Can You Sleep Too Much? (The Answer Might Surprise You)

Thanks to all the data science has gathered over the years, we know that not getting enough sleep leads to a shorter life.
But there's one more thing that the data has also shown us. And that is the relationship between sleep and mortality risk is not linear. You see, the more and more sleep you get, doesn't mean that your risk is lower and lower.
Instead once the average sleep amount surpasses 9 hours, there is an upward hook in mortality risk.
Just like with sleeping less than 6 hours every day, there is a higher chance of premature death, if you sleep over 9 hours daily.
So what is going on here?
Are we supposed to be aiming for exactly 8 hours to live a long and healthy life?
Not quite.
Images © Piers Baker www.svgdoodlewhiteboard.com
#sleep #mortality

[@josiavisto3576]

"you should sleep without an alarm clock" me who sleeps 10-14 hours without an alarm clock: *hold up*

[@lazy4life110]

I sleep through the alarm

[@El_Presidente_5337]

Me who needs to wake up at 5 am to get to school:

[@forman208]

They honestly sound naive giving that advice. The VAST majority of people would never be able to wake up at 6-7 AM on a daily basis naturally. Without alarms almost everyone would be late for work or school

[@antkot1897]

@@forman208 it depends. Majority of students are night owls, but there are plenty of people that fall asleep very early, so they get up also very early

[@iloverisasensei]

Wow......is dat even possible? The longest time I've slept in my life maybe 13 hours.

[@theficho5104]

Teenagers need 9.5 hours of sleep? Tell that to our schools.

[@keif9447]

Yeah f×+k up.

[@hanphilnoffz8827]

Im 18 athlete to to high school get 5 sometimes 6 hour of sleep

[@theficho5104]

@@hanphilnoffz8827 Sad 😐

[@hanphilnoffz8827]

@@theficho5104 yes we need to start school later especially im a athlete and i barely got 5 hours of sleep because of school

[@serialkiller288]

The Ficho lies teenagers neeb 8

[@iambutterpuppy1143]

I need 12 hours to feel rested. And I'm not an athlete. I'm just depressed and have anxiety.

[@Zen_Power]

No alarm clock?!!! I’d wake up two days late for work!

[@georgealderson4424]

...so you would lose your job then you will have more time to sleep haha

[@Genovezleticia]

Lol

[@_molebogeng6281]

😃😃

[@kavithasree4226]

😂😂

[@matthewreese7710]

So the more sleep the better? Well yes but actually no but actually yes, but it seems like no

[@jeromeg.8461]

Hahahaha awesome comment !

[@unleashingpotential-psycho9433]

One big sign of depression is people who sleep too much 🔥

[@dragonchr15]

I agree. I have mild depression and sometimes just want to stay in bed all day, but I push myself and am usually ok once I get going.

[@korgond]

@@dragonchr15 sleeping and the staying in bad are two different things. Ideally 8 hours sleep is good for health, at least 7 hours deep sleep

[@Unknown-sg4tv]

Actually people with depression and anxiety sleep a lot less than the average person. Because when a person worries too much about something that obsessive worry causes the person to stay up all night.

[@redglazedeyez6652]

Sleeping alot also helps you come out of depression

[@luispereira2354]

@@Unknown-sg4tv that's not true depression has nothing to do with worries. I had a time in my life were I used to be very depressed and while I was not starting to sleep quickly, I stayed in bed and did this sleepyish thing because I didn't want to go out, and that is meant

[@ireitman1087]

But my mom is my alarm clock

[@saldownik]

You need to stop winding her up.

[@wladynoszhighlights5989]

Sleep earlier, so you can get up before your Mom is getting angry. Is also good for your Mom, because I don't think it is good for her to be Mad because you don't get up. I think this was a joke so r/wooosh for me, but I think there are peoples (maybe you too) who need advice 🤓

[@karolinasoblinskyte1795]

My clock alarm is my stomach

[@JaysonT1]

@@saldownik 👍

[@lunchpunchcrab32]

But the way teenagers biologically are, it is harder for them to sleep earlier. Schools need to address this, but they don't.

[@matejzaletelj7260]

"Let your body regenerate" Me coming from a party at 2 A.M. and waking up at 7 A.M.

[@FusionDeveloper]

Sleep till you wake up naturally and get fired from work or fail school due to always being late. If our days were 28 hours long, we would all get more rest.

[@chevaliedelareverie]

It should be: if work/school days were shorter. Our work culture is unhealthy

[@acz88]

Go to bed earlier. Have you tried this? If you exercise regularly you require less sleep due to increased energy levels. Don’t act like a victim, there’s plenty of solutions.

[@FusionDeveloper]

@@acz88 my job is purely physical.

[@forman208]

@@acz88 Oh fuck off, some people just naturally have difficulty adjusting to a "normal" sleep pattern, regardless of what they do during the day

[@nygelpereira6540]

@@acz88 do you have a brain? we need MORE sleep if we exercise as described by better than yesterday himself.

[@CuriousFascination]

"Correlation doesn't mean causation". Love that analysis! Too often people make this mistake; it's an uneducated mistake to make. Keep up the great work!

[@10ft5x3]

There are small villages in Siberia where people sleep all winter, and consistently live into their nineties.

[@KatarinaS.]

That's interesting, sounds like hibernation. I remember reading about an old woman, well over 100 but I can't remember where she lived, who slept every other day. Literally, one day she slept all day and night (she'd sleep about 24 hours, give or take) and then the next day she'd be up 24 hours, and would alternate that way. I can't remember if she started that in her old age or when younger, but I've always found it interesting and wanted to give it a try, but I eventually get too sleepy. I can see how you could slowly work your way up to that though. If you sleep long enough then you don't get tired until later, so if you sleep a little longer each day, to eventually 24 hours, then you wouldn't be able to fall asleep for another 24 because you just wouldn't be tired enough yet.

[@eternityofnothing4463]

@@KatarinaS. I would be really interested in the source for this story, so if anyone has a link for me, it would be much appreciated!

[@darpanmajumdar9655]

Will check. Thank you.

[@ADCFproductions]

@@eternityofnothing4463 I heard that there are tribes in Indonesia where if you keep your coat on in somebody's house, the families go to war!

[@holo6883]

Personally I notice that when I sleep more I eat less and vice versa

[@HermannTheGreat]

There is an upward risk because most people sleeping 9+ hours are the elderly or those with disease who are closer to dying.

[@Ticianito]

Actually as you age you tend to sleep less. Elderly folk usually sleep 6h or less

[@djiboutidjibouti6570]

A patient can't sleep long hours,sleep less because of the pain and depression .

[@theunspoke815]

Where are you from cuz here in the US, our elderly only sleep for about 5 hours?

[@djiboutidjibouti6570]

@@theunspoke815 in India,yes five or less is possible.

[@yasminenazarine1629]

Usauly elderly people don't sleep too.much they're always not more then 5 it 6 hourse but they take nap but I do believe people sleep too much cause death

[@Cdmxforever]

I sleep a lot everyday and I love it! I have a really tough and stressful job.

[@Cdmxforever]

@@tonylama2012 Fuck her. You get your sleep!! 👍

[@leesantos9711]

Sleep my friend !

[@zilyx5448]

@Jean pierre Balmond that's why you should study and find a better fitting job

[@reyrio6034]

What’s your job?

[@acz88]

Maybe you need to change your work. I work to learn and to have fun not for stress. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@tonylama2012]

Sleep till you wake up naturally.

[@MajorNyberg]

Sleep would put me in a coma for half the day then, so no thanks!

[@tonylama2012]

@@MajorNyberg set alarm. Listen to your body. Go to bed early. I do 9 hours before I need to get up. I feel good that way. On days I don't get my sleep in I take a nap after work or school. At 40 I feel good and look 25

[@attilarbismut100]

What if i fall asleep again because im too lazy

[@centripetal25]

@@MajorNyberg That probably means you are chronically sleep deprived. Natural waking shouldn't happen at 12 hours

[@gracemonkey2393]

I’m 64 years old. I take many medications. I’m up 3-4 times in the night. I sleep after breakfast. I sleep after lunch. I sleep after our 3:00 snack. I wish that I didn’t sleep so much 😢

[@Thefluffytutu]

Talk to your doctor. Could be medication making you so tired. Sleeping too much isn’t good.

[@marshwetland3808]

Very insightful! Thanks for making this video. It's useful.

[@cjmoney6918]

Athletes: I need 10-12 hours of sleep School: did he say 3-4hours

[@readisgooddewaterkant7890]

I tip is to sleep early

[@Skinnyp4545]

read Is good that’s not possible when you have hours of homework in each class

[@user-hq4uv1kf4s]

@@Skinnyp4545 exactly

[@rustydonkey9730]

I really enjoy your videos, thank you! But what many people dont know: The amount of sleep you need is also linked to the amount of oxygen you get while sleeping. With fresh air you regenerate faster

[@joselperez449]

I JUST GOT YOUR CHANNEL AND I LOVE IT GREAT JOB, THANK YOU SO MUCH 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🙏

[@BetterThanYesterday]

More videos to come 😀

[@barbarac9805]

Who wants to live longer in this insane world, anyway?

[@kofola9145]

99,999% of humans ever born. They woul gladly give up their right arms to live in this fantastic era.

[@mickeyguide3112]

kof ola you got statistics for your 'fantastic' 99.9 % numbers 😝...thought so

[@ThetennisDr]

Not me

[@kofola9145]

@@mickeyguide3112 You are right, I do not have statistics for the past 50 000 years. But I know this. If you are concerned about stagnant wages despite all those dozens of millions of cheap labor immigrants, two compacts per family, rich getting richer, Greenland ice that will melt in 10 000 years, and other demoralizing Leftist propaganda, then yeah, what a terrible era to live in. But if you put it into the perspective of the human race and realize that many of those born failed to survive their first year of life and the majority did not survive into adulthood. That we have managed to get rid of poverty, hunger, diseases, and live in a luxury that is utterly incomprehensible for you. We have advanced so far that you do not even consider there could be a possibility of you dying of hunger, some nasty disease (Leprosy is a good one.), war, or a whim of a mighty. In many parts of the world, it is not given even today. Take your time to look back and appreciate what you already have. Now, I am sure there are some ppl who would prefer to live in the 80s because of the music and movies. The rest would, if they could, choose to live in this age of wonders at your feet.

[@mickeyguide3112]

kof ola nice story you got there...your claiming 99.99% of humans ever born would give their right arm to live in this fantastic era...tell that horseshit story for the kids in africa etc. Quit writing from your own perspective...

[@anton3503]

You have an awesome channel. Thank you.

[@MarkKaranjaM4K]

Honestly, this channel helps me out a lot!! I'm definitely buying you some coffee real soon. Keep up the good work.

[@user-ud4zn2pw9g]

I really enjoy your videos, thank you!

[@redatiberkanine93]

I was having problems with sleep because I sleep over than 10 hours because of my desease and I didint know that. The matter is that I wake up very energetic every single day, but also I feel stressed, angry and unhappy because they had told us you just have to sleep 8 hours per day. After I listen to this video I felt more comfortable and relaxed, as if something heavy used to be on my shoulders has disappeared. Finally I want to thank you for this video and I am looking forward for the next videos.

[@blankdot.]

I get WAAY too little and too much sleep at different times. Welp, who’s digging my grave first?

[@stebarg]

That was exactly what I though! Correlation is often mixed up with causation. Thanks for sharing ❣️😃👍🏽

[@gamingcollection270]

Thank you for bringing this information to us.

[@romanicvs]

I sleep 9.5 - 10 hrs in average and I feel good. I'm 47.

[@leesantos9711]

👍👍👍👍

[@VS-qd3tz]

Enjoy.

[@MrSupernova111]

That's how much I used to sleep. Lately, I need about 12 hours on the weekends. I think its because I'm getting less than 8 hours during week often just 5-6 hours and my body is out of whack. I need to fix this.

[@lool8421]

there's no minimal amount of sleep that will guarantee you to not be tried, everybody needs different amounts of sleep, somebody will need 6-7 hours and somebody else will need +9 hrs

[@Fjuron]

Oh, this is very good to know! I heard somewhere that too much sleep isn't good. And when I slept 10 hours, because I had a very exhausting day before, I felt bad about it. Not anymore :)

[@pohkeee]

Thank you...I was going to rant about correlations when I saw your title...but thankfully, I actually listened to the video. Kudos for addressing this...because a recent pathetic “ study” (I use the term tongue in cheek) out of China grabbed headlines...some “ research” doesn’t come close to being science!

[@genipeters7580]

Thanks for another helpful video.

[@JakobRobert00]

I think you have to distinguish whether you really sleep much because you are still tired, or just unmotivated and lazy. Sometimes in the weekend i already wake up after 8-9 hours, but I am too lazy to get up and sleep again for two more hours. I have the feeling that the extra sleep is actually a waste of time and does not make me less tired.

[@saifurrehman7403]

great work

[@kenbobca]

I use to be a victim of not enough sleep. Then I was diagnosed to have Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Sense 1997 I have used a CPAP Machine to get my sleep. I use it for ALL sleep, even naps. If you have symptoms such as snoring, dry mouth, high blood pressure, over weight, falling asleep while driving and (or) can't stay awake during the day. Consider asking your Doctor about having a sleep study (titration). Remember, all issues in life stem from getting good sleep.

[@amir.j4933]

this is soo good information ty💖💖💖

[@andrewbrown464]

That was actually a surprise. Thank you

[@leojamelli123456789]

Thanks man!

[@user-ry5zu1wo4e]

Man I cant say how inspired I am after watching any of your videos. Thank you 😊 💓

[@profesorpluto3532]

Thanks again. ✔

[@youssefa.2251]

When I do wake up naturally I just immediately fall asleep again 😵😂

[@sbukubheka4009]

My grandfather died when he was 112years he told me I must never sleep too much 🙄

[@topeo3691]

I must be different than most people then. I get both of these. I have low amounts of sleep during the week because of school, but high amounts during weekends. I can sometimes sleep for about 13 hours straight or 16 hours total with naps in one day on the weekend. However I feel just as tired as I would be when I wake up for school. It's a weird schedule and it seems to be balancing but I can't entirely tell. Regardless I think I've found a system that could work with people that aren't like normal people and can't just fall asleep as soon as they hit the bed, or just naturally sleep. ASMR has seemed to work for the most part, but hugging a cat or dog while trying to sleep and letting them go when you are about to helps too. There's other ways but I wouldn't recommend it. One way is to take melatonin, at first it sounds like a bulletproof plan until you realize that you can become reliant and become immune to it. Another way is to just lay there with the darkness trying to sleep, sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. My point is, is that there honestly isn't one true way to fall asleep nor get the "required" amount of hours of sleep. It depends on the person, I personally feel like a zombie with only 6-9 hours, and I feel good at about 11-13. From what I know I have no actual illness of some sorts nor have insomnia, at least not as severe as I used to have it. I'm able to get sleep and it still doesn't entirely work out. So I guess there's just some things that don't work out regardless of how hard you try, you just have to find what is the BEST result or course of action.

[@redbloodmoon2]

you could try milk, it mildly works

[@pranavgainz4180]

I’m glad you covered athletes. Especially young athletes should be getting lots of sleep. I like getting 9-10hr of sleep.

[@Jesusmyallandall]

Loved this

[@naveendahiya144]

I was thinking the same that this idea of sleeping more than 9 Hours is Bullshit. Sometimes our body need it. This is most impressive well explained video on sleep I have ever seen. Thank you very much for this information. Also, please make a video to explain the relation between sleep and food + exercise because I believe what you eat and what you do with your body also matters a lot when comes to sleep and health. And I think healthy food and a certain amount of physical activity can decrease the need of more sleep. In that case, Body don't need to repair that much during sleep.

[@WarriorNoldor]

I sleep on average 6-8 hrs a day. Plus I exercise 3x times a week and eat healthy.

[@forman208]

Cool story bro

[@trampotrav4350]

Lex EDWARDS not if by exercise he means workouts

[@trampotrav4350]

Lex EDWARDS intense workouts at least, it’s good to have rest days

[@trampotrav4350]

Lex EDWARDS understandable. Have a nice day

[@twisted_3935]

Lex EDWARDS no

[@ManuelMartinez-dk2gj]

I can't sleep because I'm watching this video at 5:30 am😳

[@yarik_kryt]

Watching this video in 2 a. m. instead of sleeping

[@tembatamang137]

keep watching bruh..😆😆😆

[@sektionf1176]

I can recommend listening to a Delta frequency with headphones. Delta is the deepest sleep pattern. Put on your headphones while going to bed and find a track (on KZbin for example), that puts out Delta frequency. Its very healing and you will get tired fast.

[@anti-popfpv4638]

I sleep to much because my job is easy. I make enough to just get by, suffer from life long depression. I sleep past noon and only eat 1 time s day and it's never enough to actually fill me up. I'm sober, single and think i need something more to live for. I need to go back to gym. It helps

[@HealthyHabits101-kb7wm]

very good way to spread the positive msg

[@RavesLT]

It's definitely dependent on your rituals you can get full night cycles with 6 hour of sleep, you can sleep 8 or 7 but if you have no deep and no rem sleep, it's same as not sleeping at all

[@andrep8479]

I understand what your saying, it’s just more sleep itself doesn’t actually cause an earlier death. It could just be a sign that something’s going on. It is possible that you just like your sleep or are lazy haha. I struggle to get enough sleep these days anyway :/

[@hyouzanren1846]

Great! Now I can just blame this vid for turning my alarm off! 🤭🤭🤭

[@SaurabhKumar-nb4ut]

Great content bro... Keep it up🤟🤟

[@seanraefae]

When I became a teenager I would sleep for 12 hours at a time easily if nobody woke me. It was annoying because it was interfering with my life, but everyone said that was normal for teens and that it would pass. Now I’m 23 and literally nothing has changed in the slightest, it’s like my body still requires the same amount of sleep it did at 16, and if anything it’s gotten worse and more intense. I’ve gone to my doctor and they just tell me it’s stress, none of my blood work shows anything, I have no idea why my body is doing this.

[@primetimeplayer25]

Try intermittent fasting and do exercise. Also, try to take only 6-7 hours sleep for 5 days and for remaining 2 days sleep as much you want. This has helped me a lot.

[@egg3909]

Try to meditate maybe that Will solve the problem

[@weedsumm3777]

how the hell do you sleep 12 hours per day? I sleep 4-5 hours per day and I'm so fine

[@primetimeplayer25]

@@weedsumm3777 sleep also depends on stress levels

[@weedsumm3777]

@@primetimeplayer25 you mean sleeping too much is correlated to a high stress level?

[@zeraazraith7177]

Me: watching benefits of sleeping Also me: watching this @ 3am in the morning

[@amanbirish6131]

Tanx for you information

[@aazambrano0425]

As long as you lived happily and quality life that's what matter

[@jimseldiesel1362]

I don't have cancer or depression but I feel the need to sleep like 10 hours minimum lol. I'm wasting a lot of time with sleeping and naps everyday.

[@onurunabisi]

Thanks this video

[@shazymcrocky8578]

That’s really cool

[@GamerAvi33]

Wow, Very nice video :) All my doubts vanished right there ....Boom

[@SelonNerias]

When I was on psychiatric meds I slept about 12 hours a day, now that I'm off them it slowly decreased to between 5 to 6 hours a day.

[@human1880]

This video was very helpfull

[@kameijohnbosco1378]

Great messages of sleep

[@jiffpop5143]

For those who got scared that they're dying from sleeping too much: people who have an illness like cancer sleep alot more, which makes the mortality rate higher at higher amounts of sleep. Alot of sleep is a healthy thing

[@filler8684]

this makes me even more scared maybe i have cancer

[@kumaSOevl]

I guess they really mean it when they tell you to sleep on it

[@toalesovikk7168]

I sleep like 12 hours and feel great, plenty of energy! I mean I’m sorta an athlete but I haven’t done anything in a long time.

[@abejones9218]

Kids really are physiological and psychological stresses, great analogy 😅😂🤣😭

[@mahendersingh746]

Hi, Great videos. I enjoy them all. Could you please tell how do you make such cartoons.

[@EbonizerScourge]

When i was 80 kilos i could sleep 7-8 hours to get fully rested, now im 130kg and need around 13-14 hours of sleep to feel completely rested. I'm planning to go back to lower body weight, because 13 hours is just way too much of my time.

[@yehoshuva4858]

Some ppl feel fresh when they sleep 6-7 hrs, and it don't work for everybody also same applies here...

[@A.D.540]

I sleep 7 to 8 but sometimes I do so much work it ant enough, oh well that's life

[@The-Enclave]

*I see this as absolute win*

[@reygomez8917]

I recall one winter i slept 40 hrs!!! Then i woke up and i was no longer a bear.

[@billpeart]

It is possible that the people who sleep more have other unhealthy habits. Usually people with busy, active lives sleep less and eat healthier.

[@GM-yb5yg]

People who sleep less are not healthy. People with active healthy lifestyles know the importance of sleep. Greedy business men and workaholics with zero integrity sleep less and do not take care of their health.

[@thewatcher3698]

how can you sleep 9 to 12 hrs a day when you have two jobs and a busy life?

[@victorymanifesto3953]

I sleep 10-11 hours a day for the last 8 years since i was 23

[@acupofsoda3397]

Rip

[@SunilKumar-lv3zb]

@@acupofsoda3397🤣

[@trevorh5207]

You are correct on sleep and know exactly what you are talking about. Nice to see someone who is knowledgeable

[@ynohtna2139]

The example didnt make it easier to understand, it made it harder

[@lovemusicnatureartsfoods...]

I got severe headache when I sleep too much,4 hours is enough for me I feel refresh within that..

[@77and619]

Good night and sleep tight 🙂

[@redbloodmoon2]

Thanks for letting me know this info because sometimes I can't wake up even after 16 hours of sleep, I will feel energetic but weak at the same time, the control of my arms and legs are not great that day and my back hurts a little but normally I will be sleeping like 10-12 if not interrupted, I thought it was a problem because I am 21 this year.

[@Maan627]

I have slept more than 8 hours since I was a kid. Never lacked sleep, and I have been suffering depression and anxiety for ten years now.

[@MajorNyberg]

If I don't put the alarm on I will sleep for 11-13 hours and still be more tired than before I went to bed..

[@tulsibvc523]

Can you please make a video on tendency of getting clingy to people??

[@bettyboossister3918]

Look up codependency.....inner child...narcissim

[@MFGBG123]

Some good points in the video but this doesn't seem to cover the whole picture, what about seasonal effects? For example in Scandinavia there can be just a few hours of darkness (or zero even) in the summer, while in the winter it can be dark for most of the day. How does that effect our need for sleep? I know I would probably sleep far more than nine hours in the winter here for example than in the summer if I didn't use an alarm to wake me up.

[@violentnewworld]

I follow too little with too much to make up for it. When doing intense exercise or preparing for a sporting event, 12 hours was always what I needed to be optimal for the day. My body also is less prone to stress when I get a lot of sleep. I tend to have overreactive adrenal response when sleep deprived. That disappears when I catch up with sleep. It's not just the sleep, it's the fasting element of sleep that gives great benefits.

[@billyshears5569]

Sleep is the cousin of death

[@juanaleonzon339]

Depression and worry is part of life..

[@lyliamlucia4839]

I just sleep late. And then sleep in the afternoon bc when its night time I'm not sleepy. And then in the afternoon I sleep for like 3-5 hrs

[@albertowuwu5279]

Why us students always wake up early

[@kaptain1477]

Everyone has a expiration date

[@marypatton1122]

Perfectly stated. Everyone has an expiration date. Just because your "can of beans" sits on the shelf longer than someone else's is no indication that yours is better. LOL. Every life form is like a can of something sitting on a shelf. We expire and get replaced daily. Its all good. (I feel a comic strip coming on only I can't draw.)

[@fnmag3693]

Lol I can’t remember when I slept 9 hours or more last time

[@MiskaVlogi]

I hate being in Finnish military. We push ourselfs everyday and sometimes get as low as 1-2 sleep per night. That's supposed to make us stronger but it's just sick...

[@blackjaguar254]

i sleep around 12 hours if i dont set an alarm. and if i set an alarm it doesnt work waking up. has always been like that and i am not ill

[@V4VideoGamer]

Thanks for making me die early, school/work/insomnia.

[@shisu6870]

Idk, i just started a work that has early hours so i sleep between 4H30 and 6H every day, i take a nap everyday to compensate for the lack of sleep ( small naps of 15/20 minutes but i take like 2 in a row) and i think i've never been this awake lol.

[@breezygta101]

At my age I only need about 8-10 hours of sleep but my body wants 15 hours if I don’t sleep that long I’m really tired for the rest of the day