There’s no sleep, and there’s so much sleep that you can’t even open your eyes. There isn’t a liaison between the two. You might have heard of insomnia, but what about hypersomnia? It’s the opposite of the former. In either case, you will need the help of a sleep specialist Clarksburg. Here is a guide to hypersomnia.

Hypersomnia

You may feel sleepy throughout the day sometimes, but what happens when this elevates? This is exactly what hypersomnia is. It’s a condition in which you’re unable to stay awake during the day, even though you’ve slept a great deal, the night before. This is a very serious situation because you’re always feeling tired and sleepy and you can’t perform well during the day.

This condition can affect your work life, daily routine, and overall well-being. You will also find yourself dozing off throughout the day. You won’t be completely knocked out, but you’ll go through bouts of sleep in small increments and when you wake up, you will feel even more tired than before.

Hypersomnia can happen to anyone and at any age. There’s no particular age when this disorder can take course. Usually, according to facts and numbers, it’s been found that women tend to be victims of hypersomnia more than men and that this condition can intensify in young adulthood and even adolescence, in some cases.

However, it is not certain that only women get hypersomnia. Anyone with a disruptive sleep schedule or genetic congeniality can get hypersomnia and sleep-related issues, so it all boils down to family history and your overall daily routine.

Causes Of Hypersomnia

Like insomnia and other sleep disorders, the cause of hypersomnia is still unknown. It could have something to do with genetics, hereditary issues, and any other issue that hasn’t surfaced yet.

Several researches have been done on people with familial hypersomnia and the results found that 39% of the people suffered from this disorder.

There is also a high possibility that several neurotransmitters like dopamine, hypocretin, histamine, and serotonin may be the cause of hypersomnia in people, although more studies are needed to support this argument.

Hypersomnia, because of this fact, can be very frustrating, because there’s just no definitive cause that one can pinpoint, so diagnosis and treatment are made easier.

Some surface-level causes can be as follows:

Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Bad sleep schedule
Late working hours
Chronic fatigue
A disrupted circadian rhythm

Symptoms Of Hypersomnia

Now that you know what hypersomnia is, here are some symptoms that you need to look out for:

You will feel very sleepy during the day, even though you’ve had plenty of sleep the night before.
You’ll find yourself taking micro naps to make up for the sheer fatigue your body is feeling.
Dozing off won’t be a one-time occurrence. You will feel sleepy throughout the day in small chunks. The recurring episodes of sleep will continue to disrupt your day.
You’re sleeping for more than 8 hours a day. You’ll find yourself wanting to sleep early and wake up late, which is a clear sign that your body isn’t getting enough rest.
Even if you’re getting a lot of sleep, you’ll still have a hard time functioning, because you’ll want to sleep all the time.
You will have a hard time focusing on things.
You’ll feel irritable for the most part.
You’ll also feel a blaring headache, because of always feeling tired.

Diagnosis Of Hypersomnia

Diagnosis of hypersomnia is very important because it can lead to a domino effect in your life. If you feel like wanting to sleep all the time, then you won’t be able to focus on the important stuff and that’s bad enough.

If the symptoms you’re feeling are very similar to hypersomnia, then the best way to go about this is to start logging your sleep, mood, and behavior throughout the day. This sleep journal is going to give the doctor a great guide to help you out. So, before going to see a sleep doctor for hypersomnia, make sure that you’ve done your part of the work so that everything can be streamlined.

Once you have a sleep journal logged with all of your details, you can visit your sleep doctor. Usually, the rundown goes something like this:

You’ll be asked for sleep and medical history. This will help the doctor understand whether what you’re feeling is an ongoing issue or has it started more recently.
The doctor will also ask about pertinent lifestyle changes that might have led hypersomnia to worsen.
The doctor may also request you for a sleep study to get a more in-depth look at your brain activity.

Sleep Study

A sleep study or polysomnography is a great way to look at your brain and body activity when you’re sleeping. This is usually done in a hospital where you’re asked to sleep normally for a night. The only difference is that you’ll be hooked to different machines and sensors that are meant to scan your brain and look for any peculiar behavior that could explain hypersomnia.

The results of a sleep study come within a day and they can tell you what the problem is. So, if you think you have hypersomnia, then the best way to diagnose it is through polysomnography.

Treatment For Hypersomnia

The most important thing to figure out now, is the treatment of hypersomnia. Here are some things that you can try to evade those sleeping bouts throughout the day:

Medications

Medication can help with hypersomnia, but it’s really important to figure out what’s causing the disorder in the first place. So, it’s a good idea to consult your doctor and have them prescribe you medicine for evading sleep.

Usually, stimulators are prescribed to keep you awake throughout the day and make you sleep at night. Medications like modafinil, pitolisant, solriamfetol, clarithromycin, sodium oxybate, flumazenil, and armodafinil can be used.

Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle changes are also important to employ if you want to naturally fall asleep better at night and wake up feeling fresh. You need to sleep and wake up at a certain time. Building a routine will help marginally in combating hypersomnia.

Make sure that your room is comfortable and free from interruptions so that you can sleep better. Also, ensure that the space is cool and dark because these conditions help to boost the production of melatonin, a hormone that induces and regulates sleep. Get advice from a doctor on sleep positions that are better for you.

Avoid Overstimulation Before Bed

Things like alcohol, caffeine, and blue light from electronics and phones can cause the brain to stay awake and that is going to lead to disruption in your sleep routine.

Avoid Working Late Into The Night

This can also lead to your routine falling apart and you will have a hard time settling back into it. If your work demands late shifts, then it is best that you avoid it and try to make up for it during the day. You need to maintain a sleep schedule, no matter what.

Conclusion

Hypersomnia is just as bad as insomnia if not worse. If you can’t stay awake for longer, then how are you supposed to get everything done? Therefore, visit a sleep center Bethesda safely for treatment.

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