Most Aussies don’t get the 7-9 hours of sleep they’re meant to. And so a common piece of medical advice will just be: sleep more.But there are some of us who have the opposite problem.Oversleeping, (or as its medically known, ‘hypersomnia’) is a genuine sleep disorder with a range of causes and associations.In this article, we’re going to look at why it’s a problem, what causes it, and what can be done to treat it.Why is hypersomnia an issue?Aside from the fact that excessive sleep limits someone’s ability to engage in life, hypersomnia is also linked to a range of other health problems.These include:
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Obesity
- Depression & Anxiety
What causes hypersomnia?There are two main groups of causes for excessive sleepiness; lifestyle habits and other sleep disorders.Lifestyle habits or features which can contribute to hypersomnia include:
- A snoring bed partner or newborn
- Shiftwork
- Certain medications
- Poor sleep hygiene
And sleep disorders which can cause hypersomnia are:
- Sleep apnea
- Restless legs syndrome
- Bruxism
The main similarity between all of these causes is the way they disrupt sleep, lowering the quality of rest and producing excessive sleepiness.How is hypersomnia treated?The treatment of hypersomnia depends on the cause. If it is brought about by certain elements of someone’s lifestyle then changing these factors can effectively treat the disorder.This is not always simple to do, but is absolutely worth putting the effort into, since sleep quality has a huge effect on mood, work and relationships.However, if hypersomnia is caused by other sleep disorders, then it needs to be treated by a medical professional.If you’re someone who oversleeps and experiences excessive sleepiness, then book an appointment with your GP and get in touch with us. We’d love to help.Better sleep means better living.