Idiopathic Hypersomnia

Symptoms

Idiopathic hypersomnia usually develops slowly and prior to age 30. It's rare in children, however. Symptoms may include:

• Difficulty waking in the morning: a patient may set multiple alarms and still have difficulty waking up


• Sleep paralysis: a temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking


• Sleep drunkenness: once awake, a patient may still feel half asleep or confused


• Hypnogogic hallucinations: waking dreams that occur when a patient falls quickly into REM sleep during the day


• Forgetfulness about having done simple activities


• Long naps during the day that don't leave a patient refreshed


• Tension at school, work, or home due to the disorder

Though some symptoms of idiopathic hypersomnia are shared with narcolepsy, patients with idiopathic hypersomnia don't experience cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone in the face or limbs, usually triggered by laughter or surprise. Also, while both disorders cause people to nap frequently and uncontrollably, naps associated with narcolepsy tend to be shorter and refreshing, while naps associated with idiopathic hypersomnia tend to be longer, difficult to wake from, and not refreshing.