# Healing and Wellbeing > General Health >  >  Hypersomnia

## Otherside

I have no idea where to put this due to the fact that, although it can be linked to anxiety, it can also be an issue completely separate. 

So Hypersomnia - the opposite of Insomnia, supposedly. I deal with it when I'm struggling with depression. You sleep too much (At the worst I could sleep sixteen hours a day) and still wake up feeling as though you have not slept at all. 

Now I'm wondering if I'm beginning to struggle again - or maybe I'm just panicking that I am dealing with it again. I'm sleeping 12 hours or so if I get the chance to right now (usually I get about seven or so and feel fine), and feel absolutely shattered when I wake up. I just can't get enough sleep to feel refreshed. Just wondering if anyone else had/has this issue. 

(And there's a load of info below if anyone interested in it. I know it's not exactly a well known thing). 





> *Hypersomnia' means excessive sleep or sleepiness that interferes with everyday life.*  It can have many possible causes, including conditions such as narcolepsy, sleep apnoea or restless legs syndrome; severe sleep deprivation; depression; certain medications (such as tranquillisers); or drug and alcohol misuse.
>  However, some people with hypersomnia will not have an underlying medical condition and there will be no obvious explanation for it ? they have it throughout the day, despite sleeping for a very long time at night. This is known as "idiopathic" or primary hypersomnia.
> 
>  The rest of this page focuses on idiopathic hypersomnia. 
> 
> *Signs and symptoms* People with idiopathic hypersomnia struggle to stay awake during the day and are usually compelled to take frequent long naps. These may be prolonged or at inappropriate times ? such as during a conversation or meal, or even while driving ? and generally don't provide any relief from the sleepiness.
> 
>  Most people with idiopathic hypersomnia also sleep for more than 10 hours a night and struggle to wake in the morning, because they feel very drowsy and confused upon waking ("sleep drunkenness"), although some people sleep for a regular amount of time (about eight hours) and are able to wake relatively normally.
> 
> ...

----------


## Antidote

I've been a long sleeper in the past (like around 9 hours) but I wasn't tired during the day so I think it was just my normal. I'd fluctuate between long sleeping, normal sleeping and occasionally insomnia. For me though, I think it was mostly down to keeping odd hours.
Have you had a sleep study done? Because the hypersomnia symptoms described above sort of sound like narcolepsy. Either way, it's a sign that sleep quality is poor and you're not spending enough time in slow wave sleep (which is the most restorative). 
Have you noticed a pattern to it, like seasonal?

----------


## HoldTheSea

I sleep upwards of 10 hours a night, sometimes as much as 13. I have really vivid dreams and nightmares. I always wake up feeling drained and like I want to go back to sleep. I take a lot of naps during the afternoon as well.
On the contrary though, sometimes- but not as frequently- I experience insomnia too and I can't get to sleep until 5 or 6 in the morning.
In both cases for me personally, the sleep issues are linked to my PTSD. I also take a sedative at night which could be contributing to me wanting/needing to sleep more.

I also know that depression can cause hypersomnia, and mania from bipolar disorder can cause frequent and long bouts of insomnia.

----------


## Total Eclipse

My first dx was hypersomimia and than later on changed to Narcolespy. In my opioion, it most deffo can cause anxiety. Your body is always fighting to stay awake despite part of it wanting to sleep.  ::(:

----------


## Ironman

It's the panic attack that wakes us up.  I know that.

If I sleep too much, it's from not sleeping enough.  A normal weekday would be on only six hours of sleep.  I try to take a nap of 15 minutes or so (it's winter so it has often been more than one nap).

----------

