We can probably all agree that sleeping is an excellent way to spend free time. But if you’ve been leaning hard into the “sleep is life” philosophy, you might find yourself wondering, Why is my body obsessed with sleep, and is that healthy and fine? These are great questions, and also they’re a little tricky to answer.
The challenge of getting to the root of your sleep situation stems from this fact: Sleep patterns are unique to us. “There are no golden rules that apply to everyone,” says Joshua Tal, PhD, a clinical psychologist specializing in sleep. While clocking a solid 10 hours might alarm you, that could be the bare minimum for someone else.
So, how much is too much sleep?
Like we said, everyone’s sleep threshold is different, but there are some clear signs that your body is crying, More sleep pls! Dr. Tal says you’re right to suspect that something is off if you’re getting plenty of sleep but can’t stay awake during the day (also referred to as excessive daytime sleepiness or EDS) or if you’ve been sleeping an hour or two more than your average sleep time for the last one to four weeks.
Below, we’ll explain more about why you could be so damn tired all the time and what you can do about it. Just a heads up though: No matter the cause, if you feel like your bed is keeping you from other important life stuff—like work meetings, social gatherings, or your relationships in general—that’s a sign it’s time to get help, says therapist Mahshid Hager, LMFT. “Issues arise when prolonged or excessive sleep impedes an individual from fully engaging in and enjoying their life to the fullest,” she adds. Let’s get into it.
It’s winter.
In case you needed a little validation, about 34% of people surveyed in 2020 said that they sleep more in the winter than at other times of the year, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Yep, checks out.
The theory is that “during the winter months, as daylight dwindles and temperatures plummet, our circadian rhythms undergo alterations,” explains therapist Hager, and that might impact your snooze.
Though there’s still a lot we don’t know about how seasons impact sleep, some research suggests that people with sleep disorders have longer REM cycles in the winter than they do in the spring. While it’s not clear if the same goes for people without sleep conditions, it could indicate how daylight (or lack thereof) impacts the time we spend in bed.
Scientific receipts aside, if you find that your body enjoys an earlier bedtime in the winter, it’s OK to let it happen, says therapist Alo Johnston, LMFT. He’s found that many of his clients need or want more sleep in the winter than other seasons (kinda like hibernating animals), and there’s really no reason to fight it, he adds. Just give in.
You’re burned out.
If you’ve ever been mentally burned to a crisp, you know how much it sucks. This struggle is caused by prolonged stress. Though the World Health Organization attributes burnout to work stress, it can happen for a lot of reasons, including caregiving (see: caregiver burnout).
The idea is that if you’re doing too much at work, at home, or both, over time it can impact you mentally and physically—including your sleep habits, says Dr. Tal. You might cancel plans to catch up on Zs, get 11 hours and still feel exhausted, or feel generally unmotivated to do anything that’s not being unconscious.
If you think burnout is behind your longer slumbers, find ways to relax and give yourself a chance to rest, says Johnston. Over time, as you feel more rested, you’ll be able to get back on your feet and ready to tackle whatever’s on your plate (while taking as many breaks as you can, of course).
You’re depressed.
Dr. Tal explains that suddenly needing way more sleep than normal can be a sign of depression, but it’s not the only symptom. With major depressive disorder (or MDD), you’ll have a sense of sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness that’s hard to shake. You’ll also have a lack of interest in your day-to-day activities (even the ones that feel good) and feel worthless, tired, or slow. You might even be eating more or less than usual. If all this lasts for at least two weeks straight, you might meet the criteria for major depressive disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-5-TR).
“If you notice other symptoms, this can give you more information if the tiredness is depression or not,” Johnston says. Experiencing depressive symptoms doesn't always mean major depressive disorder—it could also be a depressive episode in bipolar disorder or adjustment disorder, which is triggered by a big life change. Depression associated with your menstrual cycle, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, is a thing too, per the DSM-5-TR.
In any case—even if you don’t think you’re experiencing a diagnosable condition—it can be worth asking, “Is sleep interrupting my life or causing a lot of distress?” Dr. Tal explains. If so, it might be helpful to seek out some help from a mental health pro.
You’re stressed.
Even if you’re not fully burned out, day-to-day stress can make you want to sleep it off, says Dr. Tal. “Everybody has a physical reaction to stress. Some people sleep less when they're stressed; some people sleep more.”
If you’ve noticed that your average sleep time is off the charts lately, think about what’s been going on in your life, says psychotherapist Avi Klein, LCSW. Ask what could be affecting you. If the stuff that comes to mind doesn’t seem like the culprit and you can’t come up with anything else, consider, Even if I don’t think it’s a big deal, would someone else think it is? That can help you pinpoint the problem.
Of course, just calling out your busy time at work or recent exhausting (but fun!) vacation won’t necessarily solve the problem. Maybe you can’t do much about it. But even if the problem isn’t fixable, try to come up with strategies that enable you to feel generally better so you can manage the stress without sleeping so much, says Hager. That could look like getting real consistent with your sleep routine, moving around a little more when you can, and taking breaks during the workday, she says.
You have a sleep disorder.
While there’s no specific condition for “sleeping too much,” there happens to be an entire section of the DSM-5-TR dedicated to “sleep-wake disorders.” People who have these feel like the quality, timing, and amount of sleep they get impacts how they function when they’re awake, according to the DSM-5-TR. And, yeah, that includes disorders that have sleeping too much or EDS as a symptom. Here are the ones sleep psychologists like Dr. Tal look into first.
Sleep Apnea: There are a bunch of different kinds of sleep apnea, but, in general, these conditions happen when your breathing stops at different points as you’re sleeping, even if you don’t realize it. As a result, you don’t end up getting legit rest when you doze off. Dr. Tal explains that one tell-tale sign of sleep apnea is waking up in the morning after a full night's sleep and feeling as if you only got a wink or two.
But to figure out if this is definitely what’s going on, you’ll need to have what’s called a sleep study (also known as polysomnography), where doctors track your brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, breathing, and eye and leg movements while you sleep. These usually happen in a hospital, clinic, or sometimes in your own home, according to the National Library of Medicine. Dr. Tal says that, after a sleep apnea diagnosis, your doctor might prescribe a machine to help you breathe at night called a CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure. It shoots air into your nose to keep your airways open as you sleep, which is a lot more restful than it sounds.
Narcolepsy: When you can’t stay awake, can’t not nap, or fall asleep unintentionally during the day—no matter how much sleep you got the night before—you might be dealing with narcolepsy. If these “sleep attacks” happen at least three times a week for three months or more, that’s your sign to see a physician who can set you up with more tests (including a sleep study) to figure out what’s going on and rule out other disorders. People with narcolepsy can take a prescription stimulant to stay alert during the day or a medication to improve sleep at night, says Dr. Tal.
Hypersomnolence Disorder: The main symptom of this mental health condition is…excessive sleepiness. More specifically, sleeping for seven hours or more and either falling asleep during the day, not feeling refreshed after super-long snoozes, or struggling to fully wake up when your alarm or something/someone else abruptly wakes you up (or all of the above), per the DSM-5-TR.
In order to be diagnosed, you’ll need to experience that sleep struggle for at least three days a week for three months straight. Those symptoms also have to disrupt your work, your relationships, or the way you think and feel.
If you’ve already been tested for other sleep disorders like narcolepsy or sleep apnea, this might be what’s up. When that’s the case, a prescription stimulant can be helpful, as can cognitive behavioral therapy to learn skills to feel more awake during the day, says Dr. Tal.
The bottom line: Sleep is weird, and we don’t all follow the same habits and patterns. Still, if you feel like your normal has been off for a while and you can’t stop, won’t stop sleeping, it can’t hurt to seek some help from a mental health pro or your doctor. They can point you in the right direction to get back on track.
Wondermind does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a replacement for medical advice. Always consult a qualified health or mental health professional with any questions or concerns about your mental health.
