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Hypersomnia

Hypersomnia refers to either excessive sleepiness during the day or extended, overly long periods of nighttime sleep. Other words that are synonymous with hypersomnia are excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), excessive sleepiness, or somnolence.

Hypersomnia is fairly common affecting almost 5 percent of the population. The age groups most affected by hypersomnia are teenagers and young adults. As with most sleep disorders, hypersomnia is underreported because many people inaccurately believe that always feeling sleepy and taking naps are normal behavior.

The Medline government medical dictionary defines Idiopathic Hypersomnia as “excessive sleeping without obvious cause.” It is completely different from Narcolepsy which is characterized by sudden sleep spells and losing muscle control. But there is hope for Hypersomnia sufferers because for many people with sleep disorders, a few simple lifestyle changes can greatly affect your sleeping habits.

The Difference between fatigue and Hypersomnia

A distinction should be made between simple tiredness, fatigue, or depression, and hypersomnia. Sleep deprivation is a common state for most of the population - many people are tired or sluggish at certain periods during the day.

A depressed person either will not want to get out of bed or will suffer from insomnia, even though he or she feels a nap will improve the depression. On the contrary, hypersomniacs are so sleepy during the day that they are compelled to sleep or “take a nap.” These individuals fall asleep during movies, dinner, or even in conversation. Similarly, they may sleep ten hours or longer during one sleep cycle, rather than the average eight.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Hypersomnia can include any of a combination of the following characteristics:

  • Feeling unusually tired all or most of the time
  • The need for daytime naps
  • Feeling drowsy, despite sleeping and napping
  • Difficulty thinking and making decisions: the mind feels foggy, cloudy or distracted
  • Feeling apathetic and losing care and interest in things you once loved
  • Memory or concentration difficulties
  • An increased risk of accidents, especially motor vehicle accidents

Causes

Even if a sleep study is performed on the patient, it is difficult for doctors to pinpoint the exact cause of a sleeping disorder. There are several causes that are plausible factors for Hypersomnia.

  • Insufficient or inadequate sleep: Working long hours, waking up too early and just generally not getting enough restorative sleep can go on for months before symptoms of hypersomnia take effect.
  • Environmental factors: Fragmented sleep can be caused numerous things, such as a snoring partner, a crying baby, noisy neighbors, heat, cold or sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress.
  • Shift work: Shift work makes it especially difficult to get the quality sleep you need since the body’s natural response to light is to be awake and to sleep when it is dark. As well as the problem of trying to sleep, there is also the effect of being out of synchronization with the body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm. Light therapy devices can help reset your circadian rhythem and increase energy naturally.
  • Mental stress: Anxiety can keep a person awake at night making them prone to daytime sleepiness. Depression disorders as well as mental health in general can greatly affect the quality and quantity of sleep a person acquires each night.
  • Medications: Such things as alcohol, caffeinated drinks, tranquilizers, sleeping pills and antihistamines can disrupt sleeping patterns. You may want to ask your doctor about a natural supplement for relaxation and sleep as an alternative.
  • Medical conditions: Hypothyroidism (an under active thyroid gland), acid reflux, nocturnal asthma and chronic pain conditions directly affect sleep because the discomfort of the other condition will effect how you get to sleep, and stay asleep.
  • Changes to time zone: Jet lag or working night shifts affect sleep patterns. Sleep is regulated by an internal biological clock that responds to light.
  • Sleep disorders: Sleep Apnea, Restless Leg Syndrome, Somnambulism (sleep walking), Narcolepsy, Idiopathic Hypersomnia and Insomnia can all cause another sleep disorder.

Healthy Strategies

  • Avoid cigarettes, alcohol and caffeinated drinks near bed time.
  • Relaxation techniques, such as biofeedback devices, aromatherapy and sound therapy, help prevent night time anxiety.
  • Exercise regularly and maintain a normal weight for your height.
  • Eat a well-balanced diet to prevent vitamin or nutritional deficiencies.
  • Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature; neither too cold nor too hot. Some doctors believe that a cooler bedroom is more comfortable for sleep.
  • Have a regular sleeping routine so that your body “knows” it is time to sleep.
  • Only go to bed when you feel truly sleep. Do not use the bed to do any active such as paying bills or watching television, with sex as the only exception.
  • Avoid daytime napping.

These simple lifestyle adjustments can truly be life-saving because they decrease your risk for developing sleep disorders which are serious conditions that affect not only nighttime sleep but daytime energy, mood and overall health and well-being.