Too much sleep

[BeautyShark]

I’ve read a lot in recent reports about the dangers of getting too much sleep; making you more likely to die early than those getting a standard number of hours. I’m worried because I’m in bed for 10 hours although I’m not sleeping solidly alone this time. How can I improve my sleeping habits and limit my risk of premature death.

[Dr Neil Stanley]

There is some data that shows sleeping more than you need increases the risk of developing certain medical problems, but the increased risk is really quite small. Sleep need is individual and genetically determined and some people need a lot of sleep to feel at their best. I personally need 9.5 hours to function optimally. The key thing is to get the sleep you need, however much that is, each night. Improving your sleep will make you feel better tomorrow; it almost certainly won't make you live longer.