Hypersomnia – What is it?
Hypersomnolence is recurrent episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness or prolonged nighttime sleep. Everyone will find themselves feeling sleep deprived or extremely tired during the day at different times in their lives. However, for someone with hypersomnolence, this feeling can be an everyday occurrence and comes even after they have slept for the recommended amount of hours. No matter how much sleep they get, they fail to awake feeling refreshed and are excessively sleepy throughout the day.
Hypersomnolence’s primary symptom is excessive sleepiness, despite getting at least seven hours of sleep a night. Other symptoms include:
- falling asleep several times during the day, but not waking up refreshed and re-energized
- not feeling rested after sleeping more than nine hours
- experiencing difficulty waking up after sleeping
- waking up feeling confused
- decreased performance at work, school, or with other daily activities.
Hypersomnolence can vary by degree of severity and is known to have three different classifications:
- acute hypersomnolence, which will last one month or less
- subacute hypersomnolence, which will last one to three months
- persistent hypersomnolence, which will last over three months
What causes it?
Physicians are unsure as to what exactly causes hypersomnolence, but believe it could be that some people suffer from an influx of chemicals in the brain responsible for causing sleepiness. There are, however, different risk factors causing people to be more susceptible to hypersomnolence including:
- stress
- excessive alcohol consumption
- previous history of viral infection
- previous history of head trauma
- a family history of hypersomnolence
- medical history of depression, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, or Parkinson’s disease
Possible solutions
Treatment options for hypersomnolence include the use of medications and lifestyle and sleep hygiene changes. The goal of these treatments is to help your body understand the appropriate sleep-wake cycle and minimize the factors that disrupt good sleep.
Stimulants are the most often prescribed medication to treat hypersomnolence. They help to combat the excessive tiredness and keep those struggling with the problem awake during the day. Other commonly prescribed medications include:
- Modafinil – a eugeroic
- Clonidine – a centrally acting alpha-agonist hypotensive agents
- Bromocriptine – a dopamine receptor agonists
- Sodium Oxybate
- antidepressants
Treatment methods to facilitate restful sleep beyond medications are commonly prescribed for hypersomnolence. These treatments typically include light-based therapy as well as recommendations for sleep hygiene and lifestyle changes. Examples of these recommendations include:
- Avoiding caffeine, nicotine, and all stimulant substances before bedtime
- Drinking alcohol only in moderation – although alcohol can make a person feel drowsy, drinking it in excess will result in poorer sleep quality
- Avoiding eating fatty, fried, and spicy foods that cause heartburn or impact digestion
- Avoid eating within a couple of hours of bedtime or late at night
- Using lighting to help your body understand when it is time to sleep and when it is time to be awake
- Establishing a relaxing bedtime routine and winding down an hour before its time to sleep by turning off electronics and reading or taking a relaxing bath
- Making your bed and bedroom more comfortable – keep the room dark and cool and make sure the bed, linens, and pillows are comfortable
Why get treatment?
Doctors agree that hypersomnolence is a very treatable condition using lifestyle and sleep hygiene changes and medications when necessary. Treatment allows you to get the sleep you need at appropriate times in the day and finally feel refreshed and satisfied with your sleep. Schedule an appointment with your personal physician or one of our Board Certified Sleep Physicians to discuss your Sleep Profile and treatment recommendations for your hypersomnolence issues.