Sleep is important, but oversleeping in children and adolescent is not a good thing
When it comes to children and adolescents’ sleeping habits, there can be too much of a good thing. The research shows that between seven and eight hours is the optimum amount of sleep to adequately rest the body and mind. If your child or teenager is sleeping much more than 9 hours per night then this oversleeping in itself can be a problem, but it may also indicate other problems.
Some people do actually suffer from a medical condition called hypersomnia this is relatively uncommon and your GP would need to diagnose this condition. Health issues or environmental factors cause most cases of oversleeping.
Stress can cause oversleeping in children and adolescent, along with other general health and lifestyle habits. Obviously not every child or teenager who oversleeps has a sleep disorder. Other possible causes of oversleeping include:
Mental health conditions:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Bullying
Physical issues:
- Sleep apnoea
- Obesity
- Pain
Environmental factors:
- Substances abuse including prescription medication
- Alcohol
- Caffeine