Written by
Eric Suni, Staff Writer
Medically Reviewed by
Dr. Abhinav Singh, Sleep Physician
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Most people have experienced the occasional night of especially long sleep. For long sleepers, though, sleeping for longer than normal periods each night is routine.
Experts estimate that up to 2% of people are natural long sleepers. Both children and adults can be identified as long sleepers who need more sleep than average in order to wake up feeling refreshed.
There is a great deal still unknown about long sleepers, who are sometimes said to have long sleeper syndrome. Research studies have found that longer sleep duration is associated with a number of health conditions, but it is not clear whether excess sleep actually causes specific health problems. We explore what it means to be a long sleeper, as well as potential causes and effects of long sleeping.
Long sleepers are people who regularly sleep more than other people of the same age. In adults, this typically means sleeping for more than 9 or 10 hours per night.
Most long sleepers feel refreshed when they wake up from this extended sleep time. However, if their professional or social life prevents them from having long sleep periods, they may experience excessive daytime sleepiness.
Long sleeping does not have a clear cause. In this way, it is different from oversleeping that occurs because of an illness or after a temporary period of sleep deprivation. For this reason, long sleepers may also be called natural long sleepers.
A person can become a long sleeper early in life or as an adult. In many cases, a pattern of extended sleep at night begins during childhood and continues into adulthood.
The primary symptom of long sleeping is regularly sleeping more than most people of the same age. In most cases, this means sleeping more than nine hours per night for adults and more for children and adolescents. Although some older studies found that long sleepers were more likely to wake up during the night and spend more time awake in bed, subsequent studies have not confirmed that finding. Instead, recent research suggests that long sleepers spend more time in bed and more time asleep than normal duration sleepers.
However, some natural long sleepers may not be able to sleep as much as they would like because of school, work, or social obligations. As a result, they may sleep less on weeknights but have especially long sleep periods, such as 12 hours or more, during the weekend when their time to sleep is not restricted.
Excessive daytime sleepiness is another potential symptom of being a long sleeper. If long sleepers do not have enough time in their schedule to sleep as much as they prefer, they may feel sleepy or less alert during the day and experience issues with energy or attention.
There is no established cause of habitual long sleeping. Some experts believe that long sleepers may simply need more sleep than others. In addition, there are indications that there is a genetic component to long sleeping, but more studies are needed to better understand why some people routinely sleep for more hours than others.
While some health conditions can cause oversleeping, that is different from natural long sleeping, which occurs habitually and without a known underlying illness or medical issue.
The health effects of long sleeping remain unclear. Although studies have observed a higher risk of some health problems in long sleepers, it is not known if those problems are actually caused by long sleeping.
In studies of large groups of people, long sleepers have been found to have an elevated risk of cardiovascular problems, including heart disease and stroke, as well as diabetes. Statistical analysis has found a higher risk of death among long sleepers compared to people who sleep seven to eight hours per night. Long sleep duration also puts a person at greater risk for weight gain and obesity.
It is not known whether these health risks are caused by extended periods of nightly sleep or something else. Experts have suggested multiple reasons that long sleep duration might be linked to mortality, such as underlying disease, but none have been proven. An undiagnosed illness or sleep disorder, like sleep apnea, may be the key factor affecting some long sleepers. More research is necessary to shed light on the potential health complications for long sleepers.
A person may be diagnosed as a long sleeper if they routinely get more sleep than their peers of the same age. In most cases, adults who typically sleep for more than 10 hours per night are considered to be long sleepers. However, some researchers and doctors consider consistently sleeping more than eight to nine hours per night to be long sleeping.
Children and adolescents generally need more sleep than adults, which is reflected in sleep recommendations developed by the National Sleep Foundation. For younger people, nightly sleep duration may be compared to sleep guidelines by age group. Children who normally sleep two or more hours more than recommended for their age group may be considered long sleepers.
To determine whether a person is a natural long sleeper, they usually need to track their sleep with a sleep diary for at least one week. The sleep diary can show whether their sleep habits are consistent with being a long sleeper. The diagnostic process may also include steps to rule out other disorders that can involve excessive sleep.
There is no specific treatment for people who are long sleepers. Researchers have not yet determined whether it is beneficial for natural long sleepers to try to decrease the amount that they sleep.
Studies are ongoing to assess the benefits and downsides of restricting long sleepers’ available time to sleep. A small initial study found that restricting the sleep times of older long sleepers did not negatively impact aspects of their health, like insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. That said, larger studies with a more diverse group of long sleepers are needed to know whether any treatments are appropriate.
Adjusting to being a long sleeper can be challenging. Many long sleepers only feel refreshed and alert during the day if they are able to sleep for an extended block of time at night. This may require establishing a consistent daily schedule that includes extra time for sleep.
Practical tips that may help natural long sleepers experience fewer daytime problems include:
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that people who are long sleepers consult their doctor if they feel concerned about sleeping too much. In addition, anyone who is regularly experiencing significant daytime sleepiness should talk with their doctor.
Meeting with a doctor is important because it can help determine whether any other sleeping problems or health issues may be causing symptoms like long sleep periods at night or excessive sleepiness during the day.
Staff Writer
Eric Suni has over a decade of experience as a science writer and was previously an information specialist for the National Cancer Institute.
Sleep Physician
MD
Dr. Singh is the Medical Director of the Indiana Sleep Center. His research and clinical practice focuses on the entire myriad of sleep disorders.
