We have all experienced sleepiness and a lack of energy at some point in our lives, especially during holidays or when we didn’t complete the required hours of rest. However, frequent or excessive daytime sleepiness can affect our daily routine. This can be a result of sleep deprivation or a sign of a sleep disorder or health condition.
It’s crucial to identify the reasons behind daytime sleepiness to determine the remedies needed to fix the problem.
Defining Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
Although it’s normal to feel sleepy at times, especially after a nap or when you are engaged in sedentary activity, frequent and excessive somnolence is a different case that can affect your productivity and sour your mood.
Excessive daytime sleepiness is the difficulty of staying awake or alert during hours when you are supposed to be awake. This condition is also referred to as hypersomnia, in which you feel exhausted or sleepy during the day or when you sleep longer at night.
A person with hypersomnia may feel sleepy or tired repeatedly during the daytime. In this case, power naps may not be of much help with the situation.
Excessive daytime sleepiness is different from fatigue. Although they both manifest a lack of energy, fatigue involves difficulty falling asleep despite feeling tired.
The common symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness are:
- Falling asleep anywhere
- Snoring
- Restless legs at night
- Lack of energy during the day
- Difficulty focusing or staying alert when doing tasks
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Memory problems
- Taking regular naps and not feeling refreshed
- Extended hours of sleep at night
- Difficulty making decisions
Excessive daytime sleepiness does not only affect your energy levels but can also impact your daily life. This can impose higher risks on working adults, especially those who commute or drive for longer periods of time.
Excessive daytime sleepiness in kids can impact their development, while the elderly with hypersomnia are prone to accidents and memory issues.
Other consequences of chronic daytime sleepiness may include:
- Decreased productivity
- Increased risk of work or vehicle accidents
- Risk of developing diseases like diabetes and heart problems
- Effects on relationships
- Affected overall quality of life
Hypersomnia may occur on its own or be caused by poor sleep habits, another sleep disorder, a medical condition, an injury, or dysfunction of some parts of the nervous system.
Some common causes of excessive daytime sleepiness are:
- Sleep deprivation
- Irregular sleeping schedule
- Disrupted night’s rest
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Medications
- Lifestyle habits like smoking
- Uncomfortable sleeping environment
- Age
- Other health issues
Note that not everyone who experiences excessive daytime sleepiness is sleep-deprived. Some cases of excessive daytime sleepiness may be accompanied by other symptoms of an underlying disease or sleep disorder. Moreover, people with health conditions that cause them to feel tired during the day are more at risk of experiencing hypersomnia. Daytime sleepiness can also be a side effect of medication.
If you don’t have problems completing your sleep at night but still experience morning somnolence, it's a good idea to visit a medical specialist to determine the reason for your daytime sleepiness.
Depending on the cause, medical treatments can help alleviate this condition. Changes in your lifestyle and your sleeping surroundings can also help you feel better.
What Can You Do to Improve Your Sleeping Habits?
Changes in your lifestyle and sleeping environment are crucial to combating excessive daytime sleepiness. From monitoring your sleep schedule, changing some habits and upgrading your sleep environment, improving your sleeping condition will require some effort.
Get Enough Sleep at Night
With our hustling schedules, it’s not surprising that many of us shave off an hour or two to do more things at night or in the morning. Lack of sleep at night can cause you to feel excessively sleepy, moody, and out of focus during the day.
As much as possible, complete 7-9 hours of sleep a day to feel refreshed during the daytime. This includes weekends and holidays.
Keep Distractions Off Your Bedroom
Your bedroom should be a cosy sanctuary where you can rest after a long and tiring day. However, since spaces in Singapore are limited, many homeowners design their bedrooms with additional functionality that can be distracting during sleep. These include entertainment units and home offices.
If you have these in your home, make sure to set up a boundary between your sleeping schedule and other activities, especially work and school tasks. This is to prevent stress and distractions.
Be Consistent with Your Sleeping Schedule
Set an ideal and consistent bedtime as much as possible to anchor your circadian rhythm. Go to bed and wake up at a specific time every day, including weekends and holidays. You can start by setting up a consistent wake-up schedule and gradually moving your sleeping schedule to an earlier time to help your body adjust.
Eat Healthy and Exercise in the Morning
A few tweaks to your habits can also contribute to your sleep health. Unhealthy meals and a sedentary lifestyle can impact your health and cause many complications.
To improve your sleep and overall wellness, start eating healthy meals on time, regulate your alcohol and caffeine intake, and exercise for at least 30 minutes a day in the morning.
Improve Your Sleeping Environment
Aside from eliminating distractions, a cosy bedroom setup can help you sleep better and wake up more refreshed.
At night, make sure that your bedroom is dark, quiet, cool, and comfortable. Get a mattress that fits your sleeping needs, a supportive pillow, and breathable bed sheets. If you are sharing the bed with your partner, look for a mattress with motion isolation features to prevent disruptions when one tosses and turns.
You can use some scents or white noise to help you feel relaxed when trying to snooze.
Takeaway
Excessive daytime sleepiness can affect your daily life more than you could ever imagine. Whether you are working, studying, or trying to enjoy your leisure time, daytime sleepiness can get in the way of your plans.
You may improve your sleeping situation by practising healthier sleep hygiene and ensuring that your bedroom setup is conducive to a good night’s rest. It’s also important to visit a doctor to identify what’s causing your excessive daytime sleepiness.
DISCLAIMER: All the information, including the texts, images, and other materials on this website, are for educational purposes only. Although we strive to present accurate information to our readers, no material on the Somnuz website is a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified medical professional with regards to your health. NEVER disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read in this article.