Too Much Sleep Can Make You Tired - Symptoms of Sleeping Too Much

There are two things that all people like to do, regardless of age, race, height, weight, looks, etc. Those things are eating and sleeping. For this reason, many people become overweight or oversleep too much.

Did you know that sleeping too long makes you more tired?

You would think that if you got a lot of sleep, you would be less tired and could go for longer without needing to sleep again. Unfortunately it doesn't work this way. When you sleep, your mind and body are doing many complex functions such as repairing muscle, organizing memories, putting the things you have learned for the day in the proper places, etc, etc. This process is actually quite strenuous on the mind which is why when you wake up after sleeping too long, you often feel more tired than you did when you first went to sleep.

Symptoms of oversleeping

The most common symptoms of sleeping too long include:

• Headaches that last throughout the day.
• Difficulty focusing and remembering things.
• You feel real slow and out of it.
• Extra tired during the day.

Sleeping too long may indicate that you are developing a sleeping disorder If you are sleeping too long, it may be because your body isn't going into deep REM sleep and tries to make up for it by making you sleep longer during the night. Without deep REM, your body isn't shutting down enough to give you body and mind ample chance to repair and recover.

By Daniel Kooper

What is Insomnia? What is the principal cause of Insomnia?

Understanding why we need sleep and knowing the root cause of insomnia is the first step in coming to terms with and treating it.

How do we define insomnia?

Insomnia is the term used to describe a lack of quality sleep; either taking ages to get to sleep, difficulty in staying asleep or waking up too early and being unable to get back to sleep.

What are the effects of insomnia?

People who suffer from poor quality sleep tend to be irritable, inattentive, lacking energy and accident prone.They are more likely to suffer from depression, heart disease and strokes.Continued sleep deprivation brings about changes in the activity and timing of important hormones such as melatonin, cortisol, leptin, thyroid hormones and prolactin. It has been shown in studies that this pattern of hormonal changes has also been witnessed in sufferers of depression and in age-related chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

This is just a taste of the negative effects of insomnia and that's without mentioning the adverse effect it has on our immune systems or the incredible impact from daytime fatigue on the occurrence of "accidents"; remember Chernobyl or Exxon Valdez.

What is sleep for anyway?

Nobody really knows exactly how sleep works. For centuries it was believed that sleep was just a neutral state of mind and body but modern science is beginning to identify the many positive affects a natural, good night's sleep has.

Moods

The brain's metabolic rate and temperature is reduced allowing the mending of certain brain cells which would otherwise have difficulty in regenerating.In our deepest sleeping, during the rapid eye movement (REM) phase we do most of our dreaming. It's at this stage when the receptors of the essential drugs serotonin, histamine and norepinephrine take a rest, restoring them to the appropriate level of sensitivity. This restorative measure is believed to be important in regulating our moods during the waking hours.

Sleep and weight loss

If you're trying to lose weight and believe that sleep loss won't adversely affect weight loss, think again. In childhood, human growth hormones (HGH) are responsible for tissue production, but as we grow into adults HGH becomes responsible for, amongst other things, weight regulation. HGH is only released when we sleep.

Sleep to learn

Many studies have been conducted and they have shown that whatever we take in and learn during the waking hours needs to be processed and consolidated before it is put to memory and reflected in our abilities. The process of sleep enhances this in an inestimable way.

So what is the main cause of insomnia?

There may be many reasons why we don't sleep well but the main cause of insomnia is simply stress.

Our lives, like that of any other organism, are kept for the most part at an optimum state of balance. Our hormonal secretions, fluid levels, temperature and so on are kept in balance so that the mind and body can perform at its peak.

The "flight or fight" response when being confronted by a predator is the most common example of a stress response but it can also be triggered by much less profound events such as crowding, noise or darkness. But even less obvious is that a stress response can happen to events such as fear, anger and even extreme pleasure.Sometimes we can live in a permanent state of stress response and prolonged states of stress can leave the body in a constant state of alarm and imbalance.

The process of sleep runs contrary to the effects of stress response. Falling to sleep involves the gradual shutting down of systems, a decrease in metabolism and the cessation of the readiness for action. Going to sleep makes us less alert and decreases arousal. The stress response increases arousal and makes us more alert.

Stress is the main cause of insomnia

The hormones secreted as a result of stress responses excite the body's systems. When stress is chronic we are hyperaroused.When we are hyperaroused we can't sleep.

If you are susceptible to the stresses brought about by daily life which impact on your night time sleep there are sleeping techniques using the senses that can maximize the quality of sleep, bringing enrichment to your waking days.

By: Lelliot Peters

Foods to Avoid Before Sleep

Just as certain foods can help aid your quest for a good night’s rest, other types of foods can work to disrupt sleep patterns. Research has shown that individuals who often eat foods high in fat not only gain additional weight, they also have trouble maintaining a consistent sleep cycle. Burgers, brats, pizza, and other types protein-rich foods also make terrible late night snacks, as these foods are difficult for your already slowed down digestive system to process. This can lead to indigestion and heartburn, two things that will only make it more difficult to sleep. You should also consider forgoing any spicy foods late at night for this same reason.

You should also keep in mind what you eat or drink at night to ensure that it doesn’t contain anything that could keep you up. While it seems obvious that drinking a cup of coffee before bedtime could keep you awake, even moderate caffeine consumption at night can cause a disruption in your sleep. Less obvious sources of caffeine can include soft drinks, chocolate, hot coco, tea, and even decaffeinated coffee, which still contains small amount of caffeine.

Some types over-the-counter and prescription drugs even contain small doses of caffeine that could contribute to loss of sleep. Pain relievers, diuretics, weight loss pills, and cold medications may contain as much if not more caffeine in them as a small cup of coffee. Make sure to examine the label or ingredient sheet of any medication prior to taking it late at night to determine if it could interfere with your sleep.

Drinking and smoking prior to bedtime can also lead to too much tossing and turning. Much like caffeine, nicotine acts like a stimulant that can keep you awake, and while alcohol may help you quickly fall asleep, you may experience less restful sleep, night sweats, and headaches depending on how much you consume.

Top 10 Health Benefits of Gud Night Sleep