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A deep, restful sleep is important for our overall well-being and one-third of our life is spent dozing in the comfort of our beds. After sleeping for 7-8 hours, most of us feel refreshed and ready to face the day, but not everyone is well-rested after a full night’s sleep. Some of us crave for multiple naps during the course of the day and that makes one feel they are addicted to sleep. (Also read: World Stroke Day: Sleeping too much? You may be at increased risk of stroke)
People who easily doze off at almost any point of the day and have no problems falling asleep at night too may be inviting health troubles though. Experts warn that excessive sleeping can be problematic and those who oversleep may be at risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even death as per studies. But is sleep addiction real?
Dr. Asma Alam, Nutritionist and Dietitian says that sleep addiction is not a medical condition but there are certain other conditions that may lead to excessive sleepiness.
“An average adult needs at least 7 hours of undisturbed sleep every night, referring to actual sleep and not just the time spent in bed. If one consistently doesn’t feel rested even after 7 hours of sleep and still craves naps throughout the day, they might start to feel like they have a sleep addiction,” says Dr Aslam.
The dietitian however says that extreme drowsiness can be a symptom of an underlying issue like anxiety, depression or taking certain medications can lead to it.
“Excessive sleepiness can also be caused by certain other conditions, one of which is hypersomnias. It is a sleep disorder characterized by long sleeps, excessive daytime sleepiness, or even both,” says Dr Aslam.
“Now, excessive daytime sleepiness can also be caused by other conditions like narcolepsy, sleep apnea, dysania, etc. and It is quite likely to have one of the following conditions and confuse them for a sleep addiction,” she adds.
Sleep addiction is not defined as a medical condition and one can pay attention to signs and symptoms that may help one diagnose a sleep disorder such as hypersomnia. These symptoms include irritability, memory difficulty, brain fog, tiredness, a need for naps time and again, difficulty waking up post a long nap, etc.
“In any case, it is best to consult a medical health professional to get support and find a solution that’ll be right for you,” says Dr Aslam.
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