I find that my problem is not deemed a problem by most. But to me its a problem! I get too much sleep. Until last week I thought I was the only person in the world with this problem. Last week I met a lady at church that has the same problem and she even described it the same as me.
I am 88 years old and as far back as I can remember, even to 1st grade, I sleep 10 or more hours a day. I am addicted to sleep it seems. Sleep is very pleasant to me and to wake up is an hour of torture. It is actually painful. I have many dreams, most are very entertaining, in color, background music, and all the trappings of an Oscar winning movie. Occasionally I have some nightmares, but few since adulthood.
What worries me is that it might be bad for me to sleep so much.
If it’s a problem to you, then it’s a problem!
My advice to you is to develop a pleasant morning routine! One that you look forward to and will get you out of bed. What do you enjoy most in the morning? A nice book? A morning walk? A nice cup of coffee or tea? Try doing something that you love to start the day.
Another thing that might help you wake up is letting a lot of light into your room in the morning. Maybe try keeping the curtains open or having someone arrange your room so that light shines on you in the morning.
I dont really care,… if it is not hurting me, but there dont seem to be any studies covering this subject. As to letting light in, YES it will work, but it is PAINFUL, like throwing a bucket of cold water would work, but NOT PLEASANTLY. And finding something I like to do, I LIKE SLEEPING!
For my happiness, just staying in bed will work fine. But I am concerned that it is not good for me.
I got thru college by not scheduling and courses before noon. I got thru a life as an engineer by making sure I had skills I could bargain with. I had what the employer needed and when I said, “But I wont come in till noon!” they would say, “Thats ok, but we need your skills.”
If its not shortening my life or in some way hurting me, I am fine with it but no one seems to know and no one seems to have done any studies on it.
I’m not a doctor, but in my 7+ years covering sleep health I haven’t seen any study suggesting oversleeping shortens your life, in fact, it’s the opposite. If you’re happy and ok with your quality of life, then I wouldn’t worry.
You are the first to suggest that it may be good for me. I will take that and run with it.
I found it interesting to see that someone else has this problem. I have always required more sleep than average, but for the last few years, I usually sleep 11 or 12 hours. I am 75 years old. My feelings about sleep and waking up are the same as yours. I recently had a sleep apnea test to see if this was the problem. I haven’t gotten the results yet, but it concerns me that there might be something that is requiring me to need this much sleep. I enjoy my sleep and if I go several days without enough, I usually end up sick. The downfall is making appointments, etc. as I am not available in the mornings. Good to know that I am not the only one who sleeps a lot and if I end up finding out that there is nothing wrong, I will continue to enjoy my sleep. Thanks for sharing your story.
Good to hear from you. Its good to know I am not alone. We are among THREE that I know of. I have often described opening my eyes to light as a very unpleasant thing. Like someone flashing a laser into my eye and it then bounces around inside my empty skull till it comes out the other side.
I used to hate the Arther Godfrey radio show broadcast from Hawaii because it came on early in the morning in California time and when he started with his very happy “How aya, How aya, How aya!” it just drove me under the covers in pain. My first wife (62 years) would get up at 6 AM and rattle pans in the kitchen till I got up. My current wife (2 years) just comes in, kisses me on the forehead, puts down a cup of coffee and some coffeecake and returns an hour later. I am usually up by then…LOL Maybe this marriage will last 62 years…