Sleep isn't simply a nightly routine, it's an important pillar of health that dictates everything from mood and energy levels to memory and brain structure. Although the risks of short sleep are well-known, increasing research indicates that sleeping too much is equally, if not more, troubling when it comes to the long-term health of your brain.

A recent study by Professor Jianfeng Feng at the University of Warwick has put forward a new understanding of the sleep-health connection: short and long sleep durations are both biologically different patterns with differing, but significant, risks to mental, emotional, and physical health. The results are a wake-up call for the way we consider our sleep behaviors—not only how much we're lacking, but how much we might be overdoing it.

The study team looked at data from about 500,000 UK Biobank adults aged 38 to 73 and measured how their sleep time corresponded to brain structure and function. Study participants were divided into short sleepers (fewer than 7 hours) and long sleepers (longer than 7 hours), with their brain imaging, genetic information, and health outcomes compared.

Short sleepers had less brain matter in areas of emotional regulation and complained of more depression symptoms, tiredness, and muscle-skeletal complaints.

Long sleepers, on the other hand, exhibited signs of more loss of brain matter in areas of memory, worse metabolic health, increased inflammation, and more risk markers for cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia.

Professor Feng said, "Short sleep is usually an underlying cause of illness, while long sleep tends to be indicative of pre-existing conditions." Simply put, long sleep won't necessarily lead to disease—it could be an early warning sign for them.

Why Oversleeping Is a Red Flag, Not a Luxury?

Sleeping nine or more hours a night on a regular basis—and still feeling tired—is medically referred to as hypersomnia. Unlike occasional weekend lie-ins, hypersomnia signals something deeper. Individuals often report hitting snooze repeatedly, waking up unrefreshed, and struggling with concentration or memory throughout the day.

As per recent evidence in JAMA Neurology, long sleepers scored significantly worse on cognitive assessments such as the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and self-reported lower cognitive abilities. The relationship was strongest in older populations, where sleep for more than 10 hours per night was associated with increased risks for dementia and cognitive disorders.

This inverted U-shaped relationship between sleep length and brain functioning—where too little and too much sleep are both associated with worse results—is repeatedly confirmed by various studies.

Oversleeping and Mental Health

Oversleeping isn't only a sign of cognitive problems—it's also associated with mental health. Hypersomnia and depression tend to go hand in hand. About 15% of people with major depressive disorder describe oversleeping as a symptom. Others use excessive sleep as a defense against emotional pain, but it boomerangs. Prolonged sleep worsens depressive symptoms and impairs daytime functioning, creating a vicious cycle.

One big study of more than 24,000 U.S. adults discovered that those who slept more than 10 hours a day had a greater incidence of psychiatric disorders and higher psychological distress. These individuals also had higher rates of early life trauma and unhealed emotional wounds, indicating more profound psychological underpinnings for chronic oversleeping.

Cardiovascular, Metabolic and Inflammatory Risks

The physical health consequences of excessive sleeping are just as disturbing. The American Heart Association research published in Circulation reported that long sleepers had as much as a 50% increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, especially among patients with coronary artery disease.

Oversleeping also leads to:

• Obesity and Type 2 diabetes
• Increased BMI and greater cholesterol imbalance
• Higher pro-inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which are linked to systemic inflammation and risk of disease

Dr. Arshed Quyymi, director of Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, highlights the risk: "There is almost a 40 to 50% higher risk of dying if you are sleeping too little or too much."

What is the U-Shaped Curve?

Many meta-analyses reproduce the U-shaped relation between sleep and cognition. Severe durations at both extremes of the curve have been related to increased brain aging. More sophisticated findings, however, indicate that short and long sleep may have an impact on various cognitive abilities. For instance:

Short sleep has a damaging effect on attention, emotional processing, and working memory

Long sleep is related to impairment of decision-making, processing speed, and executive function

These observations highlight the need for individually tailored sleep advice, considering both patient-specific genetic, psychological, and physiological factors.

How to Identify and Address Oversleeping?

So, what can you do if you think you're sleeping too much? Begin by assessing whether this habit has continued for longer than 6-8 weeks and whether you continually feel un-rested after "enough" hours. Prolonged hypersomnia should trigger a visit to a sleep specialist or healthcare provider to exclude underlying causes such as sleep apnea, depression, or thyroid disease.

At-home remedies to reset your sleep habit are:

• Implementing a consistent wake-up time even on weekends
• Positioning the alarm in an inaccessible location to deter snoozing
• Prioritizing early morning activities such as a walk or breakfast rendezvous
• Brushing teeth and washing face the moment you wake up
• Prohibiting returning to bed after rising
• A well-organized, deliberate morning routine can facilitate a stronger, healthier circadian rhythm and better daytime alertness.

Sleep is a keystone of mental and physical well-being, but moderation is required. While chronic sleep loss can impair emotional control and cardiovascular health, routine sleeping too much can herald early neurological deterioration, inflammation, and concealed psychological anguish.

Health professionals are now urging us to shift our way of speaking about sleep—not just about avoiding too little, but about recognizing the dangers of too much. Individualized sleep profiles, according to age, lifestyle, and medical conditions, could provide the best way forward.

If you’re waking up tired every day despite long hours of sleep, it may not be rest your body is craving—it may be time for a deeper health check-in.

California made it news for a disease that has no vaccination. This is the human metapneumovirus or the HMPV. While some of the symptoms of this virus are similar to that of any common cold or influenza like cough, fever, nasal congestion or shortness of breath, there are several symptoms that are unique to the disease.

Unique Symptoms Of HMPV - The Virus Without Vaccine

Unlike mild common colds, HMPV often presents with a high-grade fever, particularly in children. Some of the other symptoms also include persistent coughing, including dry or productive and may persist for a long duration.

Furthermore, it could cause wheezing, difficulty in breathing, which could also lead to severe lower respiratory tract illness like bronchiolitis or pneumonia. In children and older adults, it could also cause severe or often fatal bronchiolitis or rapid-onset pneumonia.

In infants, it could also exhibit irritability, poor feeding, or dehydration.

Other symptoms, which could resemble common cold like symptoms are:

• cough
• fever
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
• body ache
• headache

What Is Happening In California?

As per the public database WasterwaterScan Dashboard, high levels of HMPV were detected across Northern California cities. The highest levels were reported in Redwood City, whereas elevated levels were found in San Francisco Bay Area and Napa's Wine Country. What's more dangerous is that this virus is without a vaccine.

The good news is that in other parts of country HMPV remains lower. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that data from October 2025 shows the cases are trending up, especially during winter and spring.

Read: Virus Without Vaccine Hits California; No Need To Worry, Say Public Health Officials

Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, as reported by The Independent said, "In the late winter, early spring, it can account for five percent to 10 percent of all the respiratory infections that we diagnose in the United States. So it's definitely out there." Experts explain that other viruses like HMPV or influenza get a chance when COVID is quieter.

What Is HMPV - The Virus Without Vaccine?

HMPV was first discovered in 2001 and is part of the Pneumoviridae family along with the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

HMPV most likely spreads from an infected person to others through:

• the air by coughing and sneezing
• close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
• touching objects or surfaces that have the viruses on them, then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes

In the US, HMPV circulates in predictable patterns each year, typically beginning in winter and lasting through spring.

Who Are At Risk Of HMPV?

People at risk include:

• elderly people
• children
• people with comorbidities

"The HMPV is not deadly, and there is no evidence of mortality or a severe transmission rate," former Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) scientist, Dr. Raman Gangakhedkar, told IANS, during the virus's outbreak in India in 2025.

“The virus may cause pneumonitis-like illness, but the mortality rates are almost unknown so far. HMPV has a global prevalence of about 4 per cent,” he added.

Smoking has been long recognized as one of the worst habits a person can have, and Dr Jeremy London agrees with this statement. Dr. London, a cardiovascular surgeon, in a recent interview with Mel Robbins revealed that his number one advice as a heart doctor is to avoid smoking.

“I cannot come up with one single thing that does as much damage to every organ in the body as smoking cigarettes. And look, it's incredibly addictive and I know that and I pass no judgment because I know how difficult it is.”

He explained that in his practice he has dealt with chronic smokers for years and still believed that it is the single most dangerous thing one can do to themselves.

Also Read: Why Is It Harder For Women To Quit Smoking?

How Does Smoking Affect Other Organs?

Emphasizing how this one habit affects all organs in our body, Dr London mentioned the well-known link between lung cancer and smoking.

However, there are many more chronic diseases associated with the rest of the body that can develop due to smoking apart from lung conditions, according to the American Lung Association.

Here is what you should keep an eye out for:

Heart Disease

Also Read: 3 Science-Backed Methods To Quit Smoking For Good

Asthma

Reproductive Health

Vision Loss

Lung Cancer

Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, accounting for nearly 90 percent of all cases. Although medical treatments have improved, the five-year survival rate remains low. Quitting is the most effective way to lower your risk of this deadly disease.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Other Cancers

Fasting for three hours before bed can significantly improve heart health and reduce the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) as well as other chronic conditions, an Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology study suggests.

While many believe that diet plans such as intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating can help reduce their weight, researchers at Northwestern University have found that not eating three hours before going to sleep can reduce overnight blood pressure by nearly four percent, heart rate by five percent and strengthen overall heart rhythms.

This can help reduce overall strain on the heart which lowers risks for conditions like hypertension and CAD. Additionally, the scientists also discovered a drop in blood sugar levels, improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.

Participants who underwent glucose tests also showed better insulin release which tend to stabilize during the day. Additionally, an improved heart rate also lowered nighttime cortisol, which helped in metabolic balance.

Dr. Phyllis Zee, director of the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine and chief of sleep medicine in the department of neurology at Feinberg and corresponding author said of the results: "It's not only how much and what you eat, but also when you eat relative to sleep that is important for the physiological benefits of time-restricted eating."

The study authors also noted: "Extending overnight fasting duration by three hours in alignment with sleep improved cardiometabolic health in middle-aged/older adults by strengthening coordination between circadian- and sleep-regulated autonomic and metabolic activity.

"This sleep-aligned time-restricted eating approach represents a novel, accessible lifestyle intervention with promising potential for improving cardiometabolic function."

Coronary Artery Disease: The Silent Killer

Despite being as a common heart disease, coronary artery disease (CAD) develops over years and has no clear signs and symptoms apart from a heart attack. The illness begins due to a buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances known as plaque in and on the artery walls.

Over time, this can cause narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries and block the supply of oxygen-rich blood to heart which can lead chest pain (angina), shortness of breath and ultimately, heart attacks.

Typically, those above the age of 45, having a biological family member with heart disease, lack of sleep, smoking, consuming saturated fats along with other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can increase the risk of developing CAD.

Treatment options may include medicines and surgery. Eating a nutritious diet, getting regular exercise and not smoking can help also prevent CAD and the conditions that can cause it.

Nearly one in 10 Indian adults suffer from CAD and about two million people die from the disease annually. Apart from this, about 18 to 20 million American adults aged 20 and older are also affected about the disease.

Strokes: A Rising Crisis In India

One in seven stroke patients in India are young adults aged below 45 years, with hypertension leading as the major risk factor, according to a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 identified hypertension, air pollution, tobacco smoking, high cholesterol, increased salt intake, and diabetes as the leading risk factors of stroke.

Incidence of stroke is increasing significantly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially in India, due to population growth, aging, and greater exposure to risk factors.