What to do if you constantly want to sleep. Daytime sleepiness What causes drowsiness in women causes

A sleep disorder characterized by a desire to fall asleep is referred to as excessive sleepiness. Moreover, the desire to sleep most often occurs periodically, but may be present and constantly. Such a syndrome can, of course, indicate that a person just needs to fully relax. But there are a lot of pathologies that have increased drowsiness in the list of symptoms.

If a person experiences constant or intermittent drowsiness, and chronic fatigue syndrome can be ruled out, you should immediately consult a doctor - only full examination of the body will enable specialists to find out the true cause of the condition in question. Since there are many such reasons, it will be necessary to differentiate possible pathological conditions - this will help to carry out effective treatment.

Most often, the syndrome under consideration accompanies diseases of the endocrine and of cardio-vascular system, but it can also be present in narcolepsy, Kleine-Levin syndrome, sleep apnea syndrome - these are neuropsychiatric diseases that are always difficult, radically change the patient's lifestyle.

Often, increased drowsiness is noted by those who are forced to take certain medicines long period - this affects them side effect on the body. As a rule, with such a development of events, the attending physician will either adjust the dosage of the medication taken, or completely replace it.

Drowsiness is almost always associated with the lack of daylight. Pay attention to how the psycho-emotional background changes during cloudy weather, prolonged rains. In principle, such a condition cannot be considered as a pathology, but it is possible to help the body enter the normal rhythm of life. To increase daylight hours and make up for the lack of sun, fluorescent lamps are installed in the premises - this helps to restore the body's strength in just a couple of days.

And of course, one cannot ignore and, in which a person simply “goes” to sleep - in this way he “hides” from problems and troubles. If increased drowsiness arose precisely against the background of such a disorder of the psycho-emotional background and the nervous system, then you just need to solve the problem or seek help from a psychologist.

Note:all of the listed conditions that lead to increased drowsiness, in principle, can be overcome on their own (with rare exceptions), and drowsiness in the cases described will be considered practically the norm. But there are a number serious illnesses, which are accompanied by increased drowsiness - in this case, without professional medical care just not enough.

Doctors distinguish a number of diseases, the course of which is accompanied by increased drowsiness:

1. . With such a disease, the level of iron in the body decreases, and if the pathology remains “without attention” and the patient does not undergo treatment, then a lack of hemoglobin can be detected even in blood cells. In addition to increased drowsiness, iron deficiency anemia is accompanied by fragility of the nail plates and hair, general weakness, changes in taste preferences, and dizziness.

Note:normalize and stabilize the level of iron in the body exclusively folk remedies impossible. With these symptoms, it is imperative to consult a doctor who, after examination, will prescribe an effective treatment with iron preparations.

There are a number of symptoms that, coupled with increased drowsiness, may be the basis for a preliminary diagnosis. Of course, every doctor will necessary examinations, but assumptions have already been made.

, drowsiness and weakness - vegetovascular dystonia

The mechanism of development of increased drowsiness in this disease is very simple:

• any factor affects the vessels - for example, stress, smoking;
• against the background of such an impact, neuroendocrine shifts occur - this condition generally underlies vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• in the vessels of the brain there is a violation of blood flow (dystonia).

The treatment of increased drowsiness in the pathology under consideration is to combat the factors that actually provoke common disease. Psychotherapy, reflexology, acupuncture and activities aimed at general strengthening of the whole organism will help the patient.

If the disease is severe, then doctors will prescribe specific medications that will save the patient from drowsiness.

, headache and drowsiness - intoxication of the nervous system

In this condition, toxic damage to the cerebral cortex occurs due to exposure to internal or external factors. Exogenous intoxication may occur during the use a large number alcoholic drinks, chemical substances, poisons of plant or bacterial origin (food poisoning). Endogenous intoxication may occur against the background of severe pathologies of the liver (cirrhosis, hepatitis) and kidneys.

Intoxication of the nervous system is always accompanied by increased drowsiness, nausea and headache - according to these signs, doctors will be able to make a diagnosis and provide professional assistance in time.

Vomiting, nausea, dizziness and drowsiness - traumatic brain injury

With such an injury, several factors begin to affect the central nervous system at once:

• direct impact - bruise, destruction of brain tissue;
• violation of the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid;
• violation of cerebral circulation;
• cerebral edema.

Note:in the first few hours after a traumatic brain injury, the patient may feel fine, there are no symptoms. That is why even with minor blows to the head, a person must be examined in medical institution.

Irritability, loss of strength and drowsiness - endocrine disruptions in women

Very often, drowsiness in women is associated with and. In addition to the syndrome under consideration, in such cases there will be other pronounced symptoms:

With endocrine disruptions, you can cope with increased drowsiness with herbal medicine or reflexology, but in especially severe cases, doctors may prescribe hormonal medications.

Of course, first of all, you will need to see a doctor and go through preventive examination- you need to make sure that there are no serious pathologies. If increased sleepiness is a symptom chronic diseases or is caused by psycho-emotional disorders, then you can try to get rid of the syndrome in question on your own.

Increased sleepiness can be a sign of banal chronic fatigue, but it can be a symptom of severe pathological conditions. You just need to carefully monitor your health and literally "listen" to your well-being - a timely examination in a medical institution will help to effectively cope with the problem.

Tsygankova Yana Alexandrovna, medical observer, therapist of the highest qualification category.

Update: November 2019

Drowsiness is a feeling of lethargy, fatigue, a desire to sleep, or at least do nothing. This is a condition that normally occurs as a result of severe physical or mental overwork.

Physiological drowsiness is a signal to the brain that it needs a respite from the flow of information, that the inhibitory systems have turned on the protective mode and reduce the reaction rate, dull the perception of all external stimuli and block the senses and the cerebral cortex to a dormant mode.

Sleepiness symptoms are:

• decreased acuity of consciousness, yawning
• decrease in the sensitivity of peripheral analyzers (dullness of perception)
• slowdown in heart rate
• a decrease in the secretion of the glands of external secretion and dryness of the mucous membranes (lacrimal - sticking of the eyes, salivary -).

But there are also situations or conditions in which drowsiness turns into a pathological deviation or even a serious problem in a person's life.

So why do you always want to sleep?

Main reasons constant drowsiness:

• Fatigue, both physical and mental
• Oxygen starvation of the cerebral cortex
• Strengthening of inhibitory reactions in the central nervous system and their predominance over excitation, including against the background medicines or toxic substances
• Pathologies of the brain with lesions of the centers of sleep
• Traumatic brain injury
• Endocrine pathologies
• Diseases internal organs, leading to the accumulation in the blood of substances that suppress the activity of the cerebral cortex

Pay attention to which house you live in: are there cell towers, power lines nearby, and how often and for how long do you talk on mobile phone(cm. ).

Physiological sleepiness

When a person is forced to stay awake for a long time, his central nervous system turns on the inhibition mode forcibly. Even within one day:

• with visual overload (long sitting at the computer, TV, etc.)
• auditory (noise in the workshop, in the office, etc.)
• touch or pain receptors

a person can repeatedly fall into short-term sleepiness or a so-called "trance", when his usual daytime alpha cortical rhythm is replaced by slower beta waves typical of REM sleep (during falling asleep or dreaming). This simple trance induction technique is often used by hypnotists, psychotherapists, and scammers of all stripes.

Sleepiness after eating

Many are drawn to sleep after dinner - this is also explained quite simply. The volume of the vascular bed exceeds the volume of blood that circulates in it. Therefore, there is always a system of redistribution of blood according to the system of priorities. If the gastrointestinal tract is filled with food and works hard, then most of the blood is deposited or circulates in the stomach, intestines, gallbladder, pancreas and liver. Accordingly, during this period of active digestion, the brain receives less oxygen carrier and, switching to the economy mode, the cortex begins to work not as actively as on an empty stomach. Because, in fact, why move if the stomach is already full.

Banal lack of sleep

In general, a person cannot do without sleep at all. And an adult should sleep for at least 7-8 hours (although historical colossi like Napoleon Bonaparte or Alexander the Great slept for 4 hours, and this did not stop you from feeling cheerful). If a person is forcibly deprived of sleep, then he will still turn off and he may even have a dream for a few seconds. In order not to want to sleep during the day - sleep at least 8 hours at night.

Stress

Another variant of physiological drowsiness is the body's reaction to stress. If in the early stages of stress people often suffer from increased excitability and insomnia (against the background of the release of adrenaline and cortisol by the adrenal glands), then with prolonged action of stress factors, the adrenal glands are depleted, the release of hormones decreases, and the peak of their release also shifts (for example, cortisol released in 5- 6 am, begins to secrete as much as possible by 9-10 am). Similar conditions (failure) are observed with or against the background of long-term use of glucocorticoids, as well as with rheumatic diseases.

Pregnancy

In pregnant women in the first trimester against the background of hormonal changes, toxicosis, and in the last trimester, when there is a natural inhibition of the cortex by placental hormones, there may be episodes of lengthening night sleep or drowsiness during the day - this is the norm.

Why does the baby sleep all the time

As you know, newborns and children up to six months spend most of their lives in a dream:

• newborns - if the baby is about 1-2 months old, he is without any special neurological problems and somatic diseases, it is typical for him to sleep up to 18 hours a day
• 3-4 months - 16-17 hours
• up to six months - about 15-16 hours
• up to a year - how much a baby should sleep up to a year is decided by the state of his nervous system, the nature of nutrition and digestion, the daily routine in the family, on average it is from 11 to 14 hours per day.

A child spends so much time in a dream for one simple reason: his nervous system is underdeveloped at the time of birth. After all, the complete formation of the brain, having ended in utero, simply would not allow the baby to be born naturally because of the too large head.

Therefore, being in a state of sleep, the child is maximally protected from overloading his immature nervous system, which has the opportunity to develop in a calm mode: somewhere to correct the consequences of intrauterine or birth hypoxia, somewhere to complete the formation of myelin sheaths of nerves, on which the speed of transmission of a nerve impulse depends .

Many babies even know how to eat in their sleep. Children under six months wake up more and more from internal discomfort (hunger, intestinal colic, headache, cold, wet diapers).

Drowsiness in a child may cease to be normal if he is seriously ill:

• if the baby vomits, he has frequent loose stools, prolonged absence of stools
• heat
• he fell or hit his head, after which there was some kind of weakness and drowsiness, lethargy, pallor or cyanosis of the skin
• the child stopped responding to voice, touch
• not suckling a breast or a bottle for too long (let alone urinating)

it is important to urgently call an ambulance or take (carry) the child to the emergency room of the nearest children's hospital.

As for children older than one year, then their causes of drowsiness, which go beyond the usual, are almost the same as in infants, plus all somatic diseases and states to be described below.

Pathological sleepiness

Pathological drowsiness is also called pathological hypersomnia. This is an increase in the duration of sleep without an objective need for it. If a person who used to get enough sleep for eight hours begins to apply for sleep during the day, sleep longer in the morning or nod off at work without objective reasons - this should lead to thoughts about problems in his body.

Acute or chronic infectious diseases

Asthenia or depletion of the physical and mental forces of the body is characteristic of acute or severe chronic, especially infectious diseases. During the period of recovery from the disease, a person with asthenia may feel the need for longer rest, including daytime sleep. The most likely cause of this condition is the need for restoration. immune system, which is promoted by sleep (during it, T-lymphocytes are restored). There is also a visceral theory, according to which in a dream the body tests the work of internal organs, which is important after an illness.

Anemia

Close to asthenia is the condition experienced by patients with anemia (anemia, in which the level of red blood cells and hemoglobin decreases, that is, the transport of oxygen by blood to organs and tissues worsens). At the same time, drowsiness is included in the program of hemic hypoxia of the brain (along with lethargy, decreased ability to work, memory impairment, dizziness, and even fainting). Most often manifested (with vegetarianism, bleeding, against the background of latent iron deficiency during pregnancy or malabsorption, with chronic foci of inflammation). B12-deficiency anemia accompanies diseases of the stomach, its resections, starvation, infection with a wide tapeworm.

Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels

Another reason for oxygen starvation of the brain is. When the vessels supplying the brain with plaques become overgrown by more than 50%, ischemia appears ( oxygen starvation bark). If these are chronic disorders of cerebral circulation:

• then in addition to drowsiness, patients may suffer from headaches
• hearing loss and memory loss
• unsteadiness when walking
• at acute disorder blood flow, a stroke occurs (hemorrhagic when a vessel ruptures or ischemic when it is thrombosed). Harbingers of this formidable complication can be impaired thinking, noise in the head, drowsiness.

In older people, cerebral atherosclerosis can develop relatively slowly, gradually worsening the nutrition of the cerebral cortex. That is why a large number old age drowsiness during the daytime becomes an obligatory companion and even somewhat softens their death, gradually worsening cerebral blood flow so much that the respiratory and vasomotor automatic centers of the medulla oblongata are inhibited.

Idiopathic hypersomnia

Idiopathic hypersomnia is an independent disease that often develops in young people. It has no other causes, and the diagnosis is made by exclusion. A tendency to daytime sleepiness develops. There are moments of falling asleep during relaxed wakefulness. They are not so sharp and sudden. Like narcolepsy. Sleep time has been shortened. Awakening is more difficult than normal, and there may be aggressiveness. In patients with this pathology, social and family ties gradually weaken, they lose their professional skills and ability to work.

Narcolepsy

• this is a variant of hypersomnia with increased daytime sleep
• more restless night sleep
• episodes of irresistible falling asleep at any time of the day
• with loss of consciousness, muscle weakness, episodes of apnea (breathing stops)
• patients are haunted by a feeling of lack of sleep
• may also experience hallucinations when falling asleep and waking up

This pathology differs in that, unlike physiological sleep REM sleep occurs immediately and often suddenly without first falling asleep slowly. This is a variant of a lifelong disease.

Increased drowsiness due to intoxication

Acute or chronic poisoning of the body, to which the cortex and subcortex are most sensitive, as well as stimulation of the reticular formation, which provides inhibitory processes various medicinal or toxic substances, leads to severe and prolonged drowsiness, not only at night, but also during the day.

• Alcohol is the most popular household poison. After the stage of excitement when intoxicated moderate(1.5-2.5% of alcohol in the blood), as a rule, a stage of sleep develops, before which there may be severe drowsiness.
• Smoking, in addition to vasospasm, leads to a deterioration in the supply of oxygen to the cerebral cortex, contributes to constant irritation and inflammation of the internal choroid, which provokes not only the development of atherosclerotic plaques, but also potentiates their cracking with thrombosis of the vascular bed, including cerebral arteries. Therefore, in about 30% of smokers, constant drowsiness and loss of strength are constant companions. But while quitting a bad habit, drowsiness can also be a concern.
• Psychotropic substances(neuroleptics,) give severe drowsiness, which becomes chronic with prolonged use of drugs or addiction to them. Also, long-term use (especially barbiturates) and high doses leads to drowsiness due to the activation of inhibitory processes in the central nervous system.
• Drugs (especially morphine-like drugs) also induce drowsiness.

CNS depression against the background of diseases of the internal organs

• Chronic heart failure

• Liver disease

Hepatocellular insufficiency in liver cancer, chronic hepatitis makes it difficult to wash blood from protein metabolism products (see). As a result, the blood begins to contain high concentrations of substances that are toxic to the brain. Serotonin is also synthesized, and there is a decrease in sugar in the brain tissue. Lactic and pyruvic acids accumulate, provoking swelling of the cortex and hyperventilation of the lungs, resulting in a deterioration in the blood supply to the brain. With an increase in poisoning, drowsiness can develop into a coma.

• Intoxication due to infections

• Neuroinfections

Neuroinfections against the background of influenza, herpes, fungal infections may be accompanied by headaches, fever, drowsiness, lethargy and specific neurological symptoms.

• Dehydration

• Mental disorders

Psychiatric disorders (cyclothymia, depression) and neurological diseases may lead to drowsiness.

Endocrine Causes

• Hypothyroidism is the most characteristic lesion of the endocrine glands, in which severe drowsiness develops, impoverishment of emotions and loss of interest in life - this is (after, surgical or radiation removal thyroid gland). A drop in the level of thyroid hormones affects all types of metabolism, so the brain is starving, and the accumulation of fluid in the brain tissue leads to swelling of the gyri and a deterioration in the integrative abilities of the brain.
• Hypocorticism (adrenal insufficiency) leads to a decrease in blood pressure, fatigue, drowsiness, weight loss, loss of appetite and stool instability.
• Diabetes mellitus not only affects vessels of various sizes (including cerebral ones), but also creates conditions for an unstable carbohydrate balance. Fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin (with unbalanced therapy) can lead to both hypo- and hyperglycemic, as well as ketoacidotic conditions that damage the cortex and cause an increase in encephalopathy, the program of which also includes daytime sleepiness.

brain injury

Concussion, brain contusion, hemorrhage under the meninges or in the substance of the brain can be accompanied by a variety of disorders of consciousness, including stupor (stupor), which resembles a prolonged sleep and can turn into a coma.

Sopor

One of the most interesting and mysterious disorders, which is expressed in the patient's falling into a prolonged sleepy state, in which all signs of vital activity are suppressed (breathing slows down and becomes almost undetectable, the heartbeat slows down, there are no reflexes of the pupils and skin).

Lethargy in Greek means oblivion. A variety of peoples have a lot of legends about those buried alive. Usually, lethargy (which is not pure sleep, but only a significant inhibition of the work of the cortex and autonomic functions of the body) develops:

• with mental illness
• fasting
• nervous exhaustion
• against the background of infectious processes with dehydration or intoxication.

N.V. Gogol suffered from a similar disorder. He repeatedly fell into a long pathological sleep during his life (most likely against the background of neurotic disorders and anorexia). There is a version that the writer, who was bled by stupid doctors on the background of either typhoid fever, or a severe breakdown after starvation and neurosis from the death of his wife, did not die a natural death at all, but only fell into prolonged lethargy, about which he was buried , which was allegedly evidenced by the results of the exhumation, in which the head of the deceased was found turned to one side and the coffin lid scratched from the inside.

Thus, if you are worried about causeless fatigue, drowsiness, the causes of which are very diverse, you need the most thorough diagnosis and an appointment with a doctor to clarify all the circumstances that led to such disorders.

Sleep is an important physiological process necessary for the functioning of the body. In a dream, all of its functional systems are restored and tissues are pumped with vital energy. It is well known that a person can live much less without sleep than without food.

The normal duration of sleep in an adult is 7-9 hours every day. A person's need for sleep changes with age. Babies sleep constantly - 12-18 hours a day, and this is the norm. Gradually, the duration of sleep decreases until it reaches an adult value. On the other hand, older people also often have an increased need for sleep.

It is also important that a person belongs to the type of representatives of the animal kingdom for whom it is normal night sleep and daytime wakefulness. If a person cannot spend the time necessary for proper rest in a dream every night, then such a syndrome is called insomnia or insomnia. This situation leads to many unpleasant consequences for the body. But not less problems brings the opposite situation - when a person wants to sleep more than the prescribed time, including during the daytime, when wakefulness and an active lifestyle are prescribed by nature.

This syndrome can be called differently: hypersomnia, drowsiness or, in common parlance, drowsiness. It has many reasons, and it is very difficult to find among them the right one in each case.

First, let's define more precisely the concept of drowsiness. This is the name of the state when a person is overcome by yawning, heaviness presses on the eyes, his pressure and heartbeat decrease, consciousness becomes less sharp, actions become less confident. The secretion of the salivary and lacrimal glands also decreases. At the same time, a person is terribly sleepy, he has a desire to sleep right here and now. Weakness and drowsiness in an adult can be a constant phenomenon, that is, to haunt a person all the time he is awake, or transient, observed only at a certain time.

Why do you always want to sleep?

First of all, it is worth noting that constant drowsiness adversely affects a person’s entire life. He sleeps on the go, cannot fully fulfill his work duties, do household chores, constantly coming into conflict with others because of this. This, in turn, leads to stress and neuroses. In addition, drowsiness can directly pose a danger to a person and others, for example, if he is driving a car.

The reasons

It is not always easy to answer the question why a person wants to sleep. The main factors that cause drowsiness can be divided into those caused by a person’s wrong lifestyle or external causes, and those associated with pathological processes in the human body. In many cases of drowsiness, there are several causes at once.

natural factors

People react differently to natural phenomena. For some, they do not have a noticeable effect, while others are very sensitive to weather changes. If it rains for several days in a row, the pressure is low, then the body of such people react to these circumstances by lowering blood pressure and vitality. As a result, a person may experience drowsiness and weakness on such days, he can fall asleep on the go, but when the weather improves, his usual cheerfulness returns to him. Other people, on the contrary, may react in a similar way to extreme heat and stuffiness.

Also, some people are prone to a syndrome in which a decrease in the length of daylight hours causes the body to secrete the hormones necessary for sleep much earlier than planned. Another reason why a person constantly sleeps in winter is that in winter our body has access to a smaller amount of vitamins obtained from fresh vegetables and fruits, the use of which, as you know, improves metabolism.

Lack of night sleep

Constant lack of sleep is the reason that seems most obvious. And in practice, daytime sleepiness caused by a poor night's sleep is the most common. However, many people tend to ignore it. Even if you think you are getting enough sleep, you may not actually be. And if a person did not sleep well at night, then it is likely that his eyes will be closed during the day.

Night sleep may be incomplete, its phases may be unbalanced, that is, the period of REM sleep to prevail over the period slow sleep during which the most complete rest occurs. In addition, a person can wake up very often at night, he can be distracted by the noise and stuffiness in the room.

Sleep apnea is a common disorder that often disrupts the quality of sleep at night. With this syndrome, the patient has a lack of oxygen supply to the tissues of the body, as a result of which sleep has an intermittent restless character.

It should also be taken into account that over time a person needs everything more sleep. Consequently, if at the age of twenty a person can sleep six hours a day, and this will be enough to make him feel vigorous, then at thirty the body is no longer so hardy, and it requires a more complete rest.

However, not always daytime sleepiness is a consequence of the inferiority of night sleep or insomnia. Sometimes there is a situation where a person cannot sleep at night, although he sleeps well. This means a general pathological increase in the daily need for sleep in the absence of night sleep disturbances.

Overwork

Our life passes at a frantic pace and is filled with everyday fuss, which we do not even notice. Household chores, shopping, car trips, everyday problems - all this in itself takes away our energy and strength. And if at work you still have to do the most difficult and at the same time the most boring things, sitting for hours in front of the monitor screen and looking at numbers and graphs, then the brain eventually turns out to be overloaded. And signals that he needs rest. This, in particular, can be expressed in increased drowsiness. By the way, brain overload can be caused not only by visual, but also by auditory stimuli (for example, constant work in a noisy workshop, etc.).

The drowsiness caused by this cause is relatively easy to eliminate - it is enough to take a break, day off or even go on vacation to put the exhausted nerve cells in order.

stress and depression

It is a completely different matter when a person is tormented by some problem that he cannot solve. In this case, at first a person will be full of energy, trying to overcome a life obstacle. But if he fails to do this, then apathy, weakness and fatigue roll over a person, which can be expressed, among other things, in increased drowsiness. The sleepy state is a protective reaction of the body, because in a dream it is more protected from the negative effects of stress.

Drowsiness can also cause depression - an even more severe defeat of the human psyche, when he is literally not interested in anything, and around him, as it seems to him, there is complete hopelessness and hopelessness. Usually depression is caused by a lack of neurotransmitter hormones in the brain and requires serious treatment.

Taking medicines

Many drugs, especially those used to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders, can cause drowsiness. This category includes tranquilizers, antidepressants, antipsychotics.

However, just because the drug you're taking doesn't fall into this category, it doesn't mean it can't cause drowsiness as a side effect. Drowsiness is a common side effect for antihistamines first generation (tavegil, suprastin, diphenhydramine), many drugs for hypertension.

Infectious diseases

Many are familiar with the feeling of flu or acute respiratory infections, especially accompanied by high fever, when it is cold and you want to sleep. This reaction is due to the desire of the body to use all available energy in the fight against infection.

However, lethargy and drowsiness may be present with infectious diseases, not accompanied by severe symptoms, such as pathological respiratory phenomena or high fever. It is quite possible that it is inflammatory process somewhere deep in the body. This condition even has a special name - asthenic syndrome. And often the cause of drowsiness is asthenic syndrome.

It is typical for many serious illnesses both infectious and non-infectious. However, drowsiness is not the only sign of asthenic syndrome. It is also characterized by such symptoms as extremely fast fatigue, irritability and mood lability. Also, asthenic syndrome is characterized by signs of vegetative-vascular dystonia - jumps in blood pressure, pain in the heart, chilliness or sweating, discoloration skin, headaches, tachycardia, abdominal pain and digestive disorders.

Hormonal imbalances

Many of the hormones produced in human body, affect the activity of physiological and nervous processes. In case of their lack, a person will feel drowsiness, fatigue, weakness, loss of strength. At the same time, pressure can also decrease, immunity can be weakened. These hormones include thyroid hormones, adrenal hormones. In addition to drowsiness, these diseases are also characterized by symptoms such as weight loss and appetite, lowering blood pressure. Similar symptoms can also appear in the hypoglycemic form of diabetes.

The cause of somnolence in middle-aged and elderly men can also be a lack of the sex hormone - testosterone.

Diseases that cause a decrease in blood flow to the brain or intoxication of the body

In many diseases of the internal organs, the brain lacks oxygen. It can also cause such a phenomenon as daytime sleepiness. Such diseases include cardiovascular pathologies and lung diseases:

• ischemia,
• atherosclerosis,
• heart attack,
• hypertension,
• arrhythmias,
• bronchitis,
• asthma,
• pneumonia,
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In diseases of the liver and kidneys, various toxic substances can enter the bloodstream, including those that lead to increased drowsiness.

Atherosclerosis

Although this disease is considered to be characteristic of the elderly, nevertheless, relatively young people have also recently been affected by it. This disease is expressed in the fact that the vessels of the brain are clogged with lipids deposited on the walls of the vessels. Drowsiness in the case of this disease is just one of the symptoms of cerebrovascular insufficiency. In addition to drowsiness, the disease is also characterized by memory impairment, noise in the head.

Osteochondrosis

Recently, a disease such as osteochondrosis of the cervical spine has become widespread among people, especially those who are engaged in sedentary work. Every second person suffers from this disease in one form or another. Meanwhile, few people know that with this disease, not only pain in the neck is often observed, but also a spasm of the cervical arteries. It is well known that many people sitting at the monitor screen for a long time, especially in an uncomfortable position, cannot concentrate properly. However, they do not suspect that this disease is the cause of their problems. And from the inability to concentrate in the performance of their work duties, such consequences as rapid fatigue and the desire to quickly go to sleep, that is, drowsiness, follow.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the causes of drowsiness in women. During the first stage of pregnancy (up to 13 weeks), a woman's body experiences an increased need for sleep. This is a normal physiological reaction caused by its hormonal changes and the fact that a woman needs to gain strength for the upcoming birth process. So there is nothing surprising if a woman in position can sleep 10-12 hours a day. In the last two trimesters, drowsiness is less common. In some cases, it may indicate some deviations in the process of gestation - for example, anemia or eclampsia.

Anemia, beriberi, dehydration

lack of blood in circulatory system(anemia), as well as a lack of hemoglobin, also often lead to a deterioration in the blood supply to brain tissues. With anemia, a person often feels that he has heavy eyes, and he wants to sleep. But this, of course, is not the only symptom of the disease. With anemia, dizziness, weakness and pallor are also observed.

A similar situation is also observed with a lack of certain vitamins and microelements in the body, with dehydration. Dehydration results from the loss of water and electrolyte compounds. Often the result severe diarrhea. Thus, often the cause of drowsiness is simply a lack of certain substances in the body.

Drug use, alcohol and smoking

After taking a significant dose of alcohol, a person tends to sleep - this effect is well known to many. Less well known is that smoking can also lead to poor blood supply to brain tissue. Many drugs also have a sedative effect. This should be kept in mind by many parents who are concerned about the sudden onset of excessive sleepiness in their teenage children. It is possible that the change in their condition is associated with the use of narcotic drugs.

Mental and neurological diseases

Sleepy states are characteristic of many mental illnesses, as well as personality disorders. In what diseases of the nervous system and psyche can somnolence be observed? These diseases include:

• schizophrenia,
• epilepsy,
• apathetic stupor,
• vegetative seizures and crises,
• psychoses of various types.

Hypersomnia can also be side effect treatment of diseases with pharmaceuticals. With impaired functioning of the brain associated with craniocerebral injuries, encephalopathies various genesis, elevated intracranial pressure, this symptom can also be observed. The same can be said about infectious diseases of tissues associated with higher nervous activity - encephalitis, meningitis, poliomyelitis.

There are other types of hypersomnia predominantly of a neurological nature - idiopathic hypersomnia, Kleine-Levin syndrome.

How to get rid of drowsiness

With drowsiness, identifying the causes is not always easy. As is clear from the above, the causes of drowsiness can be varied - from an uncomfortable bed on which a person spends the night, to serious, life-threatening pathological conditions. Consequently, it is very difficult to find a universal recipe that would help a person cope with a problem.

The first thing to do is to start with a lifestyle change. Analyze whether you sleep well enough, whether you devote enough time to rest and relaxation, is it worth taking a break, taking a vacation or changing your occupation?

Primary attention should be paid to night sleep, because the reasons for constant drowsiness may also lie in its lack. The full value of night sleep largely depends on the biorhythms developed over the centuries, dictating to the body that you need to go to bed after sunset, and get up with its first rays. But, unfortunately, many people have learned to successfully ignore the instincts inherent in nature, and go to bed at a completely inappropriate time for this - well after midnight. This is facilitated by both the huge employment of the modern city dweller and the availability of various entertainment events (for example, television programs) in the evening. It is worth remembering that this is a bad habit that you should get rid of. The earlier a person goes to bed, the longer and deeper his sleep will be and, therefore, the less likely he will feel tired and sleepy during the daytime. In some cases, it is recommended to take sleeping pills or sedatives, but they should be used only after consulting a doctor.

In addition, there is a great way to increase your resistance to blues and stress - these are sports and physical education, walking and hardening. If you have a sedentary job, then you should take breaks in order to warm up or take a walk, do a complex exercise. Even daily morning exercises can increase your vitality so much that the constant desire to sleep during the day will pass by itself. Cold and hot shower, pouring cold water, swimming in the pool - all these are great ways to always feel invigorated.

We must not forget to ventilate the room where you constantly sleep or work, because stuffy and hot air, as well as a lack of oxygen in it, contributes to a breakdown and lethargy.

You should also review your diet to include natural sources of vitamins and minerals, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as products that stimulate the production of endorphins, such as chocolate. Natural drinks such as green tea also have an excellent refreshing effect.

What vitamins can be drunk with increased somnolence? First of all, it is vitamin B1, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is especially common during the winter months.

However, what to do if you have tried all the ways to overcome your drowsiness and failed? Perhaps the point is a metabolic disorder and a lack of neurotransmitters in the brain - serotonin, norepinephrine and endorphins, or a lack of production of thyroid or adrenal hormones, a lack of vitamins and microelements in the body, latent infections. In this case, you can not do without passing thorough medical research. Depending on the detected pathology, various methods of treatment can be used - taking medications (vitamin complexes, antidepressants, antibiotics, trace elements, etc.).

Which specialist is best to contact if you are suffering from severe drowsiness? As a rule, such problems are solved by a neurologist or a neuropathologist. There are also doctors who specialize in sleep disorders - somnologists. In most cases, a specialist doctor will be able to figure out why you want to sleep during the day.

What not to do if you find excessive sleepiness

Self-administration of drugs is undesirable, as well as the constant intake of stimulants, such as coffee or energy drinks. Yes, a cup of coffee can cheer up a person if he didn’t sleep well, and he is required to increased attention and performance. However, constant stimulation of the nervous system with caffeine or other energy drinks does not solve the problem, but only eliminates external symptoms hypersomnia and forms the dependence of the psyche on stimulants.

Why does sleepiness occur during the day and how to deal with it?

Very often in the daytime, especially after a heavy meal, fatigue, increased drowsiness, unwillingness to do anything, and a decrease in mental and physical performance appear.
What to do in such situations when drowsiness overcomes during the day, but it will not work to lie down on the sofa and take a nap, and it is still very far from the end of the working day? First of all, to understand why there is increased sleepiness during the day and then take measures to eliminate factors that adversely affect performance.

Main causes of daytime sleepiness

Symptoms of daytime sleepiness. Test

I offer a simple test that allows you to assess your level of sleepiness during the day. It is necessary to answer each of the proposed questions as objectively as possible, choosing the appropriate answer from the following options:
0 - never, 1 - low probability, 2 - moderate probability, 3 - high probability
(we are talking about the probability of dozing or falling asleep in each of the above situations).

So can I sleep

1. Sitting in a chair and reading a newspaper
2. While watching a TV show
3. Does drowsiness appear during the day if you are in a public place and sit in a chair - in a cinema, at a meeting, conference
4. When traveling for a long time (more than an hour) in a car, bus as a passenger
5. Does increased sleepiness appear during the day if you rest in a horizontal position in bed or on the couch after dinner or in the evening
6. During a conversation with an interlocutor (sitting on a chair)
7. Sitting in a quiet environment (in seclusion) after dinner (no alcohol was taken during the meal)
8. Can daytime sleepiness occur if you are driving a car and standing in a traffic jam for several minutes

By answering each of the above questions, using the appropriate answer (0, 1, 2, or 3), you can roughly determine how severe your daytime sleepiness is.

• If the total score is more than 20, then we can talk about the presence of pronounced daytime sleepiness and the need for an urgent examination to identify true reason existing disorder. First of all, you should exclude the syndrome of obstructive sleep apnea, as well as undergo an examination by a therapist, neurologist, endocrinologist.
• Test scores of 15 to 20 indicate significant daytime sleepiness and are recommended here. scheduled examination at the somnologist ().
• A test result below 15 points indicates moderate daytime sleepiness, which is most often the result of lack of sleep at night and overwork during the day. In most cases, in this case, it is enough to normalize the regime of work and rest, and drowsiness during the day will gradually disappear.

How to deal with daytime sleepiness?

What to do with increased daytime sleepiness, when after dinner the head does not think, the eyelids are heavy, and the end of the working day is still far away?

1. As a temporary remedy - a cup of strong and sweet tea (coffee), light gymnastics, a walk in the fresh air, acupressure(points GI 4, VG 26), active rubbing auricles within 1-2 minutes.

2. For continuous use in case of drowsiness during the day - a full night's sleep, gymnastics in the morning, contrast, proper nutrition during the day with the obligatory use of fresh vegetables and fruits.

3. If there is increased drowsiness during the day, an active lifestyle, regular physical education, weekly outdoor recreation in nature is simply necessary.

4. 2-3 times a year with constant daytime sleepiness, courses of multivitamins, herbal adaptogens (Eleutherococcus, Schisandra chinensis) are recommended.

5. In the presence of organic diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver, kidneys, endocrine system and other organs, specialized treatment is needed to help eliminate or reduce daytime sleepiness.

Among different signs, which warn of the presence of a particular disease, there is such a symptom as daytime sleepiness. The syndrome can be characterized by unpleasant consequences and indicate serious health problems. This phenomenon occurs in many people. However, for some it passes on the next day, while others live with it for years. This condition marks a simple malaise, or drowsiness during the day warns of a serious illness.

So, chronic course hypersomnia can not only be considered a feature of the body, but be the result of diseases of the central nervous system and damage to brain cells. When detecting and diagnosing many diseases, such a sign is of particular importance, therefore it is important to prevent the disease in time.

Daytime sleepiness is a warning about serious illnesses

Many people complain that they constantly want to sleep, regardless of the hour period and location. He tends to sleep everywhere and always, in the morning and evening, at the workplace or in the gym.

When drowsiness appears during the day, the reasons for this phenomenon may be different.

• diseases;
• insufficient rest period;
• the use of various means;
• wrong lifestyle.

To normalize well-being, it is necessary to identify an unfavorable source and eliminate it.

Diabetes

This dangerous disease can lead to daytime sleepiness, because due to a change in the balance of the hormone insulin, which is responsible for supplying easily digestible elements into cells, it can cause an increase and decrease in glucose saturation in the circulatory system. As a result of such changes, chronic lethargy and drowsiness at lunch appear.

In addition, damage to the cerebral cortex is possible, the formation of a psycho-organic syndrome, which leads to daytime sleepiness.

Apnea

Often the symptom of hypersomnia can occur due to sleep apnea in older people. There is also a tendency for overweight people. With this disease, when a person rests at night, the respiratory process stops and, due to a lack of oxygen, he wakes up.

The person lets out a snore, then falls silent. After a while, it vibrates again. During these breaks in the attack, the brain undergoes a lack of oxygen, which is the cause of a sleepy state throughout the day. In addition, increased pressure is possible in the morning.

Hypertension

The disease often develops in people over 40 who have bad habits and are overweight and diabetes. Place of residence and hereditary predisposition also play an important role.

The list of symptoms warning about the presence of this disease:

• regular increase in pressure at rest;
• insomnia at night;
• daytime lethargy;
• dizziness;
• nausea.

If such a condition develops, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Hypotension

In the case of a regular decrease in pressure, this will lead to a problem with the blood flow of the brain, manifested by:

• weakness;
• drowsiness;
• headaches;
• brokenness.

Therapy of the disease is carried out under the supervision of a therapist.

Anemia

With an illness, the hemoglobin and red blood cells decrease, as a result of which the supply of oxygen by blood to organs and tissues becomes worse. A person's memory deteriorates, dizziness, lack of strength and energy. Sometimes fainting happens.

Idiopathic hypersomnia

The disease especially appears in young people. Due to the absence of other factors that make you constantly want to sleep during the day, the disease is diagnosed by exclusion.

AT given state note the desire to rest during the day. Interested in solving the problem, the patient complains that he is always strongly drawn to rest. It happens that a person tends to sleep during powerless wakefulness. In the evening the patient quickly falls asleep.

When you regularly want to go to bed, regular fatigue develops, then this condition leads to serious problems.

Often, daytime sleepiness can warn of an illness related to the function of the endocrine system. Such a disease is often accompanied by weight gain, changes in stool, hair loss.

Also, the patient may feel chills, fatigue, cold, although it will seem that the body has had enough sleep. If the work of the endocrine glands is disturbed, you need to contact an endocrinologist.

Sleepiness during the day, as a result of the use of drugs

Almost all drugs affect dreams, disturb them at night (a person cannot sleep), or cause daytime sleepiness. To maintain proper rest, you should choose the time and dosage of the medications you take with your doctor.

First of all, this applies to drugs that provoke asomnia.

1. Beta blockers.
2. Bronchodilators.
3. Corticosteroids.
4. Decongestants.
5. CNS stimulants.
6. Difenin.
7. Thyroid hormones.

Since insomnia often accompanies depression, then people who have difficulty falling asleep use antidepressants. It is these drugs that occupy an important place influencing the structure of the dream.

Amitriptyline, Sinequan, Trazodone reduce the duration of REM and increase the slow-wave sleep cycle. Medicines cause a feeling of drowsiness that affects activities during the day.

During depression, monoamine oxidase inhibitors are prescribed - Tranylcypromine, Phenelzine, which can cause fragmented, restless rest with frequent waking up. The drugs reduce the duration of REM and lead to lethargy during the day.

Results of stress

Severe fatigue and drowsiness at the initial stage is characterized by high excitability, insomnia as a result of the release of adrenaline and cortisol. If the causes of stress have an impact for a long time, then the adrenal glands are depleted, the production of hormones decreases.

A rapid decline in strength is observed in people who suffer from chronic adrenal insufficiency, rheumatic diseases, with long-term use of glucocorticoids.

Impact of bad habits

Quite often there is intoxication with alcohol. After drinking alcohol comes the stage of excitement. When, with mild intoxication, it passes, the dream stage is indicated. The person is inhibited, he feels heaviness in the head, he wants to go to bed.

During smoking, spasms of blood vessels occur, oxygen is poorly supplied to the cerebral cortex, which leads to inflammation and excitation of the inner lining of blood vessels. Therefore, almost a third of smokers are sleepy and lethargic.

Diseases of the central nervous system, as a result of changes in the functioning of internal organs

If a person does not know how to deal with lack of sleep at home, it is necessary to undergo an examination to exclude or diagnose diseases of the internal organs

Why you want to sleep during the day, but not at night, you can’t cheer up in any way, although a sufficient amount of time has been spent in bed. Such disorders may be associated with the quality and quantity of a night's sleep, determined by the following symptoms:

• constant awakenings appear, it is difficult for a person to fall asleep later;
• daytime sleepiness leads to frequent bouts of unintentional rest at any time;
• strong snoring;
• headache;
• inability to move the body after waking up (Parkinson's disease);
• other.

These signs indicate a violation of the dream phases.

In men, daytime sleepiness is often associated with apnea (heavy eating in the evening, drinking alcohol, smoking, overweight). Older people want to sleep in the middle of the day due to reduced REM sleep, the need for bed comfort. Tiredness after dinner indicates excessive coffee consumption in the morning.

Sleepiness in children

Daytime sleepiness in children is more common than in adults. This is due to the greater instability of the central nervous system, high sensitivity to the influence of adverse factors. Therefore, a lethargic and sleepy state with infectious ailments occurs early and brightly, and can be the first symptoms of a disease that warns of danger.

In addition, if fatigue and drowsiness suddenly appeared, head injury and intoxication should be excluded. When a child's problem of drowsiness is not very pronounced, but has a chronic course, then we can assume such diseases:

• leukemia;
• tuberculosis;
• heart defects;
• hepatitis;
• diabetes.

The list of diseases that occur in children with drowsiness is long, so it is better to get an examination.

Diagnostics and therapeutic measures

Often you can get rid of drowsiness, not complicated by illness, simply by changing your habits. It is worth paying attention to lifestyle. If factors such as exercise stress before going to bed, experience, stress, nicotine, alcohol, are absent, but the problem does not go away, then you need to contact a therapist.

You will need to be examined for obvious sleep disorders, conditions and diseases that lead to excessive sleepiness. Based on the survey and analyzes, the specialist will recommend passing:

• cardiologist;
• neurologist;
• somnologist;
• endocrinologist.

A common method for studying sleepiness is polysomnography, which measures brain waves, captures body movement, breathing during rest, and the stage and cause of interruption of sleep at night.

For the treatment of drowsiness, stimulants Amphetamine, Modafinil are prescribed, which allow you to stay awake during the day. Homeopathic therapy is used, which tones up the NS and helps in the fight against chronic lethargy - Aurum, Anacardium, Magnesia Carbonica.

Medicine does not stand still. With drowsiness, massage of the ears, the area above the eyebrows, fingers, and the cervical spine will also help. With a deficiency in the body of vitamin B, C, D, fatigue and apathy appear. Therefore, you need to take vitamin complexes.

From folk methods rosehip tea, ginger tea, eleutherococcus infusion, warm milk with honey will help to overcome drowsiness. Coping with daytime sleepiness is not easy, but a timely solution to the problem will return you to normal life.