Hypersomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders that is characterized by excessive sleepiness during the day and/or sleeping for overly long periods during the night. Hypersomnia is a very common sleep disorder in 5% of the population of teenagers and young adults, specifically from 15 years old up to 30 years old. Hypersomnia can greatly affect a person’s social life and other responsibilities, since hypersomnia can really affect a person’s performance, such as in school, at work, and even in just doing usual activities of daily living. In hypersomnia, there are actually three different kinds.

Recurrent Hypersomnia

In recurrent hypersomnia, people suffering from it will experience repeated extreme drowsiness and other symptoms of hypersomnia, such as the need for overly long periods (ranging from 16 hours to 20 hours) of sleep during the night and still do not wake up refreshed and well rested the next day. In recurrent hypersomnia, symptoms persist repeatedly all throughout the year with some periods in the year with the normal sleep-wake cycle.

Idiopathic Hypersomnia

Idiopathic hypersomnia is a type of hypersomnia that has an unknown cause. The symptoms of idiopathic hypersomnia are just similar with recurrent hypersomnia. What makes both recurrent hypersomnia and idiopathic hypersomnia different is the onset of their symptoms. Unlike in recurrent hypersomnia that symptoms occur repeatedly all throughout the year with symptom-free periods, in idiopathic hypersomnia, symptoms (excessive drowsiness and overly long periods of sleep) are most of the time, if not all the time present.

Post Traumatic Hypersomnia

After a traumatic event, accidents, injuries, etc. can cause hypersomnia. People who just experienced a traumatic event in their lives develop symptoms of hypersomnia, such as excessive sleepiness at inappropriate time during the day and overly long periods of sleeping during the night. Usually, post traumatic hypersomnia does not persist for too long. After several weeks or months, people suffering from post traumatic hypersomnia will eventually recover.

Possible Causes for Hypersomnia

There are a lot of factors that can possibly cause hypersomnia. Here are some of the common factors that can possibly lead to hypersomnia:

1. Work shifts – most people affected with hypersomnia are workers who have rotating work schedules. Medical professionals, security personnel, and other workers who work in 24 hours establishments are usually affected.
2. Students – students who need to do a lot of homework and studying can be deprived from sleep, which will need them to catch more sleep the next day.
3. Medications
4. Mental disorders, such as depression.