Therapy for oversleeping and hypersomniaRested, not just asleep.
You sleep nine, ten, sometimes eleven hours, and you still wake up feeling as though you have not slept at all. You fight to stay awake in meetings or lectures, weekends disappear into the bed, and people around you assume you are simply lazy or unmotivated.
Online in English, with a therapist from our team, wherever you live · Sessions in Greek are with Matina Ladikou.
Each session lasts 45 minutes and costs 70 €. All fees
At Art of Mind, a centre founded by psychotherapist Matina LadikouAt a glance
- Format
- Online by video on Google Meet, 45-minute sessions.
- Who you work with
- A therapist from our team, in English. In Greek, Matina Ladikou.
- Getting started
- Send an enquiry; we reply within 24 hours.
There is help
You don’t have to face this on your own
That assumption is not only unfair; it can also hide a real problem that deserves proper attention.
Hypersomnia means excessive sleepiness or excessive sleep. It has many possible causes, some medical and some psychological, and they often overlap. At Art of Mind, a psychotherapy centre founded in Patras, Greece in 2019, our therapists offer online sessions in English for the psychological side: the low mood, stress, anxiety and habits that so often sit around oversleeping. This page explains how that works and why a medical check comes first.
What hypersomnia looks like
Hypersomnia is more than enjoying a lie-in. NHS specialists describe it as excessive daytime sleepiness that persists no matter how well or how long the person sleeps (Royal Papworth Hospital NHS). People commonly describe:
- very long nights that do not leave them refreshed;
- great difficulty waking up, sometimes with grogginess that lasts well into the morning;
- long daytime naps that do not help;
- struggling to concentrate, remember things or keep up at work or university;
- falling asleep at inappropriate moments, such as during conversations or while reading.
Some of these features can also point to specific sleep conditions. Narcolepsy, for example, can cause excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden sleep onset and episodes of muscle weakness triggered by strong emotions (NHS). That is one reason why the assessment of sleepiness belongs with doctors and sleep specialists.
Recognising it
Medical causes come first
Before anyone concludes that oversleeping is "psychological", the physical possibilities need to be considered. Excessive sleepiness can be linked to sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea or narcolepsy, to other medical conditions, and to the side effects of some medicines. Clinicians confirm excessive daytime sleepiness through clinical assessment and sleep testing; when no cause can be found, the diagnosis may be idiopathic hypersomnia, which is treated medically (Royal Papworth Hospital NHS).
The NHS advises seeing a doctor if you feel tired all the time without a clear reason, fall asleep suddenly during the day, or have sleep problems that worry you or affect daily life (NHS). If you are reading this from abroad, your local family doctor is the right first step, and they can arrange specialist tests if needed.
We are glad to work alongside your doctor or sleep specialist. In practice that means you can start talking with us while the medical side is being explored, as long as the medical assessment is not skipped.
The psychological side of sleeping too much
Hypersomnia and mood are closely intertwined. A review in BMC Medicine describes the associations between depressive symptoms and hypersomnia as complex and often bidirectional, and notes that among the many conditions linked to excessive sleepiness in the general population, mental health conditions, particularly depression, are the most frequent (Dauvilliers et al., 2013). The same review also found that in mood disorders, hypersomnia is often more a subjective experience of long hours in bed and heavy fatigue than an objectively longer sleep, which helps explain why "just sleeping less" rarely works.
Common psychological threads include:
Low mood and withdrawal
Bed can become a refuge from a day that feels empty or overwhelming.
Stress and overload
After long stretches of pressure, some people "crash" into sleep as a form of shutting down.
Anxiety
Worry at night can disrupt sleep quality, leading to long but unrestful nights.
Loss of structure
Remote work, unemployment, a move abroad or the end of studies can remove the anchors that keep the body clock steady.
Shame
Being labelled lazy can lead people to hide the problem rather than seek help, which keeps it going.
When a sleep disorder has been diagnosed, the psychological load does not disappear either. Living with unpredictable sleepiness can affect work, relationships and self-esteem, and those are things therapy can genuinely help with.
Our approach
How therapy can help
Our therapists take an evidence-informed, integrative approach, which means we combine methods according to what you need rather than applying a single script. With excessive sleepiness, sessions may include:
Making sense of the pattern
Looking at your sleep, energy and mood across a typical week, ideally with a simple sleep diary, so we can see what actually happens rather than what you fear is happening.
Working on mood
If low mood or depression is part of the picture, we work on it directly, drawing on CBT techniques where helpful, such as gradually re-introducing activities that give a sense of meaning or achievement.
Rebuilding structure gently
Consistent wake times, light and movement in the morning, and a realistic day plan can support the body clock, introduced in small steps that feel manageable.
Reducing stress and worry
Practical ways to lower the background stress that often drives the exhaustion-and-oversleeping cycle.
Self-compassion
Replacing the "I am lazy" story with a more accurate and kinder understanding of what your body and mind are dealing with.
We do not promise a cure or a fixed timeline, and therapy does not replace medical treatment for a sleep disorder. Results vary, and we review progress with you regularly so that sessions stay useful.
Online, by video
How online therapy with us works
Enquire
Use the enquiry form to tell us briefly what is going on, which country and time zone you are in, and when you are free. Please keep health details out of the form; we can talk about them in session. We reply within 24 hours.
Meet your therapist online
Sessions in English are with a therapist from our centre, by video on Google Meet, Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 21:00 Athens time.
Start with understanding
The first session covers your history, how sleep and mood affect your daily life, any medical assessments you have had, and what you hope to change. Together we agree an initial plan.
Continue at a sensible pace
Each session lasts 45 minutes and costs 70 €; see pricing. Many people start weekly.
For people who struggle to get going in the morning, online sessions can make the first step easier: there is no travel, and you can choose a time that suits your energy. Research supports video-based therapy as comparable to in-person treatment for mood and anxiety conditions (Shaker et al., 2023). Read more about the practical details on our online therapy page.
Is it time?
When to seek help
Speak to a doctor promptly if you:
- feel sleepy all the time without a clear reason;
- fall asleep suddenly during the day, or experience sudden muscle weakness with strong emotions;
- have been told you snore loudly or stop breathing during sleep;
- notice that sleepiness started with a new medicine.
Consider reaching out to a therapist as well if oversleeping comes with low mood, loss of interest, hopelessness, or if it is affecting your work, studies or relationships. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, please seek urgent help rather than waiting for a session.
If you need urgent help. In an emergency call 112. In Greece you can also call 1018 (suicide prevention) or 10306 (mental-health support). For helplines in your country, see findahelpline.com.
If you need urgent help
In an emergency call 112. In Greece you can also call 1018 (suicide prevention) or 10306 (mental-health support). For helplines in your country, see findahelpline.com.
Our founder
Art of Mind, founded by Matina Ladikou
A centre where you can talk without fear of judgement, at your own pace.
Matina Ladikou, psychotherapist and founder of Art of Mind, set up the centre in Patras, Greece, in 2019. Sessions in English are with a therapist from our team; sessions in Greek are with Matina, and you can book Greek sessions directly.
We don’t promise a “guaranteed” or “instant” result; we offer a space of trust and work at your own pace.
Trained in Biothymic Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnosis, in Mental Health Counselling and in NLP, with an MSc in Criminology from Panteion University.
About Matina and the centreNext step
Enquire about a session
If oversleeping is shrinking your days and you are tired of being told to "just get up earlier", let us talk about what might really be going on. Send a short message and we will reply within 24 hours.
Related pages: depression therapy · burnout therapy · pricing
Before you start
Frequently asked questions
Should I see a doctor or a therapist first?
A doctor first. Excessive sleepiness often has a physical cause, such as a sleep disorder, a medical condition or a medicine, and some of these need specific tests and treatment. Once medical causes have been looked at, or alongside that process, therapy can help with the mood, stress and routines around sleep.
Can depression make you sleep too much?
Yes, for some people. Research describes the relationship between depressive symptoms and hypersomnia as complex and often two-way: low mood can come with long hours in bed and heavy daytime fatigue, and persistent sleepiness can in turn affect mood. Exploring both sides is part of our first sessions.
Is it safe to drive if I feel sleepy during the day?
If you are falling asleep unexpectedly or struggle to stay awake, please do not drive until you have spoken to a doctor. Some sleep conditions carry legal driving rules, and a doctor can advise you on what applies where you live.
Will therapy make hypersomnia go away?
No therapist can promise that. Conditions such as narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia are managed medically. What therapy can offer is help with the low mood, anxiety, stress and daily structure that often travel with sleep problems, and support in living well alongside a diagnosis.
How do online sessions work?
Sessions in English take place by video on Google Meet with a therapist from our centre, Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 21:00 Athens time. Each session lasts 45 minutes. Send us an enquiry and we will reply within 24 hours.