Fortunately, during the pandemic I have been sleeping like a baby. I am usually fast asleep by 9pm and naturally rise around 6-6:30am. Getting 9-10 hours of sleep has become a norm for me in the past 12 months and when I get less than 9, there is a huge difference in my productivity and mood.

As more and more businesses start to open, my sister is convinced that I should adjust back to my sleeping patterns pre-pandemic, where my NYC nightlife lifestyle afforded me with 5-6 hours max per night. But I think that’s too little and she thinks I sleep too much. It’s made me wonder: how much sleep is too much sleep?

As it turns out, most healthy adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. It’s important to remember that “too much sleep” is relative from person to person. With that in mind, oversleeping, or sleeping longer than 10 hours, is a thing. And it’s not a very good thing. In fact, it could worsen underlying health problems.

Essentially, you should not worry if you’re sleeping up to 10 hours a night, especially if you’re feeling refreshed when you wake up. However, if you are getting the allotted seven to nine hours and still feeling lousy or groggy in the morning, then it’s worth mentioning to a doctor or sleep pathologist.

You could be waking up less rejuvenated because of the quality of your sleep. Certain things can cause you not to reach a deeper stage of REM, that allows the body and brain to unwind and restore for the next day. This can be caused by poor moods, stress and lack of exercise. To help you get to deeper sleep stages, try improving your routine by unwinding earlier in the day, working out and eating vegetables. And make sure to get sunlight if you can!