A change in your sleeping pattern will hardly go unnoticed. You may get thinking; why am I sleeping so much all of a sudden? More hours of sleep eat into productivity time and might get you very inconvenienced. Changes in normal work routines and some medical conditions may lead to changes in sleeping patterns. Adults are able to make changes in sleeping patterns better than children. Sudden excessive sleepiness is called Hypersomnia if it ends up interfering with your everyday life.
Sleep deprivation has been linked to increased risk of heart disease and obesity. You also get more likely to suffer a stroke. However, sleeping too much also has ill effects due to affecting your circadian rhythm. In addition to obesity and heart disease, you have increased the risk of becoming depressed and diabetic when you sleep too much.
Why Am I Sleeping So Much All Of A Sudden?
Sleeping longer hours because you are tired is normal. Your body needs the additional rest. Additionally, a weekend sleeping in to catch up on sleep is allowed. You should sleep until your body rests enough. Waking up should have you feeling refreshed and energetic. Medical experts recommend that you sleep for 7 to 9 hours every night. You have the other hours to work and do your daily activities.
When the number of hours you need to achieve a refresh goes up, then you are sleeping too much. There are a number of reasons for sudden excessive sleeping
- Working at night and then sleeping during the day is the common cause of suddenly sleeping too much.
- Use of medications may cause hypersomnia. Some medications on the other hand cause hypersomnia as a withdrawal symptom.
- Brain injury, tumors, head trauma and physical problems.
- Sleep apnea, narcolepsy and the autonomic nervous system dysfunctions.
Other everyday causes of suddenly sleeping too much are drinking of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs use, and lack of exercise and physical activity.
Symptoms that you are sleeping too much are trouble waking up in the morning and feeling sleepy in the hours when you should be awake. When you are suddenly sleeping too much, naps are not a relief to your sleepiness. You also experience loss of appetite when you are sleeping too much. Anxiety and irritability accompanied by trouble with memory and thinking are also symptoms you notice when you are suddenly sleeping more than usual.
How to Treat This Condition
Treatment of sleeping so much all of a sudden is often symptomatic. Once you report sudden excessive sleep to your doctor, they might need your history and sit you down for an interview. If they can find out the reason you are sleeping more, they will point if out to you. An interview easily identifies the cause when sudden excessive sleep is caused by a change in mindset or increased physical activity.
Management of the effects of oversleeping starts with the psychological effects. Missed social activities and appointments can be a big problem. Having slept too much, you are not able to plug into the day and make the most out of your work. Take the following steps to treat excessive sleeping
- Look Positively At Sleep: Sleeping is important for your function and survival. Needing less sleep is great as long as you get enough. However, do not get to love the feeling of warmth and comfort found in sleeping. Recent changes in your mindset and level of activity could be the reason you are sleeping so much all over a sudden.
- Plan Your Days Better: Planning your day gives you a reason to wake up. Having a goal of what you would like to achieve the following day improves your productivity too. Various time management techniques abound. Adopt one for yourself and follow it faithfully. A task list helps you identify what you will start off within the day.
- Optimize Your Wake Up Routine: Wake up after you have had enough sleep. This includes setting your alarm clock to rouse you once 7-9 hours have lapsed. This is better than waking up at a specific hour every day. Practising your wake up routine is a great way to master it.
A strong sleep schedule is the key to sleeping and waking up in your morning. With your internal body clock on schedule, you wake up naturally in the morning. You often do not need an alarm when you are sleeping enough and on schedule. A good sleep schedule helps you avoid sleeping too much by making it easier for you to get sleep and wake up in the morning.
When you find you may be prone to excessive sleep, go to bed at the same time every day. If you push going to sleep forward, you may wake up late as a result. A poor mindset of things that makes you want to stay in bed instead of getting up is also a reason why you may be oversleeping.
Medically Reviewed By
Professionally, a trained Microbiologist and Plant operator, Eustace is an experienced health content writer who is passionate about helping people lead a healthy life.
