Description

Idiopathic hypersomnia is a condition that causes people to be very sleepy during the day even after a full night of sleep. People with the disease have problems to wake up from sleep. You can also wake up confused and disoriented. Naps do not usually lead to a sense of cool.

Idiopathic hypersomnia is not common, and the cause of the disease is not known.

The need for sleep can attack at any time, including when driving a car or working. This makes idiopathic hypersomnia potentially dangerous.

The condition often develops slowly over time. The diagnosis of hypersomnia idiopathic required to rule out more common sleep conditions. The goal of treatment is to control symptoms with medications.

Symptoms

The main symptom of idiopathic hypersomnia is to get plenty of sleep during the day. The symptoms come on slowly over several weeks or months, and can include:

  • Have a strong need for sleep.
  • Not be able to stay awake and alert during the day.
  • Sleeping more than 11 hours at night.
  • Have difficulty waking up in the morning.
  • Be confused, moving slowly and have problems with coordination after waking up.
  • Feeling anxiety after waking up.

People with idiopathic hypersomnia you may need to establish several strong alarm to wake you up in the morning.

People with the condition may also be:

  • Take naps of an hour or more.
  • Not feeling refreshed after the nap.
  • Have problems with memory and attention.

Rarely, idiopathic hypersomnia can cause someone to fall asleep suddenly during the day.

Some people with idiopathic hypersomnia may experience automatic behavior when you are very sleepy. This may include looking at, or they can lead without purpose and later realize that they are miles from home. Automatic behavior can also include writing or saying things that do not make sense. After this, the people with idiopathic hypersomnia do not recall the behavior.

Causes

The cause of idiopathic hypersomnia is not known.

Risk factors

Experts do not know what causes hypersomnia idiopathic, so that the risk factors are not known. But the symptoms tend to occur at a younger age, between the ages of 10 and 30. And women may be more likely to have idiopathic hypersomnia than men.

Diagnosis

To diagnose idiopathic hypersomnia, your health care professional will ask about your symptoms and review your medical history. You'll also likely have a physical exam. You may have several tests to diagnose idiopathic hypersomnia or rule out other conditions that may be causing the symptoms.

It is important that you tell your health care team about his family history and the medications you are taking. People who are diagnosed with idiopathic hypersomnia have excessive sleepiness every day for at least three months.

These tools and tests can also help diagnose idiopathic hypersomnia:

  • Epworth Sleepiness Scale. This tool helps to guide the rate of your drowsiness. It helps your healthcare provider to understand how your sleep is affecting your daily life.
  • Sleep diary. Your health care team may ask you to keep a sleep diary. You record daily sleep and wake times to help show their sleep patterns.
  • Polysomnography. With this test, you stay in a sleep center during the night. A polysomnography monitors your brain activity, eye movements, leg movements, heart rate, respiration function, and oxygen levels of sleep.
  • Multiple sleep latency test. For this test, you are given several day nap opportunities. During these naps, the types and stages of sleep you go through the steps. This test is usually done the day after a sleep study.

Treatment

Idiopathic hypersomnia treatment can help to relieve the symptoms.

A common medicine prescribed is the stimulant modafinil (Provigil). This medication can help you stay awake during the day. Possible side effects of modafinil are headache, dry mouth, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight loss. Armodafinil (Nuvigil) it can also treat idiopathic hypersomnia. Possible side effects of this medication are headache, dizziness, nausea, infections of the upper respiratory tract, drowsiness and swelling of the spaces inside of the nose.

Other medications suggested by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine include:

  • Sodium oxybate (Xyrem, Lumryz).
  • Clarithromycin (Biaxin XL).
  • Pitolisant (Wakix).
  • Methylphenidate (Quillivant XR, Daytrana, other).

More recently, the united states Food and Drug Administration approved a drug with a low content of sodium called oxybate (Xywav) for the treatment of hypersomnia idiopathic in adults.

Some lifestyle habits can help their symptoms. These include the following regular night's sleep schedule, not drinking alcohol and not taking medications that can affect sleep.

Preparing for your appointment

You can start by seeing your health care professional. Or you may be referred to a sleep specialist.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

When you make the appointment, ask if there is something that you need to do in advance, such as fasting before a specific test. Make a list of:

  • Your symptoms, including any that seem unrelated to the reason for your appointment.
  • Key personal information, including major stresses, recent life changes and family medical history.
  • All medications, vitamins or supplements that you are taking, including the dosage.
  • Questions to ask your health care team.

Have a friend or family member, if possible, to help you remember the information they give you.

For idiopathic hypersomnia, some basic questions to ask your health care team include:

  • What is likely causing my symptoms?
  • Other that the most likely cause, what are other possible causes of the symptoms?
  • What tests do I need?
  • Is my condition likely to be short-term or long-term?
  • What is the best course of action?
  • What are the alternatives to the primary approach you're suggesting?
  • I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
  • There are restrictions that must be followed?
  • You should see a specialist?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

Do not hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare provider is likely to ask several questions, such as:

  • When did your symptoms begin?
  • The symptoms been constant or come and go?
  • How do your symptoms affect your daily life?
  • What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?

What you can do in the meantime

Try not to do something that seems to make your symptoms worse.

Symptoms and treatment of hypersomnia Idiopathic