Find out why you are oversleeping

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Find out why you are oversleeping

Dubai - The oversleeping problem arises if one does not feel well rested even after sleeping for long hours.

by

Ankita Chaturvedi

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Published: Fri 14 Oct 2016, 10:07 PM

Last updated: Sat 15 Oct 2016, 12:10 AM

It's very common to confuse sleep disorders with laziness; a person who yawns all the time is believed to be lethargic but one need to pay attention if this problem persists. According to medical experts, if anyone sleeps more than the normal hours which is about 6-8 hours depending on the age, activity level, general health and lifestyle level, they are oversleeping.
The oversleeping problem arises if one does not feel well rested even after sleeping for long hours. During sleep, the body heals and repairs and a person should feel fresh and active when he or she wakes up.
"We have noticed an increase in the number of patients complaining of disruptive sleep and it is becoming more common in teenagers" said Dr Ahmad Munzer Alwaa, consultant ENT, head and neck surgeon at University Hospital Sharjah. "Usually patients come to us when they face problems related to their sleeping patterns along with restlessness, low energy levels and even anxiety at times, he said."
Dr Jayasankar Mattappillil, MD, specialist internal medicine at ?Aster Hospital Dubai, highlighted that this problem is growing amongst children rapidly. "There are children who find it very difficult to wake up in the morning. They tend to sleep during the classes and some of them develop learning disabilities because of their sleepiness."
He recalled about one of his ?patients who was a high achieving student at school and suffered from similar issue because of her enlarged tonsils and adenoid. "She was cured with surgery and her condition improved," said Dr Jayasankar.
Oversleeping could lead to multiple health issues such as obesity, as the metabolism becomes slow, cognitive impairment, diabetes, depression, headaches and increase in intensity of pains, high blood pressure and can even cause heart attacks. Apart from this, it can severely affect daily life acti-vities and could be highly risky while driving and also if a person is working on machines or engaged in high risk activities that requires strong focus.
ankita@khaleejtimes.com
 The Causes
> Neurological problems
> Depression
> If a person is ill or on medication
> Breathing problems caused by obesity, large tonsils, syndromic facial deformity or cysts and masses
> Sleep apnea, in which a person's breathing momentarily stops during sleep and as a result, the person oversleeps.
> Parasomnias like PLMS (periodic leg movement syndrome), RLS (restlessness leg syndrome) result is sleep fragmentation and can lead to excessive daytime somnolence.
> Circadian Rhythm sleep disorders in frequent travellers and shift workers.
> Menstrual-related hypersomnia where excessive sleepiness occurs due to hormonal changes around period time
Ways to deal with it
> Have healthy eating habits
> Exercise regularly
> Walk a lot
> Stay in happy state of mind
> Follow a regular sleep regimen
> Seek medical help


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