Hypersomnia - idiopathic; Drowsiness - idiopathic; Somnolence - idiopathic
Symptoms
Symptoms often develop slowly during adoescence or young adulthood. They include:
- Daytime naps that do not relieve drowsiness
- Difficulty waking from a long sleep -- may feel confused or disoriented
- Increased need for sleep during the day -- even while at work, or during a meal or conversation
- Increased sleep time -- up to 14 - 18 hours per day
Other symptoms may include anxiety, feeling irritated, low energy, restlessness, slow thinking or speech, loss of appetite, and memory difficulty.
Cataplexy -- suddenly falling asleep or losing muscle control -- which is part of narcolepsy, is NOT a symptom of idiopathic hypersomnia.
Signs and tests
The health care provider will take a detailed sleep history. Tests may include:
- Multiple-sleep latency test
- Sleep study (polysomnography, done to identify other sleep disorders)
A psychiatric evaluation for atypical depression may also be done.
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