Is 12-14 hours of sleep too much?

Question

I'm a 21 yr old dude, been living the highschool dropout / loner / dude won't get out of his parents basement dream for 4 years now. Obviously not impressive, but currently, it is what it is. Anyways, for these past 4 years I've been getting 12-14 hours of sleep everyday. Partying hard until 4 am, waking up between 4pm - 6pm. I'm physically fit, not depressed, maybe unmotivated? These un-needed hours of sleep are starting to interfere with my mental state (ive been feeling extremely mentally unstable) Talking to myself , animals, fighting air. Sad - Yes i agree. I guess my question is have I done too much damage or is it possible to save me? I've gotten so accustom to this lifestyle, it's hard to wake up. OH and I smoke a pack a day, this can't be good. any replys and i'll love ya forevaaaaaaa. Help me! Aquarius all the way

Answer 1

Actually yea, too much sleep IS bad for you...

I heard a little while ago about some new study that says sleeping excessively keeps your heart beating at a slower rate, therefore depriving your brain of essential oxygen longer than necessary. They say that sleeping just two hours more than necessary each day over your lifetime can actually DECREASE your life expectancy!

Try and wean yourself out of the "lifestyle" (it's much better than trying to jump out altogether). If you normally sleep like, 13, then start setting your alarm to wake you up after just 12. Do that for a week or so, then begin setting your alarm to wake you up after 11 hours for the next week, and so on. Aim for 7-9, no more, no less. If your alarm goes off and you don't want to get up, do it anyway. Drag your butt outta bed as SOON as the alarm goes off. If you turn it off and lay there or just keep hitting snooze, you're not doing yourself a favor. Get up and walk straight to the bathroom or something. Once you get up and moving around, you will feel more awake within minutes. So bare with it.

Start trying to get your life together and you will feel a MILLION times better. Much healthier and more accomplished. Start on your GED at least. You're going to have to get a job SOMEDAY, and a GED will make it much much easier. Next, start on slowing down on the cigarettes. Some people can quit cold-turkey, many can't. Do the same as you're doing for sleep... Wean your way off... If you normally smoke 20 cigs, then cut down to 19 for a couple days, then 18, then 17, etc... Put the extras in an empty pack. You may be able to smoke all 20 in one day, but if you only have like, 12 in your pack to start with, then you are more likely to smoke them more sparingly.

Well, the first step to any problem is admitting you have a problem and seek help, and you did. So congrats! :-)


PS: Too much sleep doesn't normally cause people to talk to themselves or fight air... Are you sure somebody isn't slipping stuff into your drinks or something? FYI: You should never drink something that has been out of your possession or eyesight for any length of time. You never know what could have happened to it...

Answer 2

hey grass swimmer sorry that you aren't doing too good. but i'm glad you know that something's not right in your situation. partying is (mostly) fine but if it's interfering with your sleep than it's interfering with your health. substance abuse can cause sleeping problems too. even if you are "fit" on the outside your body probably isn't doing too well on the inside. maybe try to lay off the partying. what's the old saying? just say no. then go to sleep. but this time try going to sleep at ten and waking up at ten. you will still get twelve hours of sleep so your body doesn't feel freaked out and deprived but you get on a healthier track with your sleeping time. gradually get up earlier. (gradually smoke less too , making a scheldule for what time you can have one and eventually/soon get some gum or the patch) .if you don't have an alarm clock then get one, set it, and plug it in on the other side of the room so you have to get up to get it.
i know you said you felt unstable but do you ever feel empty? if so do you think that your partying, sleeping, and smoking could be what you are using to try and fill that emptiness? if you are trying to fill an empty space with dangerous and potentially life threatening things should those really be your fillers? you have to ask yourself "if i did die (because of these things) where would i go?" cause despite what some people say, not everywhere is a party. please don't take these things as someone trying to trick you or make you mad. cause i just want you to know that someone out there cares for you and is praying for you.
feel free to reply to your post, to write me back if you like.

Answer 3

You are just not really so bad.As and when you feel for sure that you have had enough of this kind of life [Make sure you do] and need to Change your life style,draw a plan for it,Fix a day and begin.Since you have persisted with present life style for so long,it means that you have the will power and other qualities to go ahead and do some thing else with equal success.Once begun,don't look back till you have made it.YOU HAVE IT IN YOU and CAN DO IT.Good luck.

Answer 4

12-14 hours of sleep is a lot but i don't think it has anything to do with you feeling mentally unstable. Maybe the fact that you don't do anything productive, in the way society defines it, makes you feel depressed although you won't admit it.
Smoking a pack a day is also unhealthy but not for your mental health...

Answer 5

Well, look at it this way...
>most people spend 1/3 or their lives sleeping (8 hrs.).
>you are spending more than 1/2 of your life sleeping.

In this article "Sleep-how much is too much?"...
http://sleepdisorders.about.com/cs/symptomsofapnea/a/toomuch.htm
it states:
"Recent studies suggest that less than six hours of sleep can be detrimental to a person's health. The big surprise is that the same study also suggests that sleeping nine or more hours a night can be a danger to your health."

and, this article:
Too Much or Too Little Sleep Increases Diabetes Risk
http://www.yalemedicalgroup.org/news/ymg_yaggi2.html
"...men who slept more than eight hours per night were three times as likely to develop diabetes..."

Answer 6

Of course you can get your life together it's never to late go to college take some classes with friends...cut down on the partying abit...and get a good sleeping pattern....Maybe have your parents help you discuss how you feel with them... As for talking to animals and yourself maybe your bored... Don't waste time though put your life together make it happen cause you can...get ur GED maybe... just no change is never too late take care and best wishes

Answer 7

"Something"......now bare with me, here.....just a wee itty-bitty-bit-o-sump'n tells me that your astrological sign isn't going to be a major factor here.
You could check the basement for black mold.
Or you can get the hell outta your parents basement and go apply for some jobs, and join the world.
Or the black mold will infect you, and you will develop the spines of a sea urchin and crawl back into the ocean.
I'm sorry, dude if you were being serious, but would you mind if I beg you not to buy a gun, and spoil it all for the rest of us? Pretty please!
Thanks

Nad

Answer 8

Hey,if i'm not wrong,6-8 hours of sleep is normal for an average person.So, my conclusion is that 12-14 is slightly too much.

Answer 9

stop smoking
get fit
eat healthy
dont party as much

Answer 10

yes