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Sarah Mitchell — Reviewed writer, former magazine editor

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How to Handle Stop Oversleeping Step by Step

When stop oversleeping leaves you confused, worried, or unsure what it means, a clear step-by-step approach can help you sort the signal from the stress. This guide explains how to understand the situation, reflect on what matters, choose a practical next step, and know when to ask for trusted support.

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Part 1

Adjusting Your Sleep Habits

Keep a regular sleep schedule

. Create a sleep schedule where you wake up and go to sleep at the same time everyday, even on weekends or days off. Sleep requirements vary from person to person, but on average, you should be getting seven and a half to eight hours of sleep to function during your waking hours. However, some people need as much as ten, due to sleep efficiency (how long is spent asleep) and.

Create a sleep schedule where you wake up and go to sleep at the same time everyday, even on weekends or days off.
Sleep requirements vary from person to person, but on average, you should be getting seven and a half to eight hours of sleep to function during your waking hours.
However, some people need as much as ten, due to sleep efficiency (how long is spent asleep) and.
Create a sleep schedule where you wake up and go to sleep at the same time everyday, even on weekends or days off.
Sleep requirements vary from person to person, but on average, you should be getting seven and a half to eight hours of sleep to function during your waking hours.

Turn off all electronics and distractions a few hours before bed.

Switch off your television, smartphone, iPad, and computer or keep all electronics out of your bedroom completely. The type of light these screens emit can stimulate your brain, suppress the production of melatonin (which helps you sleep), and interfere with your body’s internal clock.

Switch off your television, smartphone, iPad, and computer or keep all electronics out of your bedroom completely.
The type of light these screens emit can stimulate your brain, suppress the production of melatonin (which helps you sleep), and interfere with your body’s internal clock.
Switch off your television, smartphone, iPad, and computer or keep all electronics out of your bedroom completely.
The type of light these screens emit can stimulate your brain, suppress the production of melatonin (which helps you sleep), and interfere with your body’s internal clock.
Switch off your television, smartphone, iPad, and computer or keep all electronics out of your bedroom completely.

Set an alarm to remind you it’s time for bed.

If you tend to get wrapped up in evening activities or conversations and forget to stick to your sleep schedule, you can set an alarm on your phone or computer to alert you 1 hour or 30 minutes before bedtime.

If you tend to get wrapped up in evening activities or conversations and forget to stick to your sleep schedule, you can set an alarm on your phone or computer to alert you 1 hour or 30 minutes before bedtime.
If you tend to get wrapped up in evening activities or conversations and forget to stick to your sleep schedule, you can set an alarm on your phone or computer to alert you 1 hour or 30 minutes before bedtime.
If you tend to get wrapped up in evening activities or conversations and forget to stick to your sleep schedule, you can set an alarm on your phone or computer to alert you 1 hour or 30 minutes before bedtime.
If you tend to get wrapped up in evening activities or conversations and forget to stick to your sleep schedule, you can set an alarm on your phone or computer to alert you 1 hour or 30 minutes before bedtime.
If you tend to get wrapped up in evening activities or conversations and forget to stick to your sleep schedule, you can set an alarm on your phone or computer to alert you 1 hour or 30 minutes before bedtime.

Do a relaxing activity before bed.

This could be a warm bath, reading a good book, or having a quiet conversation with your partner. Relaxing hobbies or activities are also an excellent choice. Doing a restful activity will help to trigger your brain to start relaxing and shutting down.

This could be a warm bath, reading a good book, or having a quiet conversation with your partner.
Relaxing hobbies or activities are also an excellent choice.
Doing a restful activity will help to trigger your brain to start relaxing and shutting down.
This could be a warm bath, reading a good book, or having a quiet conversation with your partner.
Relaxing hobbies or activities are also an excellent choice.

Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet.

Put up heavy curtains or shades to block the light from windows. Cover any electronic displays, like TVs or computers so the light does not glow in the room. You can also use a sleep mask to cover your eyes to help you sleep.

Put up heavy curtains or shades to block the light from windows.
Cover any electronic displays, like TVs or computers so the light does not glow in the room.
You can also use a sleep mask to cover your eyes to help you sleep.
Put up heavy curtains or shades to block the light from windows.
Cover any electronic displays, like TVs or computers so the light does not glow in the room.

Wake up with the sun.

You can also set a timer so bright lights come on in your room in the morning at the same time every day. Sunlight helps your body’s internal clock to reset itself each day, and increases sleep pressure. This will also help you avoid oversleeping, as the sun will cause you to wake up.

You can also set a timer so bright lights come on in your room in the morning at the same time every day.
Sunlight helps your body’s internal clock to reset itself each day, and increases sleep pressure.
This will also help you avoid oversleeping, as the sun will cause you to wake up.
You can also set a timer so bright lights come on in your room in the morning at the same time every day.
Sunlight helps your body’s internal clock to reset itself each day, and increases sleep pressure.

Avoid hitting the snooze button on your alarm.

Though you may be tempted to sleep for just five more minutes in the morning for some extra sleep, hitting the “snooze” button on your alarm will in fact make you more tired. When you hit snooze, your brain goes even deeper into your sleep cycle. By the time you hit “snooze” several more times, and finally wake up, you will feel groggy and even more tired than if you got up with your alarm.

Though you may be tempted to sleep for just five more minutes in the morning for some extra sleep, hitting the “snooze” button on your alarm will in fact make you more tired.
When you hit snooze, your brain goes even deeper into your sleep cycle.
By the time you hit “snooze” several more times, and finally wake up, you will feel groggy and even more tired than if you got up with your alarm.
Though you may be tempted to sleep for just five more minutes in the morning for some extra sleep, hitting the “snooze” button on your alarm will in fact make you more tired.
When you hit snooze, your brain goes even deeper into your sleep cycle.

Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room.

Rather than having your alarm close to your bed, where you can easily hit the snooze button or shut off your alarm, put your alarm clock somewhere that forces you to get out of bed. That way, you will be forced to get out of bed in the morning to shut your alarm clock off.

Rather than having your alarm close to your bed, where you can easily hit the snooze button or shut off your alarm, put your alarm clock somewhere that forces you to get out of bed.
That way, you will be forced to get out of bed in the morning to shut your alarm clock off.
Rather than having your alarm close to your bed, where you can easily hit the snooze button or shut off your alarm, put your alarm clock somewhere that forces you to get out of bed.
That way, you will be forced to get out of bed in the morning to shut your alarm clock off.
Rather than having your alarm close to your bed, where you can easily hit the snooze button or shut off your alarm, put your alarm clock somewhere that forces you to get out of bed.

Invest in a graduating-light alarm clock.

These alarm clocks grow progressively brighter as it gets closer to your wake up time. This light will help you wake up slowly and hopefully, easily, without shocking your body with a sudden alarm. Graduating-light alarm clocks are also good for the winter, when the mornings are dark and it can be hard to get out of bed.

These alarm clocks grow progressively brighter as it gets closer to your wake up time.
This light will help you wake up slowly and hopefully, easily, without shocking your body with a sudden alarm.
Graduating-light alarm clocks are also good for the winter, when the mornings are dark and it can be hard to get out of bed.
These alarm clocks grow progressively brighter as it gets closer to your wake up time.
This light will help you wake up slowly and hopefully, easily, without shocking your body with a sudden alarm.

Make your morning routine

positive and consistent. Stretch and get up, open the curtains of your room and let the morning light in. Treat the morning like a positive experience and commit to looking forward to your day.

positive and consistent.
Stretch and get up, open the curtains of your room and let the morning light in.
Treat the morning like a positive experience and commit to looking forward to your day.
positive and consistent.
Stretch and get up, open the curtains of your room and let the morning light in.

Try waking up without your alarm

. If you stick to a consistent sleep schedule and maintaining a regular sleeping pattern, you likely will be able to get up on your own, without an alarm and without oversleeping.

If you stick to a consistent sleep schedule and maintaining a regular sleeping pattern, you likely will be able to get up on your own, without an alarm and without oversleeping.
If you stick to a consistent sleep schedule and maintaining a regular sleeping pattern, you likely will be able to get up on your own, without an alarm and without oversleeping.
If you stick to a consistent sleep schedule and maintaining a regular sleeping pattern, you likely will be able to get up on your own, without an alarm and without oversleeping.
If you stick to a consistent sleep schedule and maintaining a regular sleeping pattern, you likely will be able to get up on your own, without an alarm and without oversleeping.
If you stick to a consistent sleep schedule and maintaining a regular sleeping pattern, you likely will be able to get up on your own, without an alarm and without oversleeping.

Part 2

Adjusting Your Daily Habits

Avoid consuming caffeine

five to ten hours before your bedtime. For most people, about half the caffeine you consume at 6-7 pm is still in your body at 11 pm. Caffeine is a stimulant and can be found in coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, non-herbal teas, diet drugs, and some pain relievers. Marc Kayem, MD Otolaryngologist Expert Interview Limit how much you have several hours before bed, or try to eliminate caffeine in your diet all together.

five to ten hours before your bedtime.
For most people, about half the caffeine you consume at 6-7 pm is still in your body at 11 pm.
Caffeine is a stimulant and can be found in coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, non-herbal teas, diet drugs, and some pain relievers.
Marc Kayem, MD Otolaryngologist Expert Interview Limit how much you have several hours before bed, or try to eliminate caffeine in your diet all together.
five to ten hours before your bedtime.

Don’t nap after 3 pm.

The best time for a nap is usually mid afternoon, before 3 pm. This is the time of day you naturally experience sleepiness or a lowered alertness. Naps taken before 3 pm may not interfere with your nighttime sleep.

The best time for a nap is usually mid afternoon, before 3 pm.
This is the time of day you naturally experience sleepiness or a lowered alertness.
Naps taken before 3 pm may not interfere with your nighttime sleep.
The best time for a nap is usually mid afternoon, before 3 pm.
This is the time of day you naturally experience sleepiness or a lowered alertness.

Start a sleep journal.

A sleep journal or diary can be a useful tool to help you identify any habits that may be keeping you awake at night and causing you to oversleep in the morning. You may be able to also pinpoint if you are displaying symptoms of a sleep disorder. Update your sleep journal with notes on:

A sleep journal or diary can be a useful tool to help you identify any habits that may be keeping you awake at night and causing you to oversleep in the morning.
You may be able to also pinpoint if you are displaying symptoms of a sleep disorder.
Update your sleep journal with notes on:
A sleep journal or diary can be a useful tool to help you identify any habits that may be keeping you awake at night and causing you to oversleep in the morning.
You may be able to also pinpoint if you are displaying symptoms of a sleep disorder.

Use sleeping pills only when necessary.

When you take sleeping pills for a brief period of time, and based on your doctor’s recommendations, they can help you fall asleep. But they are just a temporary solution, and worse than other methods. In fact, sleeping pills can often make insomnia and other sleep issues worse in the long term.

When you take sleeping pills for a brief period of time, and based on your doctor’s recommendations, they can help you fall asleep.
But they are just a temporary solution, and worse than other methods.
In fact, sleeping pills can often make insomnia and other sleep issues worse in the long term.
When you take sleeping pills for a brief period of time, and based on your doctor’s recommendations, they can help you fall asleep.
But they are just a temporary solution, and worse than other methods.

Be aware of over-the-counter medications that can lead to insomnia and sleep issues.

Many of the side effects of these drugs can have adverse effects on your sleep patterns and daytime alertness. Common medications that can disturb your sleep include:

Many of the side effects of these drugs can have adverse effects on your sleep patterns and daytime alertness.
Common medications that can disturb your sleep include:
Many of the side effects of these drugs can have adverse effects on your sleep patterns and daytime alertness.
Common medications that can disturb your sleep include:
Many of the side effects of these drugs can have adverse effects on your sleep patterns and daytime alertness.

Part 3

Talking to Your Doctor

Speak to your doctor about problems with oversleeping.

Your doctor needs to know if you are having chronic issues with sleep. It is a serious issue. If you constantly oversleep throughout the week, you may suffer from headaches or back pain. Oversleeping affects the neurotransmitters in your brain and lead to headaches. Back pain can be caused from sleeping on a regular mattress for a prolonged period of time.

Your doctor needs to know if you are having chronic issues with sleep.
It is a serious issue.
If you constantly oversleep throughout the week, you may suffer from headaches or back pain.
Oversleeping affects the neurotransmitters in your brain and lead to headaches.
Back pain can be caused from sleeping on a regular mattress for a prolonged period of time.

Get tested for sleep disorders.

There are many medical conditions and disorders that can interfere with sleep. Let your doctor know about specific symptoms or patterns in your sleep issues. If you can’t get up in the morning due to oversleeping, have difficulty staying awake while sitting still, fall asleep while driving, and require caffeine every day to stay awake, you may have a sleep disorder. There are four main types of sleep disorders:

There are many medical conditions and disorders that can interfere with sleep.
Let your doctor know about specific symptoms or patterns in your sleep issues.
If you can’t get up in the morning due to oversleeping, have difficulty staying awake while sitting still, fall asleep while driving, and require caffeine every day to stay awake, you may have a sleep disorder.
There are four main types of sleep disorders:
There are many medical conditions and disorders that can interfere with sleep.

Talk to your doctor about attending a sleep center.

If your doctor refers you to a sleep center, a specialist will observe your sleep patterns, brain waves, heart rate, and rapid eye movement with monitoring devices attached to your body. The sleep specialist will analyze the results from your sleep study and design a custom treatment program.

If your doctor refers you to a sleep center, a specialist will observe your sleep patterns, brain waves, heart rate, and rapid eye movement with monitoring devices attached to your body.
The sleep specialist will analyze the results from your sleep study and design a custom treatment program.
If your doctor refers you to a sleep center, a specialist will observe your sleep patterns, brain waves, heart rate, and rapid eye movement with monitoring devices attached to your body.
The sleep specialist will analyze the results from your sleep study and design a custom treatment program.
If your doctor refers you to a sleep center, a specialist will observe your sleep patterns, brain waves, heart rate, and rapid eye movement with monitoring devices attached to your body.

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