Definition

Hypersomnia is a condition where a person experiences repeated excessive sleepiness during the day, or in simple terms, excessive sleep. Another name for hypersomnia is excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). This can happen even though you have gotten enough sleep at night, so it is different from drowsiness due to lack of sleep. Even though they also sleep during the day, this usually does not relieve the symptoms they are experiencing.

People with hypersomnia have difficulty staying awake or awake during the day and can fall asleep at any time during the day even while working, driving, eating, or chatting with other people. However, after falling asleep during the day, drowsiness will remain. People with hypersomnia can also have other problems related to lack of sleep, such as a lack of energy so they tire easily and can't think clearly. Ultimately, this condition will affect daily function.

Hypersomnia develops over several weeks to several months. According to the National Sleep Foundation, around 40% of people experience symptoms of hypersomnia. Usually hypersomnia is first diagnosed in sufferers as teenagers or young adults (average age 17-24 years). Hypersomnia is more common in women than men.

Causes

Hypersomnia can be a primary or secondary condition. Primary hypersomnia does not have a specific cause, this disease is thought to arise due to an imbalance in the system that controls sleep and wake function in the brain, which includes dopamine, histamine, serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Primary hypersomnia is only characterized by excessive tiredness. Meanwhile, secondary hypersomnia occurs due to certain medical conditions that cause fatigue or lack of sleep.

Several things that can cause hypersomnia include:

• Sleep disorders 
  • Sleep apnea (disordered breathing during sleep) can cause hypersomnia due to disturbances during sleep at night, where people with sleep apnea often wake up at night due to breathing disorders.
  • Narcolepsy (daytime sleep attacks)
  • Lack of sleep at night
• Excessive weight
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Nervous disorders
  • Head injury
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Brain infection
  • Epilepsy
• Kidney failure
• Hypothyroidism or lack of thyroid hormone in the body
• Tumor
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Restless leg syndrome, an irresistible urge to move the legs
• Medicines, such as mood stabilizers and allergy medicines
• Genetic factors
• Depression

Risk Factor

Conditions that cause a person to feel tired during the day are the factors that most often cause hypersomnia. Examples of these conditions are sleep apnea, kidney disease, heart disease, neurological disease, depression and hypothyroidism. In addition, according to the American Sleep Association, more women experience hypersomnia than men.

A family history of hypersomnia can also increase a person's risk of developing hypersomnia, where 39% of people with hypersomnia have a family history of hypersomnia. People who smoke and drink alcohol regularly are also at risk of experiencing hypersomnia.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of hypersomnia are fatigue and excessive sleepiness that occurs continuously even after taking a nap or resting. A long night's sleep (more than 10 hours) also does not reduce daytime symptoms. Apart from that, people with hypersomnia also find it difficult to wake up from a long sleep or nap and when they wake up they are often accompanied by confusion and disorientation. Other symptoms of hypersomnia are:

• Fatigue
• Easily irritated or angry
• Worried
• Reduced appetite
• Thinks and speaks slowly
• Concentration disorders
• Memory problems (difficulty remembering)
• Nervous
• Hallucinations

Diagnosis

To diagnose hypersomnia, the doctor will ask about sleep patterns and habits, how long you sleep at night, whether you wake up at night, whether you fall asleep easily during the day. The doctor will also ask if you have emotional problems or are taking medications that can disrupt sleep patterns.

Apart from that, the doctor may also carry out a physical examination and several supporting examinations such as blood tests, radiological examinations such as CT scans if there are indications such as brain injury, and a sleep examination called polysomnography. In some cases, doctors can perform an electroencephalogram (EEG) examination which can measure electrical activity in the brain.

Some other tests that doctors can use to diagnose hypersomnia are:

• Sleep diary, record sleep and wake times throughout the night to track sleep patterns
• The Epworth sleepiness scale measures the level of sleepiness to determine how badly this sleep disorder affects daily life
• Multiple sleep latency test, you will be monitored during a nap to assess your sleep type and stage as well as your level of sleepiness
• Polysomnography, you sleep in a sleep treatment facility and will be fitted with a machine that monitors your brain activity, eye movements, leg movements, heart rate, oxygen levels and breathing throughout the night

Please note that hypersomnia is not the same as narcolepsy, which is a neurological condition that causes inescapable sleep attacks during the day. This is different from hypersomnia, where a person can still stay awake even though they feel very sleepy or tired.

Management

Hypersomnia can be treated with several medications prescribed by a doctor. Therapy options will be adjusted to each person's circumstances. Medications that can be used include stimulants that increase the central nervous system to help patients feel more alert. Apart from that, antidepressant drugs are also a therapeutic option, because hypersomnia sufferers can experience stress and depression due to the disturbances their condition causes in daily life.

If the cause of your hypersomnia is sleep apnea, your doctor may prescribe continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP therapy. This CPAP device will deliver a continuous flow of air into your nose through a mask that attaches to your nose. The pressure in the airflow will keep your airways open.

Things you can do at home to treat hypersomnia:

• Try to sleep more at night
• Avoid consuming alcohol and caffeine
• Make a regular sleep schedule
• Avoid certain activities that can trigger difficulty sleeping, especially before going to bed at night, for example, work or social activities
• A high nutritional diet to maintain energy

Complications

Some people with hypersomnia can reduce symptoms with lifestyle changes and doctor-prescribed medications. However, some people's symptoms cannot completely disappear. This condition is not life-threatening but can cause loss of the ability to function well in the family, social environment, and work environment which will ultimately reduce a person's quality of life. In some cases, drowsiness can be life-threatening if it occurs while driving.

Prevention

There is nothing that can be done to prevent primary hypersomnia. However, there are several things you can do to reduce the risk of developing hypersomnia by creating a comfortable sleeping atmosphere and avoiding alcohol, avoiding working late at night and avoiding drugs that can cause drowsiness.

When to See a Doctor?

If you experience symptoms of hypersomnia, let alone difficulty in daily activities due to these symptoms, then you are advised to consult a doctor.

Looking for more information about other diseases? Click here!