance, go on to lead happy, fulfilling lives.
