home Preparations What can be harmful too much sleep. The expediency of sleep in the daytime for adults

What can be harmful too much sleep. The expediency of sleep in the daytime for adults

Health 07.08.2017

Dear readers, probably many of us in the afternoon experience an irresistible desire to get some sleep. Are you familiar with this condition? It helps someone a lot. I took a nap and was full of strength and energy again. Someone would sleep with pleasure, but work does not allow it. And someone feels completely broken after such a dream. Let's talk with you today whether daytime sleep is necessary and useful for our health.

Physiologists have discovered that the need for daytime sleep is caused by fluctuations in the daily biological rhythm of the human body. These fluctuations occur due to changes during the day in the intensity of many metabolic processes. This is confirmed even by a simple measurement of body temperature, during the day you can find two periods when the temperature is the lowest - these are the intervals between 13 and 15 hours of the day and between 3 and 5 hours at night. The decrease in body temperature during these periods does not depend either on night sleep or on food taken during the day. It is during these hours that there is an urgent need for sleep. So is there any benefit to napping, and how long should it take?

Sleep duration

Daytime sleep for an adult should not exceed 30 minutes, this is the main condition under which such a dream will be useful. In such a short period of time, a person does not have time to plunge into the phase of deep sleep, which is very important. The optimal duration of sleep during the daytime can vary depending on the nature of the activity, on the conditions there, on age and health status, usually 15-20 minutes is enough to recover, after which mood improves, mental activity and physical endurance are restored.

If you sleep more than 30 minutes during the day, a person will get lethargy and weakness instead of the expected rest. For this reason, many experts advise falling asleep during the day while sitting in a comfortable chair, as a lying posture can provoke a longer sleep. It is enough just to take a nap at lunchtime in your work chair.

The benefits of daytime sleep for the body

We have long learned to overcome daytime sleepiness, many of us simply have no choice. But for those who can afford it, I would like to say that the benefits of daytime sleep for a person have been proven by studies by American, French and British scientists who have found that during the specified daytime hours, the brain cells responsible for the state of wakefulness come into a state of inhibition and arise natural desire to sleep.

We fight sleepiness most often with strong coffee, but according to British scientists, a short afternoon nap restores efficiency more effectively than a cup of coffee containing 150 mg of caffeine. The afternoon siesta, practiced by residents of subtropical and tropical climates, not only helps to escape from the sweltering heat, but also satisfies the physiological needs of the body. A short afternoon rest restores efficiency, and the person again feels alert and ready for work.

The benefits of daytime sleep for the nervous system

Thanks to a short sleep during the daytime, the level of stress hormones decreases, the excess of which poses a threat to our psyche and the nervous activity of the body. After a short rest, tension is relieved in a person, and during the next day he becomes more resistant to emotional overload.

The benefits of daytime sleep for the heart and blood vessels

A short rest during the day reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. American scientists for 6 years conducted an experiment on a large group of relatively healthy people. The results showed that those people who slept for 20-30 minutes during the day at least 3 times a week had a 40% lower risk of developing vascular diseases compared to those who did not go to bed at all during the day.

Benefits of naps for the brain

Studies have shown that during a short day's rest, the brain is restored to such an extent that after waking up, not only its activity is activated, but also those departments that are responsible for making important decisions are included in the work. Just 15 minutes of sleep is enough to take on new tasks with renewed vigor.

Scientists say that such a dream is necessary to “cleanse” the brain of unnecessary information, they compare a tired brain with an overflowing mailbox, unable to receive new messages due to lack of space.

Studies by American scientists have shown that the speed of visual reactions in the tested students decreases by 4 times in the evening. However, those who had a little sleep during the day perceived the information at the same speed as in the morning and remembered it better.

With a short daytime sleep, memory and brain function are restored as effectively as with a full night's sleep. Daytime sleep regulates hormonal levels, thereby helping to relieve stress received in the morning. If a person manages to take a nap during the day, his concentration of attention improves, which is very important in various work activities.

Daytime rest is especially useful for those whose work activity is associated with high mental stress and for people living and working in regions with a hot climate.

There are known facts that such outstanding personalities as Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and John F. Kennedy, who are distinguished by their rare ability to work, allowed themselves to regularly take a nap during the daytime.

Harm of daytime sleep. Can everyone sleep during the day

For all its benefits, sleeping during the day is not useful for everyone, sometimes an excessive desire to sleep during the day speaks not only of overwork and the need to recover, but also of possible serious diseases. Therefore, it is impossible to ignore increased daytime sleepiness in any case. Unexpected drowsiness can be a harbinger of such a formidable disease as a stroke, so a doctor's consultation and an examination of the cardiovascular system are mandatory in case of sudden unreasonable drowsiness.

In addition, daytime sleepiness can occur with a rather rare disease called narcolepsy, in which a person falls asleep several times a day. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment in this case.

You should not sleep during the day for people who fall asleep for a long time and sleep poorly at night, daytime sleep can only aggravate.

Daytime sleep is contraindicated for people with type 2 diabetes. Studies were conducted in Australia and scientists have proven that in diabetes, after waking up, the level of sugar in the blood rises sharply.

If you notice that you have begun to fall asleep badly or the quality of night sleep has worsened, it is worth reducing the duration of daytime sleep or completely abandoning it.

Benefits of naps for kids

All of the above applies only to adults, children, depending on their age, daytime sleep is necessary for normal development. The fact is that the child's body is not adapted to prolonged wakefulness, his brain is not able to perceive and assimilate information that is new to him continuously throughout the day. We often observe how a child falls asleep literally on the go, he can experience such a strong breakdown. Sleep during the day allows the child's nervous system to rest from an excess of new experiences. If a small child does not sleep during the day, the biological rhythms established by nature fail, and this can lead to a violation of vital functions.

How much sleep do children need during the day

There are approximate norms for the duration of daytime sleep in children. But in practice, this is all very individual, each person, even a very small one, has different sleep needs, the duration of daytime sleep also varies depending on age.

Newborn babies sleep almost all the time, from two months they already begin to recognize night and day, so daytime sleep on average takes about 5 hours with 4 to 5 intervals.
From 6 months to a year, babies sleep about 4 hours during the day with 2 to 3 intervals.
From a year to a year and a half, it is enough for a child to sleep in the afternoon for two hours.

It is very important in the first years of a child's life to lay the foundation for good health and a stable psyche, therefore, along with nutrition, physical activity and mental development, it is necessary to properly organize a good sleep for the baby. About the rules of children's sleep, about possible problems and how to solve them, you can watch in an interesting video by Dr. Komarovsky.

It's no secret that proper sleep is the foundation of our health. It restores strength, strengthens the immune system, reduces stress levels and even helps fight obesity, diabetes and early mortality!

But this does not mean at all that the more we sleep, the healthier we become. Moreover, according to scientists, too long a stay in the arms of Morpheus is harmful to the body. According to them, people who regularly spend more than 9-10 hours in bed are at risk of getting a bouquet of chronic diseases, facing cardiovascular pathologies and disruption of the brain. This article will be of interest to all those who believe that 8 hours a day is extremely short for sleep, and who cannot wake up even to the sound of an alarm clock.

Why do people sleep longer than usual

After a series of studies, scientists from the American National Sleep Foundation concluded that excessive sleep is a sign of various problems with the body. So, if a person sleeps more than 9 hours a day, it is likely that he has:

chronic fatigue due to excessive physical exertion;
problems with the thyroid gland;
cardiovascular diseases;
prolonged infectious process;
hunger or gluttony;
diseases of a neurological nature;
chronic stress or depression;
sleep apnea.

Also, sleeping too much can be a side effect of certain medications. And yet, scientists have noticed a relationship between prolonged sleep and bad habits (smoking and alcohol abuse). That is, those who sleep for a long time may face the listed diseases or aggravate already existing bad habits.

Idiopathic hypersomnia

Finally, it is worth mentioning that prolonged sleep can be a symptom of an unpleasant disease called idiopathic hypersomnia. In fact, this is a disorder of the nervous system that leads a person to increased drowsiness.

A person suffering from this ailment experiences a constant desire to sleep, moreover, much longer than the prescribed 8 hours. He suffers from constant overwork, weakness and apathy, which interferes with normal life. It is not uncommon for him to experience dizziness and migraines, low blood pressure and vision problems. Moreover, against the background of the disease, such a person's mental abilities deteriorate, problems with memory and concentration begin. And the most unpleasant thing is that even after a long sleep, the patient does not feel cheerful and does not feel rested.

It is not surprising that such a painful condition negatively affects professional activities, study and personal life. Such people are never in a cheerful state, rarely smile, their social contacts are disrupted, and in some cases they are completely forced to leave their place of work. But hypersomnia can easily cause fatal consequences, because a person suffering from it runs the risk of falling asleep while driving or performing a responsible task.

But even if you don't suffer from idiopathic hypersomnia, but just like to sleep a lot and still feel good after waking up, it's worth worrying about your addiction to sleep. Here are some of the unpleasant consequences that excessive sleep can lead to.

Negative effects of prolonged sleep

1. Heart problems
When you sleep for a long time, the heart begins to suffer. The fact is that during sleep, blood vessels dilate and blood flow slows down, which means that the likelihood of blood clotting and the formation of clots that can become blood clots increases. Thus, prolonged sleep is one of the factors that can lead a person to a stroke or heart attack. Moreover, scientists at the University of Massachusetts conducted a study that confirmed that prolonged sleep leads to early death. Moreover, the more a person sleeps, the earlier he risks dying. In this regard, the ideal sleep time is considered to be 7 hours a day.

2. Obesity
A long sleep also affects the state of appearance, in particular, the set of fat mass. If you sleep long hours, including daytime, you have less time to be active during the day. And less activity is accompanied by less burning of calories, which, remaining in the body, lead to weight gain. Characteristically, excess body weight develops both in people who sleep 4 hours a day, and in people who are drawn to sleep 10 hours a day. That is why it is worth controlling the duration of night rest and limiting it to 7-8 hours.

3. Diabetes
The duration of sleep affects the production of hormones. First of all, at night the production of testosterone in the body decreases, which becomes a prerequisite for the development of diabetes. Moreover, under the influence of prolonged sleep, the body's tolerance to glucose is disturbed, and this is a known factor in the development of type II diabetes. Finally, people who sleep a lot are less active when they are awake, and physical activity is essential to reduce the risk of developing diabetes. However, not only prolonged sleep leads to diabetes, but also a sedentary lifestyle, as well as the presence of obesity.

4. Depression
Normal sleep leads to the fact that the awakened person feels healthy, rested, vigorous and cheerful. However, if you sleep more than 9 hours, you wake up sleepy and gloomy. Doctors call this state of sleep drunkenness. But that's not all. Long sleep leads to a decrease in physical activity throughout the day, and the lack of activity, in turn, leads to a decrease in the production of dopamine and serotonin, they are also called "hormones of joy and happiness." Not surprisingly, with a decrease in the production of these important hormones for mood, a person becomes lethargic, depressed, prone to stress and depression.

5. Harm to the brain
Too much sleep invariably affects brain activity and provokes lethargy. A person in this state does not think well, he has memory problems, and he cannot concentrate on any business for a long time. If such a problem haunts a person for a long time, it can lead to structural changes in the brain and cause a violation of basic cognitive functions. Long sleep is especially harmful for the elderly. Scientists from the University of Rotterdam conducted a study that confirmed that people over 55 who tend to sleep 10 hours a day are 3 times more likely to experience memory impairment, senile dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

6. Frequent headaches
It only at first glance seems that the more a person rests, the less often his head hurts. Too much sleep can lead to frequent headaches and even migraines. Scientists believe that this is due to a disruption in the work of neurotransmitters in the brain and, above all, with low production of serotonin and dopamine. By the way, the appearance of headaches in a person who wakes up at noon may be due to a lack of blood sugar and dehydration.

7. Back pain
It is not uncommon for a person who has slept more than 10 hours to state that his back already hurts from sleep. This is a well-known phenomenon that can be explained by a decrease in motor activity, which is bad for the condition of the bones and the muscular system. Persons suffering from osteochondrosis and having other back diseases are especially difficult to tolerate prolonged sleep. In addition, prolonged lack of movement associated with sleep increases the likelihood of inflammatory processes in the body, which can also respond to back pain.

Is it necessary to get rid of long sleep

A person cannot always independently determine whether he needs to reduce the duration of sleep. And the norm of 7-8 hours is not always correct, because the body of each person is individual. To understand this issue, you need to consult a doctor who will prescribe a comprehensive examination. It should include:

1. Blood test. Substances or drugs that cause drowsiness may be found in the blood. By eliminating their entry into the body, you can eliminate the existing problem.

2. Polysomnography. This is a detailed study, carried out during the day, during which special sensors record brain, heart and muscle activity, as well as respiratory function. Such a study allows you to determine whether there is a sleep disorder, as well as to identify factors that exacerbate this disorder.

If we take into account how difficult everyday life is, sometimes the desire to wake up disappears altogether. The bed is so warm and the dream is so sweet. However, the question arises, is it safe to sleep for half a day after a sleepless night or a difficult work week? Is the harm of long sleep equivalent to lack of sleep?

First of all, it should be noted that there must be balance in everything, that is, being awake must be balanced with enough sleep and vice versa so that a person can feel rested. When this balance is disturbed, problems of a different nature immediately appear, such as insomnia, high irritability or laziness, as well as problems directly related to health. Based on these facts, it can be argued that both lack of sleep and a very long sleep are equally harmful to the human body.

The benefits of long sleep

Prolonged sleep can be useful in cases that depend on the physical and moral condition of the person. For example, with overwork, daily heavy physical exertion and the inability to sleep normally. In this case, the lack of sleep accumulates in the body, all human resources are depleted at some point, and in order to fully recover, a person needs more time to rest.

In cases where a person is too exhausted, sleep can last a day. It will take the same amount of time for a sick person to restore his strength.

Harm of long sleep

The harm of long sleep is based on overwork, which a person plunges into with an excess of the sleep hormone. With excessively long sleep, the body begins to get tired, and as a result, it does not restore strength, but loses them. A long sleep also destroys the internal course of the biological clock, and therefore, to a certain extent, rebuilds the work of the body. As a result, the level of laziness and unwillingness to do something increases. The result can be severe overexertion and a high risk of depression.

Often, a long sleep serves as a conscious escape from problems, that is, "I'm sleeping, which means I don't see anything, I don't decide anything." This is the basis of many psychological diseases, the emergence of new and the strengthening of old complexes. With regard to physical health, prolonged sleep can lead to an increase in migraines, stagnation of blood in the vessels, high blood pressure, and swelling of varying degrees.

Conclusion

What, in fact, is a long sleep, how long does it last? Doctors say that the normal duration of sleep and wakefulness for a particular person is different. But there is an approximate distinction by which you can find out if a person sleeps within the normal range. So, sleep is considered long if its duration exceeds 10-14 hours or more. Consequently, for a person who has enough sleep for 7-8 hours, 10-11 hours is already a lot. The distinctions are arbitrary, but they help to navigate the calculations of the time spent on sleep.

How long sleep affects our health? While a definite answer to this question has not been found, scientists from all over the world conduct regular experiments, invite volunteers and study this phenomenon in detail. Almost every modern working person or mother on maternity leave dreams of getting a good night's sleep. Some people try to make up for the chronic lack of sleep that has accumulated during the work week on the weekend, thereby setting a personal record. However, when sleep overtakes suddenly, takes up a significant half of the day and does not bring a feeling of vivacity and recuperation, it is worth considering why this happens.

A lot has been said about the impact sleep has on the human body and the quality of life in general. In addition to replenishing the energy spent during the day, a good night's rest helps regulate hormone levels, restore internal organs, and helps fight infections. However, from year to year, somnologists make new discoveries regarding everything related to sleep. Thus, the question of why a person sleeps a lot and does not get enough sleep, although he falls asleep on time, has undergone a detailed study. But, despite the large number of ongoing instrumental studies in this direction, the results obtained are surprising in their inconsistency.

According to some sources, a long night rest for an adult (more than 9 hours) contributes to an increase in life expectancy. According to others, a long night's sleep negatively affects health, reducing mental abilities and contributing to the development of a number of diseases.

Empirical research involving volunteers at various times was carried out by scientists from leading universities in the United States and Europe. And they all agree that sleep that lasts more than 8-9 hours inevitably leads to health problems.

Among them are diseases such as:

In addition, according to the obtained data, people who like to sleep longer, regardless of their age category and gender, experience a significant decrease in cognitive abilities, which increases the risk of developing dementia (dementia) and Alzheimer's disease with age.

In general, it is normal for the duration of nighttime rest to decrease with age. So, the longest sleep is observed in newborns and children of preschool and primary school age. The older a person gets, the less time he needs to sleep. Under the age of 25, sleep can be 7-9 hours, and in old age, people sleep about 6-7 hours.

In the history of mankind, there are several cases when a record for the longest sleep was recorded. The “Sleeping Beauties” at different times were the Swedish schoolgirl Karolina Olson (14 years old) in 1876 and the resident of Ukraine Nadezhda Lebedina (34 years old) in 1954, whose record was entered in the Guinness Book of Records. In the first case, after a severe head injury, the girl slept for 42 years and 42 days. In the second case, the woman simply went to bed, though after a family quarrel with her husband, and woke up only after 20 years. Scientists attributed these phenomena to varieties of lethargic sleep.

An increase in the duration of a night's sleep is called hypersomnia. Its characteristic features are prolonged sleep and a constant feeling of fatigue, which only increases with time. “I sleep for a long time, but I don’t feel cheerful and I want to sleep all the time,” such complaints are most often made by those who suffer from the negative effects of hypersomnia.

According to the type of occurrence of hypersomnia can be:

psychophysiological;
pathological.

Psychophysiological hypersomnia can periodically occur in any person as a result of overwork, prolonged lack of sleep, or in stressful situations.

Pathological hypersomnia is manifested as a result of a malfunction or damage to one or more parts of the central nervous system that control the cycles of sleep and wakefulness. This also includes drug and post-traumatic hypersomnia.

Depending on the form, hypersomnia has symptoms in the form of a constant feeling of tiredness and drowsiness during the day. Or a person can just suddenly fall asleep, no matter where he is.

It is noted that this sleep disorder occurs mainly at a young age. At the same time, it significantly reduces the quality of life, posing a serious threat to the person himself and his environment.

Emotionally significant events, a day full of physical activity can be the answer to the question of why an adult sleeps so long. But along with these factors, prolonged sleep can be a consequence of various types of injuries or drug use.

Hypersomnia has causes of a completely different nature.

Among them note:

In rare cases, hypersomnia is not a consequence of the above factors. This type of neurological disorder is called idiopathic hypersomnia and is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness.

Also, prolonged sleep periods may indicate the presence of serious psychological problems. The fact is that in this way, spending a long time in dreams, a person escapes from reality, from actual problems and unpleasant, stressful situations.

One of the important points for improving the condition with this form of pathologically long sleep will be the observance of preventive measures.

So, to help normalize night sleep, you can use:

Resorting to self-treatment or taking medications without a doctor's prescription in this case is not justified and can be dangerous. Like any other violation, hypersomnia must be eliminated comprehensively and only after a diagnosis is made by a qualified specialist.

Unfortunately, at the moment, idiopathic hypersomnias are not treatable. The prescribed therapy is aimed only at eliminating the accompanying symptoms. At the same time, an increase in the duration of sleep that occurs against the background of other somatic diseases can disappear after the root cause is eliminated.

Pathological forms of prolonged night sleep bring significant discomfort to everyday life. In addition to personal dissatisfaction, increasing aggressiveness, anxiety, relationships in the family and with colleagues can be significantly disrupted. That is why it is so important to seek qualified psychological help in a timely manner.

In conclusion, we note that prolonged sleep can be both harmful and beneficial. It all depends on the conditions of its occurrence and the effect that it brings. If the long break is caused by hard work and an urgent, burning project or report, then there is nothing to worry about. The body will replenish the expended forces and re-enter the usual rhythm.

However, if after a long night's sleep, the state of fatigue only intensifies, and this continues for quite a long time, you should contact a specialist as soon as possible.

You don't have to spend long hours dreaming, hoping to set your own longest sleep record. After all, it is better to spend the available free time for the benefit of yourself and your loved ones.

Who among us would not want to sleep an extra hour or two to watch a wonderful dream or just relax after yesterday's exhausting day? I think everyone has had such moments, and more than once. Considering how stressful our everyday life is sometimes, sometimes you don’t want to wake up at all, plunging into a long sweet dream. But is it safe to sleep for half a day after a sleepless night or a difficult work week? Let's figure out whether the harm of long sleep is tantamount to lack of sleep and try to identify the benefits of this process.

Equilibrium

First of all, I would like to note that there must be balance in everything, that is, wakefulness must be balanced by a certain amount of sleep and vice versa, so that a person can feel absolutely full and rested. When this balance is disturbed, various problems immediately arise, such as chronic fatigue, insomnia, increased irritability or laziness, as well as health problems directly. Based on this, we can say that both lack of sleep and too long sleep, not due to any additional factors, are equally harmful to the human body and its peace of mind.

The benefits of long sleep

Prolonged sleep can be most useful in a number of cases, depending on the physical and moral condition of the person. In particular, with severe fatigue and fatigue, everyday heavy physical exertion and the inability to sleep normally, a lack of sleep accumulates in the body, all our resources are depleted, and at one fine moment, in order to fully recover, a person may need more time to sleep. In some cases, if a person is very exhausted, sleep can last a whole day. Approximately the same situation is with this if a person is sick - a long sleep will be part of a full-fledged therapy leading a person to health, and this applies, by the way, not only to the physical, but also to the mental aspect.

Among other things, prolonged sleep may be part of the biological characteristics of a particular person, so for him it will be beneficial in any case. In general, it can be noted that the benefit of long sleep is to maximize the restoration of the physical and moral aspects of a person.

Harm of long sleep

The harm of long sleep is based on overwork, which a person plunges into with an excess of the sleep hormone. Yes, strange as it sounds, with an excessively long sleep, a person begins to get tired, and as a result, does not restore strength, but loses it. Prolonged sleep tends to destroy the internal course of the biological clock, and therefore, to a large extent, rebuild the work of the body and the sensory perception of the world of a particular person. Because of this, the level of laziness, apathy, unwillingness to do something can increase, and, as a result, working capacity and the desire to study life decrease. This can also cause severe overstrain and an increased risk of depression, which can also lead to discord with oneself, and hence with others, including relatives and friends.

Often, a long sleep is a conscious avoidance of problems, that is, “I sleep, which means I don’t see anything, I don’t participate in anything.” This is the basis of many psychological diseases, isolation, the formation of new and strengthening of old complexes. Prolonged sleep for no apparent reason is a signal to think about the state of mind of a person.

In terms of physical health, excessively long sleep can lead to an increase in migraines, high blood pressure, congestion in blood vessels, swelling of varying degrees, and more.

Conclusion

Finally, let's talk about what is long sleep, how long does it last? And again, we note that the normal duration of sleep and wakefulness for each person is different. However, there is an approximate distinction by which one can determine whether a person sleeps within the normal range or not. So, sleep is considered long, the duration of which exceeds 10-15 hours or more in some cases. Accordingly, for a person who usually has enough sleep for 7-8 hours, 10-11 hours is already a lot. The distinctions are quite arbitrary, but they help to navigate the calculations of the time spent on sleep and determine how normal it is.