# Why does too much sleep make me feel groggy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-too-much-sleep-make-me-feel-groggy/434201>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 19, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-too-much-sleep-make-me-feel-groggy/434201 "2008-01-19T23:08:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-too-much-sleep-make-me-feel-groggy/434201/1 "2008-01-19T23:08:24Z")

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Some days I am a lazy slug and spend the day lounging around and napping and stuff like that. Today was one of those days.

But rather than feeling refreshed, I actually feel worse than I would have it I had gotten up and done something. I call it a sleep hangover.

Can someone explain this (or am I the only one that this happens to?)

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**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-too-much-sleep-make-me-feel-groggy/434201/2 "2008-01-20T01:50:23Z")

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I suspect it’s a blood sugar level thing.

BTW, did you know that the normal muscular stiffness that you feel upon waking is due to the same thing that causes _rigor mortis_ (that is, a lack of ATP)? :eek:

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-too-much-sleep-make-me-feel-groggy/434201/3 "2008-01-20T02:12:24Z")

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I think that happens to everyone. I have never heard a good explanation. I slept for over 24 hours once and felt like hell afterwards, I have never had a blood-sugar problem.

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-too-much-sleep-make-me-feel-groggy/434201/4 "2008-01-20T13:13:39Z")

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I also feel awful if I oversleep. I doubt it’s anything to do with blood sugar, or eating would make the grogginess go away, instead of lingering.

Perhaps it’s something to do with the sleep/dream cycle ? If waking up too soon can screw it up, perhaps sleeping too long can too.