Presentation
We report a patient with polysomnography findings related to hypersomnia, as a primary presenting symptom, who was shown to have stereotypical gelastic seizures. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Her condition progressed and at the time of presentation she was able to sleep for extended periods of time (up to two to three days at a stretch) and still be hypersomnolent in the day. [annalsofian.org]
Expert reviewer(s): Pr Yves DAUVILLIERS - Dr Marie-Françoise VECCHIERINI - Last update: October 2009 The documents contained in this web site are presented for information purposes only. [orpha.net]
Entire Body System
- Hypersomnia
Post-traumatic hypersomnia may mimic idiopathic hypersomnia closely, and it develops 6 to 18 months after head trauma. [steadyhealth.com]
A psychological examination excludes hypersomnia of psychiatric origin. Finally, neuro-radiological tests, which are rarely performed, exclude cerebral lesions. [orpha.net]
Hypersomnia types Primary hypersomnia • Hypersomnia-bulimia syndrome of Klein-Levine Characterized by semiannual bouts of hyperphagia followed by a 2-5 day 'sleep-off', seen in young ♂. • II. [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]
There are two types of hypersomnia, states the Encyclopedia of Mind Disorders: primary hypersomnia, or idiopathic hypersomnia; and recurrent hypersomnia, or recurrent primary hypersomnia. [livestrong.com]
- Falling
The disorder is sometimes confused with insomnia due to its characteristic disturbed night-time sleep and with epilepsy because of unexplained sudden falls caused by cataplexy. [stanfordhealthcare.org]
If you have hypersomnia, you will: regularly nap during the day and not feel refreshed fall asleep during the day, often while eating or talking still sleep for long hours at night you often fall asleep during the day sleepiness is affecting your life [nhs.uk]
Idiopathic hypersomnia is much like narcolepsy, except there is no cataplexy, no sleep paralysis, and no rapid eye movement when the victim first falls asleep. Hypersomnia is one of the symptoms of major depression. [psychnet-uk.com]
It is different from narcolepsy because idiopathic hypersomnia does not usually involve suddenly falling asleep (sleep attacks) or losing muscle control due to strong emotions (cataplexy). [wakehealth.edu]
A PSG can record sleep latency (how quickly you fall asleep) as well as which sleep stages you experience throughout a period of sleep. [verywellhealth.com]
- Fatigue
The chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by persistent or relapsing fatigue that does not resolve with bed rest with several minor symptoms often associated. [steadyhealth.com]
The only symptom is excessive fatigue. Secondary hypersomnia is due to other medical conditions. These can include sleep apnea, Parkinson’s disease, kidney failure, and chronic fatigue syndrome. [healthline.com]
- Pain
I had observed that my pain increases with less sleep and poor diet. I had observed that my pain increases with less sleep and poor diet. I tried fasting for half a day and it helped with the pain. [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]
Other causes of nightmares may include: Antibiotics Iron supplements Pain medications Heart medications Withdrawal from alcohol, pain medications, and some anti-anxiety medications Unrelieved pain Coping with nightmares Because having cancer is frightening [cancer.net]
Side effects- nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, anorexia, hypertension, dizziness, headache. Contra indications- pregnancy. [medicaljoyworks.com]
Is pain keeping you awake? Find out why pain affects sleep and what you can do to sleep better. Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted during sleep. Learn how to cope... [sleepfoundation.org]
- Collapse
Other symptoms of narcolepsy may include: Cataplexy – the sudden loss of muscle tone and voluntary muscle control, ranging from minor (a drooping eyelid, for instance) to major (a total body collapse). [premierhealth.com]
This keeps the airway from collapsing and disrupting sleep. Behavioral changes such as avoiding late night work or social activities can help regulate the body’s sleep cycle, reducing the risk that someone will experience hypersomnia. [symptomfind.com]
The History of Narcolepsy In 1880 in Paris, France, a barrel-maker collapsed at the zoo while watching monkeys make faces, and became one of the first hypersomnia patients mentioned in medical literature. (5) He collapsed because of cataplexy, a frequent [sleepopolis.com]
Narcolepsy type 1 is exemplified by extreme sleepiness during the day along with cataplexy — a condition where strong emotions or excessive laughter can cause someone to collapse suddenly, although still remaining conscious — an abrupt loss of muscle [therecoveryvillage.com]
Gastrointestinal
- Nausea
Side effects- nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, anorexia, hypertension, dizziness, headache. Contra indications- pregnancy. [medicaljoyworks.com]
The symptoms include: Excessive drowsiness Sleeping up to 20 hours a day Headaches Low-grade fever Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting Irritability Nightmares Nightmares are vivid, frightening dreams. [cancer.net]
One week prior to the onset of these symptoms, he traveled to the Midwest where he experienced several days of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.John's physical and neurological examinations were normal except for the behaviors noted above. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Some of the common medications which can cause hypersomnia or excessive sleepiness as a side-effect include antidepressants, antihistamines (drugs used to treat nasal congestion and allergy), antiemetics (drugs used to treat nausea and vomiting), and [vilabin.com]
- Vomiting
Side effects- nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, anorexia, hypertension, dizziness, headache. Contra indications- pregnancy. [medicaljoyworks.com]
One week prior to the onset of these symptoms, he traveled to the Midwest where he experienced several days of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.John's physical and neurological examinations were normal except for the behaviors noted above. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
The symptoms include: Excessive drowsiness Sleeping up to 20 hours a day Headaches Low-grade fever Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting Irritability Nightmares Nightmares are vivid, frightening dreams. [cancer.net]
Some of the common medications which can cause hypersomnia or excessive sleepiness as a side-effect include antidepressants, antihistamines (drugs used to treat nasal congestion and allergy), antiemetics (drugs used to treat nausea and vomiting), and [vilabin.com]
Skin
- Acne Vulgaris
DB00957 Norgestimate A progesterone used as a contraceptive and to treat acne vulgaris. DB09389 Norgestrel A progestin used in combination with ethinyl estradiol for oral contraception and prevention of pregnancy in women. [drugbank.ca]
Psychiatrical
- Hunger
Afro-Brazilian girl began with sudden sleepiness that lasted 7 days, when she woke for only 1 h a day, with confusion and greedy hunger. The attacks recurred every 2 weeks, resulting in weight gain. [sleepscience.org.br]
These symptoms include excessive hunger, unusually high sex drive, and a heightened feeling of being awake. [sleepopolis.com]
The patients felt as hungry on awakening as controls, as 58% of the patients felt a normal or great hunger for breakfast, versus 78% of the controls ( P = 0.03). [onlinelibrary.wiley.com]
Urogenital
- Kidney Failure
If you have a medical condition, such as kidney failure, your medical issues must be managed to help you have more energy and less sleepiness. [verywellhealth.com]
These can include sleep apnea, Parkinson’s disease, kidney failure, and chronic fatigue syndrome. These conditions cause poor sleep at night, leading you to feel tired during the day. [healthline.com]
- Incontinence
After onset at 26 years, she complained of frequent and severe episodes of hypersomnia accompanied by anorexia and urinary incontinence. Electroencephalogram showed mild slowing during a hypersomnic period, but not during an asymptomatic period. [ci.nii.ac.jp]
Neurologic
- Insomnia
Outcomes were compared between respondents who experienced insomnia symptoms-only (N=404), hypersomnia symptoms-only (N=44), both insomnia and hypersomnia symptoms (N=184) and no sleep problems (N=55) during an MDE. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
[…] of Insomnia Vs. [sleepopolis.com]
- Irritability
Other symptoms may include anxiety, increased irritation, decreased energy, restlessness, slow thinking, slow speech, loss of appetite, hallucinations, and memory difficulty. [ninds.nih.gov]
Some patients may develop symptoms of irritability, impulsive behavior, depersonalization, hallucinations, depression, and confusion. Associated Features: Headaches, which may be Migrainous in quality. [psychnet-uk.com]
Other symptoms may include anxiety, increased irritation, decreased energy, restlessness, slow thinking, loss of appetite, hallucinations, and memory difficulty. [scitechnol.com]
Other symptoms of hypersomnia may include anxiety, irritation, loss of appetite and slow thinking or speech. If your child has had symptoms for more than three uninterrupted months without an identifiable cause, see a doctor. [childrens.com]
- Somnolence
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the effect of levothyroxine, a thyroid hormone, on a prolonged nocturnal sleep and excessive daytime somnolence (EDS) in patients with idiopathic hypersomnia. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
[…] syndrome Somnolence syndrome is a type of hypersomnia in children. [cancer.net]
[…] or involuntary napping, but not due to any other physical or psychological condition. hy·per·som·ni·a ( hī'pĕr-som'nē-ă ), A condition in which sleep periods are excessively long, but the person responds normally in the intervals; distinguished from somnolence [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]
Recurrent Hypersomnia on the other hand, involves periods of excessive somnolence lasting from one or more days, recurring within a year or more. [ietherapy.com]
Idiopathic hypersomnia without long sleep time is characterized by isolated excessive diurnal somnolence of over 3 months, with irresistible and more or less refreshing diurnal naps. [orpha.net]
- Confusion
Some patients may develop symptoms of irritability, impulsive behavior, depersonalization, hallucinations, depression, and confusion. Associated Features: Headaches, which may be Migrainous in quality. [psychnet-uk.com]
The disorder is sometimes confused with insomnia due to its characteristic disturbed night-time sleep and with epilepsy because of unexplained sudden falls caused by cataplexy. [stanfordhealthcare.org]
[…] sleepiness or excessive length of sleep. hypersomnia [hī′pərsom′nē·ə] Etymology: Gk, hyper + L, somnus, sleep 1 sleep of excessive depth or abnormal duration, usually caused by psychological rather than physical factors and characterized by a state of confusion [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]
It may be associated with difficulty in awakening – the person may feel confused or disoriented (sleep drunkenness). People with hypersomnia often feel an increased need for sleep during the day however daytime naps do not relieve drowsiness. [wakehealth.edu]
Sleep drunkenness (SD) consists of difficulty in coming to complete wakefulness accompanied by confusion, disorientation, poor motor coordination, slowness, and repeated returns to sleep. [jamanetwork.com]
- Stroke
We performed a retrospective review of 213 patients admitted to a stroke-specialized acute rehabilitation unit in the United States. All patients had ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, and no dementia or dependence on others pre-stroke. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Neurological Disorders and Stroke » [brainfacts.org]
(Image: Image Source Pink/Image Source/Getty Images) Hypersomnia is the opposite of insomnia; the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke explains that this disorder is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness or prolonged nighttime [livestrong.com]
Divisions and Centers Overview Brain Aging, Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Division Epilepsy Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration Multiple Sclerosis and General Neurology Neurofibromatosis Center Neurocritical Care Neuromuscular Sleep Medicine Stroke [neurology.ufl.edu]
Treatment
Management and treatment Treatment is based on stimulants such as modafinil, which is the first-line treatment due to its better risk/benefit ratio. Other stimulant drugs are methylphenidate and amphetamines. [orpha.net]
Future Treatments This discovery opens up several new possibilities for treatments for patients with IH. [nodss.org.au]
And read our SomnusNooze articles about Treatments HERE. [hypersomniafoundation.org]
Type and frequency of substance use were assessed at treatment entry. Substance use was also assessed 12 months following treatment completion. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Prognosis
The attacks usually continue indefinitely. x Prognosis The prognosis for persons with hypersomnia depends on the cause of the disorder. [ninds.nih.gov]
Prognosis The prognosis for persons with hypersomnia depends on the cause of the disorder. While the disorder itself is not life threatening, it can have serious consequences, such as automobile accidents caused by falling asleep while driving. [brainfacts.org]
Prognosis The disease has a negative social and professional impact. Its evolution is often stable in severity, with some spontaneous improvements described. [orpha.net]
Referral to a sleep specialist is required in performing objective sleep studies, establishing the diagnosis, recommending treatment, and providing a prognosis. Many sleep disorders are treatable and aeromedically waiverable. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Prognosis Hypersomnia can be chronic, especially when not associated with another disorder and therefore can continue to worsen if left untreated. Treatments are readily available and can improve the prognosis significantly. [allpsych.com]
Etiology
Etiology Etiology is unknown. There is no association with any particular HLA marker or with a decrease in the orexin/hypocretin levels. [orpha.net]
[…] the etiology or severity of centrally mediated hypersomnia. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Narcolepsy: The narcolepsy is with unknown etiology. Single inheritance cases are described, but there is often no occurrence in the family. [differencebetween.net]
Epidemiology
Summary Epidemiology The prevalence is unknown but has been estimated at 1/10,000 - 1/25,000 for the first form and 1/11,000 to 1/100,000 for the second one. Both forms start before the age of 25 years old and affect both sexes equally. [orpha.net]
Articles were included if they were in English and included information regarding the epidemiology, diagnosis, pathophysiology, or treatment of IH or HD. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Epidemiology of narcolepsy : development of the Ullanlinna Narcolepsy Scale / Christer Hublin -- 14. Epidemiology of narcolepsy / Maurice M. Ohayon -- 15. [worldcat.org]
Pathophysiology
Articles were included if they were in English and included information regarding the epidemiology, diagnosis, pathophysiology, or treatment of IH or HD. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Article highlights Little is known about the pathophysiology, clinical characterization and treatment response of IH. Due to insufficient level of evidences, no treatment has currently an indication for the treatment of EDS in IH. [tandfonline.com]
Prevention
Thus, this case suggests that vitamin B12 may be effective for preventing recurrent hypersomnia. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
@article{89dcbb2027d846b78036d83b83aa7021, title = "Prevention of hypermenorrhea with leuprolide in premenopausal women undergoing bone marrow transplantation", abstract = "We report on the use of leuprolide to prevent heavy menstrual bleeding that often [ucdavis.pure.elsevier.com]
Physicians should give an attention to the sleep symptoms to prevent the delay in the diagnosis and effective intervention. [e-jsm.org]
If all these treatments are not helpful then the last resort is surgery to prevent blockage of airways while sleeping. [epainassist.com]
Primary hypersomnias such as idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy may not be preventable. [sleepopolis.com]