Contents:
- Medical Video: Hypersomnia: the causes and treatment of sleep disorders
- What is hypersomnia?
- What causes hypersomnia?
- Factors that make you at risk of experiencing hypersomnia
- How to diagnose hypersomnia?
- What are the symptoms of hypersomnia besides drowsiness during the day?
- Conditions related to hypersomnia
- How do you deal with hypersomnia?
Medical Video: Hypersomnia: the causes and treatment of sleep disorders
Even if you have slept enough every night, you are always sleepy during the day. Alert, can be a symptom of hypersomnia. What is this disease?
What is hypersomnia?
Hypersomnia is a condition that causes a person to be too sleepy during the day or spend too long to fall asleep. Individuals who experience hypersomnia can fall asleep at any time even when doing activities that require concentration, such as when working or driving a vehicle.
The main impact of hypersomnia is a disruption in activity, and a significant decrease in cognitive function due to drowsiness.
What causes hypersomnia?
Hypersomnia can occur on its own or is known as primary hypersomnia, where there are no other factors that cause excessive drowsiness. While hypersomnia caused by certain health conditions known as secondary hypersomnia.
Primary hypersomnia is caused by central nervous system function in regulating time to wake up and fall asleep. The main symptom of primary hypersomnia is feeling drowsy during the day even though nighttime sleep is sufficient. While secondary hypersomnia is more likely due to fatigue due to lack of sleep, experiencing sleep disorders, there is a history of chronic diseases, consumption of alcohol and certain drugs.
The incidence of primary hypersomnia tends to be rarer than secondary hypersomnia. Drowsiness without cause can be caused due to environmental or hereditary factors, but does not rule out the possibility that it is caused by rare genetic diseases such as myotonic dystrophy, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Norrie disease.
Factors that make you at risk of experiencing hypersomnia
When compared to women, men are more likely to experience hypersomnia, this condition is also more likely for you to experience if:
- Experience various sleep disorders, especially sleep apnea
- Experience more weight
- Smoking and consuming alcohol regularly
- Using narcotics drugs
- Use tranquilizers and antihistamines
- Lack of sleep.
- Heredity factors, there are relatives or families that tend to be hypersomnia
- Experience restless leg syndrome
- Experiencing depression
- Having epilepsy
- History of multiple sclerosis
- Having kidney disease
- History of injury to the nervous system, especially head trauma
- Hypothyroid disease history
How to diagnose hypersomnia?
Symptoms of hypersomnia are common, where the American Sleep Association estimates that 40% of the population experiences excessive drowsiness. However, to detect primary hypersomnia several types of tests and instruments are needed such as:
- Physical test to check alertness
- Assessment of drowsiness by using Epworth Sleepiness Scale
- Assessment of the type of sleep experienced during the day with multiple sleep latency test
- The use of a polysomnogram to monitor brain activity, eye movement, heart rate, oxygen level and breathing while sleeping
- Monitoring wakefulness and sleep to find out sleep patterns.
What are the symptoms of hypersomnia besides drowsiness during the day?
Hypersomnia can also be recognized by drowsiness, and some side effects of hypersomnia include:
- Feeling weak
- Emotional or irritability disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty in thinking or speaking
- Misty mind
- Difficulty remembering simple things
- Restless or unable to shut up.
Conditions related to hypersomnia
Primary hypersomnia has symptoms that are very similar to sleep attacks or narcolepsy. But both are different conditions. In addition, hypersomnia does not show sudden symptoms of sleep as occurs in people with narcolepsy.
Hypersomnia may also be associated with central nervous system disorders that tend to be difficult to recognize such as brain tumors, disorders of the hypothalamus and brain stem. In addition, old-age diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's also have symptoms of excessive drowsiness.
How do you deal with hypersomnia?
Hypersomnia can be overcome based on the causes of hypersomnia. Secondary hypersomnia is overcome by eliminating conditions or diseases that cause hypersomnia. The use of stimulant drugs is also used to reduce drowsiness and help to stay awake.
Lifestyle changes are important in the prevention process, one of which is by forming a regular sleep schedule. Apply pattern sleep hygiene by avoiding activities that can reduce the quality of your sleep when you enter bedtime. And create a bedroom that is comfortable and safe to sleep like using a pillow and keep the source of distraction.
Individuals who experience hypersomnia are also encouraged to stop smoking and consume alcohol and consume a balanced diet to maintain metabolism and energy levels. Most conditions of hypersomnia can be overcome with lifestyle changes. If it is not successful, it is recommended to consume certain drugs.
