{"id":34699,"date":"2025-03-18T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/?p=34699"},"modified":"2025-02-24T19:23:14","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T19:23:14","slug":"what-is-a-long-sleeper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/what-is-a-long-sleeper\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You a Long Sleeper? Here’s What to Do About It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By now, you’ve heard medical experts recommend adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night, depending on a variety of factors including age. We all know people\u2014maybe we’re one of them ourselves\u2014who get less than the recommended amount of sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But some people sleep more than the recommended amount of time for their age. They’re what’s known as a “long sleeper.” This article will explore what it means to be a long sleeper and how it can impact your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a long sleeper?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Long sleepers<\/a>\u00a0need more sleep than average adults\u2014usually more than nine hours\u2014to wake up feeling refreshed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both children and adults can be long sleepers, and in fact long sleeping may become a pattern beginning in childhood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long sleeping is different from the kind of\u00a0oversleeping<\/a>\u00a0you may experience while ill or after temporary\u00a0sleep deprivation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Long sleepers\u00a0need more sleep than average adults\u2014usually more than nine hours\u2014to wake up feeling refreshed. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Long sleepers usually wake up feeling refreshed. But when their work or social life prevents them from having the extended sleep period they need, they may experience\u00a0excessive daytime sleepiness<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may make up for getting less sleep on weeknights by sleeping for 12 hours or more on the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recommended amount of sleep<\/a> varies according to age:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age Group<\/strong><\/td>Age Range<\/strong><\/td>Recommended Amount of Sleep<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Newborns<\/td>0-3 months old<\/td>14-17 hours of sleep<\/td><\/tr>
Infants<\/td>4-11 months old<\/td>12-15 hours of sleep<\/td><\/tr>
Toddlers<\/td>1-2 years old<\/td>11-14 hours of sleep<\/td><\/tr>
Pre-schoolers\u00a0<\/td>3-5 years old<\/td>10-13 hours of sleep<\/td><\/tr>
School-aged kids<\/td>6-13 years old<\/td>9-11 hours of sleep<\/td><\/tr>
Teenagers<\/td>14-17 years old<\/td>8-10 hours of sleep<\/td><\/tr>
Young adults<\/td>18-25 years old<\/td>7-9 hours of sleep<\/td><\/tr>
Adults\u00a0<\/td>26-64 years old<\/td>7-9 hours of sleep<\/td><\/tr>
Older adults<\/td>65+ years old<\/td>7-8 hours of sleep<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Causes of long sleeping<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Long sleeping has no clear cause. Some experts believe long sleepers simply need more sleep than others their age. There may be a genetic component to long sleeping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While some health conditions can contribute to sleeping more than usual, that’s different from long sleeping. It\u2019s considered long sleeping when there’s no known medical issue or underlying illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further studies are needed to better understand why some people regularly sleep for more hours than most others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health implications of long sleeping<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The effects of long sleeping on health are unclear. Studies have found a higher risk of some health problems in long sleepers, but it\u2019s not clear whether long sleeping itself causes them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Large studies have found long sleepers with an elevated risk of diabetes as well as cardiovascular problems, including heart disease and stroke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long sleepers are at greater risk for weight gain and even death compared to people who sleep seven to eight hours per night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monique May, MD, board-certified family physician and medical advisor at\u00a0Aeroflow Sleep<\/a>, says while long sleep is simply normal for some people who may not have any negative health consequences, for others \u201clong sleep duration may signal an underlying issue or lead to negative outcomes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These can include chronic conditions\u2014such as diabetes<\/a>, cardiovascular disease, and even cognitive decline. \u201cThe reasons remain unclear but may reflect underlying health problems rather than sleep itself,\u201d May says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides chronic conditions, there can also be mental health impacts. \u201cLong sleepers may face higher rates of depression<\/a> and anxiety<\/a>, although this could be a cause or consequence of their sleep patterns,\u201d notes May.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are lifestyle factors too. \u201cExcessive sleep can sometimes lead to sedentary behavior, reducing physical activity and contributing to poor overall health,\u201d says May. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diagnosing long sleeping<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

May says being a long sleeper is typically diagnosed through a combination of medical evaluations, sleep assessments, and self-reported sleep patterns. The process follows these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Clinical sleep history:<\/strong>\u00a0A health care provider or sleep specialist gathers detailed information about your sleep patterns and habits.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Exclusion of underlying conditions:<\/strong>\u00a0A diagnosis of long sleep syndrome (a rare condition, May says) requires ruling out other potential causes of excessive sleep, such as\u00a0sleep disorders<\/a>, mental health conditions, chronic conditions, or medications or substances that may cause drowsiness or prolonged sleep.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Sleep logs or diaries<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to track sleep patterns for one or two weeks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Actigraphy:<\/strong>\u00a0A wearable device monitors movement and provides objective data on sleep patterns and duration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Polysomnography (<\/strong>sleep study<\/strong><\/a>):\u00a0<\/strong>This overnight test measures brain activity, heart rate, breathing, and other physiological factors during sleep to rule out conditions like\u00a0sleep apnea<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0restless legs syndrome<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT):<\/strong>\u00a0An MSLT is sometimes used to evaluate daytime sleepiness and determine how quickly someone falls asleep during the day. \u201cThis helps differentiate long sleep syndrome from conditions like\u00a0narcolepsy<\/a>,\u201d May says.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    How to deal with being a long sleeper<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cCoping with being a long sleeper involves understanding your unique sleep needs and adapting your lifestyle to ensure balance and productivity while prioritizing health,\u201d says May. She offers these strategies to help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n