Sleeping too long at night ‘could lead to an early death’

Are you sleeping too long? Rex
Are you sleeping too long? Rex

It’s well known that sleeping too little is bad for your health – but a new study has shown that sleeping more than eight hours is also bad news.

People who regularly sleep more than eight hours actually have a higher risk of death than those who sleep for less than seven.

People who slept for more than 10 hours a night were 30% more likely to die prematurely than people who slept for eight hours.

The researchers reviewed data from 74 studies involving three million people, and suggested that excessive sleeping may be a ‘marker’ for poor health.

More than 10 hours sleep has been linked to an increased risk of early death, researchers say.

Lead researcher Dr Chun Shing Kwok, of Keele University said, ‘Abnormal sleep is a marker of elevated cardiovascular risk and greater consideration should be given in exploring both duration and sleep quality during patient consultations.

‘There are cultural, social, psychological, behavioural, pathophysiological and environmental influences on our sleep such as the need to care for children or family members, irregular working shift patterns, physical or mental illness, and the 24-hour availability of commodities in modern society.’

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