Do you ever wake up in the morning and wish that you could press snooze and go back to bed for about a week? Do you feel like even after eight, or even nine, hours of sleep that you still want another hour or two of slumber?

Scientists are still figuring out all the roles that sleep plays in our health, but they do know that sleeping is vital for brain function, memory, and physical health. It’s a time when our brains process all of the information and stimuli from the day, and it’s when our bodies repair, grow and heal.

So, wouldn’t it make sense that the more we sleep, the better health we’ll experience?

You’ve heard the phrase, “too much of a good thing,” and this principle applies to your bedtime, too. If you are someone who “needs” more than nine hours of sleep per night, you may be doing more harm than good. The effects of oversleeping include an increased risk of a variety of health challenges, including obesity, diabetes, depression, heart disease, mood disorders, and even death.

Scary, right? Before you panic and down a liter of Red Bull, let’s first define what oversleeping is. Then we’ll explore the causes and share some tips on how to get back on a healthier schedule.