Hypersomnia Overview:
Hypersomnia is the condition of feeling sleepy and drowsy throughout the daytime. Hypersomnia is categorized into recurrent and primary. Primary hypersomnia occurs over a long period of time whereas recurrent hypersomnia is when the sleepiness will happen for a day or several days then happen again after a period of time of normalcy. People with hypersomnia will experience normal sleep times during the night hours, they just have problems waking in the day and staying awake. Hypersomnia is often confused with narcolepsy. In narcolepsy, a person can suddenly fall asleep. Upon waking they feel energetic, whereas someone with hypersomnia will feel more sleepy as time goes on and will still feel sleepy after they have taken a nap or rested.
Hypersomnia Causes:
Hypersomnia is caused by excess drug or alcohol consumption, being overweight, head trauma, an injury to the central nervous system or a neurological problem. Some people have a genetic disposition for getting hypersomnia, and other sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, can also lead to hypersomnia.
Hypersomnia Symptoms:
Symptoms of hypersomnia include difficulty waking in the morning, feeling of tiredness throughout the day even after getting a normal amount of sleep the previous night, napping often, anxiety, hallucinations, loss of appetite, memory loss, lack of energy, and problems with speaking.