If someone sleeps 12 hours a night, could it indicate a health problem?

Question

Let's say someone sleeps for 12 hours.. they set alarms right by their head, but are in such a deep sleep that they don't wake up. Let's also assume that they do not have mono, and are not sleeping out of laziness or boredom; they have a job, school and other obligations, but are dead tired when they get home and fall right asleep for half of a day. Are there other health problems that could cause such a long period of sleep?

Answer 1

hi some people need more sleep than others , however 12 hours is a long time it would be well worth getting some blood tests to rule out a thyriod problem or diabetes , also people who are depressed sleep longer , i would make a appointment with our doctor to get a health assesment , good luck x

Answer 2

If this is an occasional thing, if might be fine, but if this is pretty regular, there are a whole host of possible health problems which can cause this sort of problem, including but not limited to...

1) Depression
2) Sleep apnea
3) A form of narcolepsy
4) Iron-deficient anemia
5) Diabetes
6) Asthma
7) Restless leg syndrome
8) Poor nutrition
9) Hypoglycemia
10) Allergies
11) Substance abuse
12) Side effects of medication
13) Withdrawal
14) Toxicity
15) Thyroid problems
16) Lack of exercise
17) Low metabolism
18) Neurological problems (e.g., circadian rhythm, vagus nerve)
19) Adrenal problems
20) Extremely tired eye muscles

And on and on and on...

So if this is a regular thing, please have this person go to a doctor, and prepare them to be referred to a specialist or two. This could be very, very important.

Answer 3

I'd think you'd have enough sense to google this but no point in saying that now, lol. Uh, I think 8 or more hours is the best but 5 hours is fine too, Minimum I would have to say is 6 but it really does depend on the person, since some people get by with just 3 hours of sleep. It depends on you, although I recommend at least 6 hours of sleep, I guess you could make up for it later.

Answer 4

♥ Is this happening every night or once a week? once a month? If its happening every night I'd worry about possibly depression or some other medical problem. If its happening only once a week, or less often then at the time you sleep for the 12 hours your body [[and mind]] could just be soo exhausted that you NEED the sleep to keep going. If its everyday call your doctor and he will determine what is causing this. Good Luck!

Answer 5

The duration of sleep normally depends on age. A new born child sleeps for 23 hours or more whereas a person in his eighties will sleep for 3 to 4 hours. Presuming that the persons you are referring are middle aged, a sleep duration of 8 to 9 hours should suffice. Some persons form a habit of sleeping for longer hours and that is not unhealthy. Remember, that no pharmacy in the world has discovered a superior medicine than God given medicine of "sleeping ".

Answer 6

Any change in sleeping habits should be considered a warning sign of physical or mental problems, but if you´ve always needed to sleep a lot just try to go to bed earlier.
If this has been happening lately, there are lots of illnesses that can cause it, depression for starters can make you feel tired and sluggish, but so can an underactive thyroid, problems with your immune system, or even cancer.

Answer 7

Yes, there are lots of problems that can have symptoms of tiredness, etc - thyroid problems, hormone imbalances, some other diseases.
If you're concerned, talk to your doctor about it.
Also, it's easy to get into the habit of sleeping too much - it actually makes you more tired. People can actually be perfectly healthy and just be in the habit of oversleeping. I've done this before, and limiting myself to 8 hours a day of sleep and getting exercise regularly worked wonders.

Answer 8

i am retired and sleep between 8~12 hours per night...i have always slept well.except when i was working and had to start work at 3am!!!....i retired 9 years ago.....and have Health checks about every 2 years...my recent one tells me all is normal....i am not depressed,in fact i am the exact opposite....i do not owe anyone in the world any money...i have no worries....just enjoy life.

Answer 9

to some sleeping is a way of escape and it sounds as if your friend is trying to get away from the reality of all the work they do. but there are times when the body just needs to catch up on all the rest it can and 12 hours is just time spent recuperating. and it is healthy to sleep as this is the only time that your body can restore itself.

Answer 10

yes, it could be a whole bunch of things. sleeping that much could indicate depression, vitamin deficiencies, immune system problems, and many other things. i would check with a doctor to find out what is going on.