What Is Hypersomnia?
Do you know someone or do you seem to sleep all the time? Does it feel as if you or someone you love is falling asleep at the most inappropriate times, such as during work, meal times or in the middle of the afternoon for no reason at all? It may be that you or your loved one is suffering from hypersomnia and it could be that this condition will become dangerous if not treated properly. For many people, hypersomnia is linked to narcolepsy, where a person will spontaneously fall asleep. For others, the causes are wide spread and can sometimes be difficult to identify.
When a person suffers from hypersomnia, they often think that they can take a daytime nap and be fine, but usually, this will only serve to worsen the condition, causing more difficulty in waking from prolonged sleep and causing difficulty with regular daytime activities such as school, work and family life. People suffering from hypersomnia may also find that they are disoriented, anxious, have no energy at all and they may suffer from hallucinations and loss of appetite, with memory problems. Hypersomnia often leads to an extreme feeling of fatigue, so it’s not unusual for someone with this condition to wake up, and fall back asleep in little or no time.
Some people can experience hypersomnia due to drug or alcohol abuse, while others may find that it has been caused by conditions such as narcolepsy and sleep apnea. In rare cases, this condition has been triggered by tumors, nervous system injuries and head trauma. Some times a patient will discover that they have a case of hypersomnia due to withdrawal from certain medications. It has also been found that depression, obesity, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy can also contribute to this condition.
Studies have found that many people who suffer from hypersomnia are obese, but obesity may not be the cause of the condition. It is thought that the obesity is brought about from this condition because the patient will wake up and want to eat. With a lower than normal energy level and high amount of fatigue, the patient is unable to draw the strength or energy to burn off the excess calories they consume when they eat. This causes the patient to put on weight even though they may not be eating that much.
It has also been found that many people who suffer from hypersomnia are genetically predisposed to have this condition. In other words, for many people who suffer from this condition, it has been found that one of their parents had it at one time, or maybe a grandparent suffered from hypersomnia. The most common age bracket for this condition is between the early 20’s and mid 30’s, but it is often found in adolescents and people in their 40’s. It is thought that the differing causes create the wide age gaps in this condition.
If you feel that you may be suffering from hypersomnia, you should know that you can get more information online, but you really need to seek the help of your medical professional in order to ensure that this condition is properly diagnosed and a good, solid treatment is devised. Many times, the best treatment is found in teaching your body the right times to sleep and stay awake and, although it may be difficult at first, with time, and sound medical advice, you can eventually get your body on a good sleep/wake cycle.
