Are there days when you are so sleepy that you struggle to finish your work? Do daytime naps often bother you and prevent you from being productive? If so, you may have excessive daytime sleepiness. It is a condition when people fall asleep repeatedly during the day. It should be noted here that almost everyone suffers from daytime sleepiness from time to time. However, it only becomes a concern if it happens regularly. Therefore, to help people know more about this situation here is more information. Have a look!
Define excessive daytime sleepiness
Patients who suffer from daytime sleepiness report feeling very sleepy during the day. It is not a problem but a sign of a deeper issue interfering with your sleep. Therefore, patients should try getting to the root cause of this condition. Only then can they find a solution to this problem that can negatively affect different areas of your life, including work, daily life activities, and relationships. According to experts, the most common causes of this disease are:
· Improper sleep patterns
· Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea
· Medications that can interfere with sleep include corticosteroids, headache medications, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
· Medical conditions like bowel problems, multiple sclerosis, depression and Parkinson’s disease.
Based on these factors, you should be looking for an effective way to deal with this problem because too much sleep can increase your chances of making a mistake. Also, it can hinder your ability to fully enjoy or participate in activities you typically enjoy.
Signs that sleep apnea causes excessive sleepiness
The most common causes of excessive daytime sleepiness are disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. This is a sleep disorder where people experience frequent pauses in breathing while resting. It happens when the muscles at the back of the throat collapse and block the airway. This leads to a loud snoring noise that wakes the person from their sleep. It prevents the patient from resting peacefully and causes excessive daytime sleepiness.
Therefore, if you think that sleep apnea is the cause of increased sleepiness, you should see a doctor. He will ask you if you experience signs such as heavy snoring, pauses in breathing, and morning headaches. He will check if you are old, male, or overweight. If he suspects you have sleep apnea, he may ask about related problems such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, concentration problems, heart disease or metabolic disease. After all the tests, if it is determined that you really have this problem, you should seek immediate treatment for sleep apnea.
Excessive daytime sleepiness is not a problem but a symptom of a larger sleep disorder. It can be caused by sleep apnea, medical conditions, poor sleep patterns, and medications.