Hypersomnia
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What is Hypersomnia?
Is there any treatment?
What is the prognosis?
What research is being done?
Organizations
Related NINDS Publications and Information
Additional resources from MEDLINEplus
What is Hypersomnia?
Hypersomnia is characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness or prolonged nighttime sleep. Different
from feeling tired due to lack of or interrupted sleep at night, persons with hypersomnia are compelled to nap repeatedly
during the day, often at inappropriate times such as at work, during a meal, or in conversation. These daytime naps usually
provide no relief from symptoms. Patients often have difficulty waking from a long sleep, and may feel disoriented. Other
symptoms may include anxiety, increased irritation, decreased energy, restlessness, slow thinking, slow speech, loss of appetite,
hallucinations, and memory difficulty. Some patients lose the ability to function in family, social, occupational, or other
settings. Hypersomnia may be caused by another sleep disorder (such as narcolepsy or sleep apnea), dysfunction of the autonomic
nervous system, or drug or alcohol abuse. In some cases it results from a physical problem, such as a tumor, head trauma,
or injury to the central nervous system. Certain medications, or medicine withdrawal, may also cause hypersomnia. Medical
conditions including multiple sclerosis, depression, encephalitis, epilepsy, or obesity may contribute to the disorder. Some
people appear to have a genetic predisposition to hypersomnia; in others, there is no known cause. Typically, hypersomnia
is first recognized in adolescence or young adulthood.
Is there any treatment?
What is the prognosis?
What research is being done?
Select this link to view a list of studies currently seeking patients.
National Sleep Foundation 1522 K Street NW Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 nsf@sleepfoundation.org http://www.sleepfoundation.org Tel: 202-347-3472 Fax: 202-347-3472 |
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Health Information Center P.O. Box 30105 Bethesda, MD 20824-0105 NHLBIinfo@nhlbi.nih.gov http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov Tel: 301-592-8573/240-629-3255 (TTY) Recorded Info: 800-575-WELL (-9355) |
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Last updated June 23, 2008