I am sleepy during the day
Everyone can be tired sometimes during the day and – during a quiet moment – doze off. But some people fall asleep at any time, unable to control it. During the day, they suffer from an indomitable somnolence.
The indomitable somnolence can disturb someone’s life, for instance in terms of education, work, family life and social contacts. In addition, the people in his/her environment often show misunderstanding. Safety in traffic could be an important problem.
To determine if this is hypersomnia, the doctor will question your complaints. Your explanation and the results of possible sleep examinations form the basis for the diagnosis. Some of the patients with hypersomnia benefit from certain medication. These do not cure the disorder, but suppress the symptoms. Planned sleep breaks and a regular lifestyle also contribute to better functioning in daily life.
Hypersomnia manifests itself in various forms. One of these is narcolepsy. Narcolepsy can be accompanied by other symptoms, for instance sudden muscle relaxation during emotions such as laughing (cataplexy) or very lively and realistic dreams.
Narcolepsy with cataplexy is a rare sleep disorder. This is also the case with the Kleine Levin syndrome, characterized by periods with a very strong or extreme increase in the need to sleep and deviating behavior. The Center for Sleep Medicine at Kempenhaeghe has been acknowledged as an expertise center for these rare disorders by the Dutch Federation of University Hospitals (NFU).