Hypersomnia is a condition that makes you feel extremely sleepy during the daytime despite getting adequate sleep at night. If you have hypersomnia, you will fall asleep often during the day. It can also affect your focus and productivity level, increase your chances of accidents and affects your quality of life.
Hypersomnia is more commonly found in females than males. It affects around 1% of the population in South Africa. Anyone can develop this problem, especially adolescents and young adults.
Hypersomnia has some easily noticeable symptoms, including:
There are many causes of hypersomnia, which are:
To diagnose hypersomnia, a health expert will check your medical history and symptoms. They also conduct a physical exam to test for alertness. Several tests and treatment methods your doctor might suggest are:
Hypersomnia can cause vehicle accidents, as you can fall asleep while driving. You may also feel tired all the time. It might even trigger anxiety and depression. If you notice any signs of hypersomnia, you must see a doctor to control the condition before it worsens.
If you are diagnosed with hypersomnia, your health expert will prescribe several drugs, such as antidepressants, stimulants, and new medications like Xyrem and Wakix. They can also advise you on a treatment called continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP.
In this treatment, you cover your nose with a mask during sleep. The mask will be attached to a machine providing continuous airflow into your nostrils. This will help you open your airways. If you take any medications, discuss them with your doctor. When you are under treatment, you will need to go to sleep earlier to get more sleep at night and eliminate caffeine and alcohol.
If you have not developed this condition yet, you can prevent it by improving your sleep pattern. Get in bed at the same time every day, create a cool and comfortable sleep environment, avoid working late at night, change medications that cause drowsiness, and avoid drinking a few hours before sleeping time. These things can help you reduce the risk of hypersomnia if you do not have an underlying health condition.