Monday, December 1, 2008

Idiopathic Hypersomnia - Managing a Challenging Disorder

Idiopathic hypersomnia is a class of serious sleep disorders in which the sufferer can fall asleep at any time. Most people with this illness complain of excessive sleepiness for at least one month and experience prolonged sleep episodes or daytime sleep episodes that occur almost daily. These episodes can be embarrassing and even hazardous if it occurs when driving or working. However, there are treatments available. In this article, we'll discuss the symptoms of hypersomnia and how to cope with the condition.

Patients suffering from hypersomnia often lose the ability to function in family, social and occupational settings. The condition most commonly impacts teenagers, young adults and people who are overweight. This can exacerbate their weight problems, as their excessive sleep patterns means that they will use less energy. In addition to excessive sleepiness and long nighttime sleeping, symptoms include irritability, mild depression and difficulty concentrating. For this reason, people with hypersomnia should be cautious when driving or operating machinery. Kleine-Levin syndrome is a form of hypersomnia that features slightly different symptoms. Sufferers may sleep for eighteen or more hours a day and are irritable, uninhibited, and make indiscriminate sexual advances. People with Kleine-Levin syndrome often eat uncontrollably and rapidly gain weight. However, this form of recurrent hypersomnia is very rare.

Recurring hypersomnia involves periods of excessive daytime sleepiness that can last from one to many days, and recur over the course of a year or more. With recurring hypersomnia, a person will have prolonged periods where they do not exhibit any signs of the malady. However, persons experiencing idiopathic hypersomnia are affected by it nearly all the time.

If you have idiopathic hypersomnia, then modifying your lifestyle can greatly improve your sleep habits. Reducing your intake of caffeine and alcohol, and adhering to a regular sleep schedule will help reduce somnolence. In addition to behavioral changes, your doctor may prescribe drugs such as Provigi, Ritalin and various amphetamines to combat daytime sleepiness. However, it's important to closely monitor your reaction to these medications. Nervousness, heart palpitations and addiction are common side effects.

Idiopathic hypersomnia can lead to other medical disorders, so getting immediate treatment is essential. A sleep problem will have a ripple effect through the rest of your life, so addressing the disorder will help you perform better at work and improve your overall quality of life. There's no need to struggle with those feelings of drowsiness. A simple visit to the doctor can put you on the road to a better night of sleep.

Sleep disorders are deadly. Sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome and even walking in your sleep are different reasons why many individuals constantly feel sleepy during the daytime hours regardless when they have fell asleep the prior night. The difficulty is that they are not able to get the sleep quality their bodies require in order to function. Snoring might be the butt of many jokes yet it is dangerous. If you are afflicted from poor or restless sleep quality you need to click here for more information:

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