Excessive sleeping, also known as hypersomnia, occurs when a person sleeps too much every night for two weeks or more. This equals about ten hours of sleep per night for an adult. The causes of excess sleeping are usually tied to day to day habits that can be changed to help treat excessive sleeping problems. Excessive sleeping can lead to lethargy or sluggishness during daytime hours, accompanied by an urge to take naps, a feeling of apathy, difficulty getting motivated for simple tasks, difficulty paying attention, and difficulty retaining information. One of the most common causes of excessive sleeping is depression.
Depression is a state of feeling sad, hopeless, or otherwise melancholy for several weeks to several years. Depression often goes untreated, which means the sleeping disorders that can be associated with depression also go untreated. While depression can lead to insomnia, it can also lead to excessive sleeping. A sufferer may feel unmotivated to get out of bed, may sleep at odd times throughout the day, and may feel no reason to stay awake at night. The excessive sleeping can actually exacerbate depression, and vice versa.
Temporary changes in daily routines can also lead to hypersomnia. It is not uncommon for one to sleep more after moving to a new location in a different time zone, for example, to allow the body to adjust to the new schedule. One's sleep schedule can become more permanently disrupted during such moves, though choosing to wake up and go to sleep at specific hours can correct hypersomnia in this case. Medications can also cause hypersomnia, and ceasing the intake of the medications usually leads to an end to excessive sleeping. This may take several days or even weeks to happen, as the chemicals in the medication eventually leave the body.
More serious causes of hypersomnia include brain damage and illnesses such as mononucleosis. Even common colds can cause hypersomnia as the body battles to fight an infection or bacteria. Brain damage resulting from a blow to the head or other injury can alter sleeping patterns permanently, and such conditions should only be treated by professionals in the medical field. Hypothyroidism is another illness that can alter sleeping patterns and promote excessive sleep, and this illness is usually treated with medication.
People who are overweight are generally considered to be more at risk for hypersomnia, which can also exacerbate weight gain. The body's metabolism slows during sleep, meaning the body produces less energy, which in turn makes it more difficult to burn fat and lose weight.