Medical reasons Why are you feeling sleepy all the time

1. Medical reasons: Why are you feeling sleepy all the time

2. Uncontrollable yawning, heavy eyelids and the powerful urge to doze off during the day are signs of excessive sleepiness. Struggling to stay awake can drag down performance at school and work, put a strain on social and personal relationships, and create serious risks when driving. If you experience persistent drowsiness, it’s normal to wonder, “why am I always sleepy?” The most common causes of excessive sleepiness are sleep deprivation and disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia. Depression and other psychiatric problems, certain medications, and medical conditions affecting the brain and body can cause daytime drowsiness as well.

3. What is Excessive Daytime Sleepiness? Excessive daytime sleepiness is a difficulty staying awake or alert1 when you need to. Many experts define EDS as distinct from fatigue2, which involves strong feelings of physical exhaustion, but the two conditions may overlap. Some researchers refer to EDS as hypersomnia, which describes disorders of excess sleep. However, hypersomnia is a broader term that includes issues like sleeping too much at night that are distinct from extreme drowsiness during the day or in situations when alertness is required.

4. What Are the Causes of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness? Excessive daytime sleepiness is not a condition in itself; instead, it is a symptom caused by an underlying problem. Failure to Prioritize Sleep: Choosing to stay up late to watch a series or wake up early to go to the gym are examples of how sleep can get bumped down the list of priorities and crowded out of a busy schedule. This can cause drowsiness the next day, and the problem can accumulate over time. When these choices cause a lack of sleep over an extended period, it is known as insufficient sleep syndrome. 

5. Insomnia: This condition includes a range of problems that make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep for as long as you want. Insomnia is often related to other sleep problems described here that give rise to excessive sleepiness. Sleep Apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a breathing disorder characterized by brief pauses in breathing during the night. It creates fragmented sleep that typically causes daytime drowsiness and may affect up to 20% of adults6. Central sleep apnea (CSA) is less common but can also cause disturbed sleep.

6. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS): This condition causes a strong sensation of needing to move one’s extremities, particularly the legs, and is a known risk for disrupting total sleep time and sleep quality. Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders: When a person’s sleep schedule is misaligned with their local day-night cycle, it can cause short and fragmented sleep. Examples include jet lag and sleeping problems among shift workers.

7. Poor Sleep Quality: Sleep insufficiency isn’t just about a low quantity of sleep; it’s also about sleep quality. People who don’t smoothly progress through sleep cycles may fail to get enough deep sleep or REM sleep. As a result, they may not wake up refreshed even if they sleep for the recommended number of hours. Pain: Virtually any ailment that induces pain, including arthritis, fibromyalgia, or herniated disks, can complicate sleep and make a person prone to drowsiness during the day.

8. Frequent Nighttime Urination: This condition, known as nocturia, involves needing to get up from bed during the night to pee and is estimated to affect8 up to one out of three older adults and one out of five younger people.  • These are some of the reasons behind you feeling sleepy all the time.

9. Thank You