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Drowsiness

• Overview
• Treatment

Definition:

Drowsiness refers to feeling abnormally sleepy during the day -- often with a strong tendency to actually fall asleep in inappropriate situations or at inappropriate times.

Alternative Names:

Sleepiness - during the day; Hypersomnia; Somnolence

Considerations:

Excessive daytime sleepiness (without a known cause) suggests the presence of a significant sleep disorder and is different from fatigue . Although  depression, anxiety , stress , and boredom can contribute to excessive sleepiness, these conditions more typically cause fatigue and apathy .

Common Causes:

• Self-imposed short sleep time
• Medications (tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antihistamines)
• Sleep disorders (such as sleep apnea syndrome and narcolepsy)
• Other medical conditions (such as hypothyroidism, hypercalcemia, and hypo/hypernatremia)

• Review Date: 2/9/2006
• Reviewed By: Frederic F. Little, M.D., Department of Allergy and Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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