Feel sleepy all the time? Read these expert tips to deal with it!

Feeling tired after a good night's sleep can be hypersomnia.

Do you often feel sleepy during daytime even after a good night’s sleep? Are you constantly tired even when you aren’t working? These could indicate an underlying sleep disorder known as hypersomnia – a condition where a person feels excessively sleepy during the day. Dr Rajendra Narayan Sharma, consultant general physician – internal medicine and endocrinology at Apollo Clinics, tells us more about this sleep disorder.

‘People who suffer from hypersomnia also have related conditions like lack of energy, fatigue and trouble thinking clearly,’ says Dr Sharma.But how can a person with decent amounts of sleep be sleepy during the day? This happens due to lifestyle changes. ‘People who have a sedentary lifestyle, who spend too much time in front of the computer and those who get too little exercise are prone to hypersomnia. Also, someone suffering from neurological disorder can be affected by this,’ says the doctor.

Other causes which can lead to hypersomnia include:

• Interruption of breathing during sleeping
• Sleep deprivation
• Being overweight/obese
• Excessive intake of caffeine, nicotine or alcohol
• Pregnancy

How can one deal with this condition?

According to Dr Sharma, if you constantly feel low on energy and drowsy during the day, you should consult a doctor who will monitor your sleeping pattern. The treatment will be based on the diagnosis. Usually, patients are advised to plan and prioritise sleep and include lifestyle changes such as exercising and eating a balanced diet. As long as one does not experience serious breathing difficulties, this condition can be corrected with simple lifestyle changes.

Here are some tips to overcome hypersomnia by Dr Shilpa Apte, consultant obstetrician at Apollo Cradle:

• Plan, schedule and prioritise sleep.
• Exercise for 30 minutes daily unless contraindicated.
• Reduce daytime naps.
• Avoid having spicy and fatty meals at night which can cause acidity.
  
• Drink lots of fluids during the daytime but cut down the intake of fluids close to bedtime to avoid frequent urination at night.
  

Pregnancy and hypersomnia

Feeling excessively sleepy when pregnant is quite normal. Says Dr Shilpa, ‘On an average, 78% of pregnant women suffer from hypersomnia which usually disappears by the tenth week of pregnancy. It is more pronounced in women who have a pre-existing sleeping disorder.’

Here are a few reasons which can cause hypersomnia during pregnancy:

Rising levels of progesterone hormone in the first trimester.

• Disturbed sleep at night due to:
• Gastro-esophageal reflux disease i.e. acidity at night.
• Frequent urination at night.
• Anxiety or stress. 

Since medication cannot be given during pregnancy, it is best to try the above-mentioned tips. But if they don’t work, get as much rest as you can as your body probably needs it during pregnancy.