While hypersomnia and narcolepsy both cause excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy is a rarer and more serious condition. Hypersomniacs solely suffer from fatigue-related symptoms, while narcolepsy includes unexpected sleep attacks, cataplexy, and difficulty falling asleep.
Hypersomnia is a condition in which you feel drowsy during the day and have an unusually difficult time waking up after sleeping. About 4%-6% of the general population have hypersomnia; it inhibits your academic, work, and social life if left untreated.
Narcolepsy impacts your brain's ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles. Narcolepsy makes you feel drowsy during the daytime, consequently affecting how well you can perform your daily activities. It can also cause you to wake up frequently at night, leading to poor quality of sleep. Narcolepsy affects between 135,000 to 200,000 US citizens, and (like hypersomnia) inhibits your academic, work, and social life if left untreated.
Because narcolepsy and hypersomnia share similar symptoms, they're often mistaken for each other. Upon a closer look, it's evident that narcolepsy is a rarer and more serious condition than hypersomnia.
You can't get rid of hypersomnia, but there are medications and lifestyle changes that help manage symptoms.
There are no treatments that cure narcolepsy, but there are medications you can take and lifestyle changes you can make to ease narcolepsy symptoms. Even though hypersomnia and narcolepsy are different, they share similar treatment methods.
If you have hypersomnia or narcolepsy, getting quality sleep can ease your symptoms during the day. A quality mattress is key to quality sleep. Is your mattress years old, with divots where you sleep each night? This is a common sign that you need a new mattress to improve your sleep health. Investing in the right mattress tailored to your sleep needs helps you get on the right track towards a better night's sleep.
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