Always feeling sleepy? Here's what you should know about hypersomnia, its symptoms and precautions

Hypersomnia, a complaint of excessive daytime sleep or sleepiness, affects 4% to 6% of the population, with an impact on the everyday life of the patient. Hypersomnia is a disorder where the patient has the inability to stay awake and alert during the day despite having more than an adequate amount of night time sleep. 

This disorder challenges your work life, social life, and home life. Hypersomnia affects females more than males. It affects about 5% of the population and is usually diagnosed in adolescence or young adults in the age group of 17 to 24 years. It may be helpful to talk to a psychologist or counsellor and find a support group to learn to cope with the challenges of having hypersomnia. 

People with hypersomnia are often misunderstood as being lazy or incompetent and educating them on this condition will help. Here we first talk about the symptoms of hypersomnia.

Symptoms of hypersomnia

Constant, recurrent episodes of extreme sleepiness during the day

Difficulty waking up in the morning (sleep drunkenness) or after daytime naps, sometimes appearing confused or combative

Anxiety, irritability

Decreased energy

Restlessness

Slow thinking, slow speech, inability to focus/concentrate, memory problems

Headache

Loss of appetite

Hallucinations

Ways to cope with hypersomnia

Go to bed at the same time each night. 

Avoid caffeinated products (including coffee, cola, tea, chocolate, and various over-the-counter medicines) within several hours of bedtime.

Avoid alcohol before bedtime. 

Avoid tobacco and nicotine-containing products near bedtime.

Ask your sleep specialist about what to avoid in terms of foods or specific medications.

Be careful about driving or operating equipment that can be dangerous to you or others.