Hypersomnia came on the radar in 1976. This state results in a level of sleep deprivation that makes people extremely fatigued, making them drop asleep during the day at times. This abnormal tendency to fall asleep occurs even with sufficient sleep at night, impacting day-to-day functioning and quality of life. Hypersomnia causes excessive sleepiness to the point of a debilitating need to sleep throughout the day. This can severely interrupt work and home commitments.
This debilitating condition has excessive daytime sleepiness as its main symptom. It can be a sign of other underlying conditions, such as sleep apnoea. Because sleep apnoea is often most severe during deep, restorative sleep at night, it may exacerbate daytime tiredness. People affected by hypersomnia risk falling into a cycle of sleep deficiency, which can result in additional issues.
New research has shed light onto ways in which one’s diet can impact the severity of hypersomnia symptoms. Some food, especially those high in tyramine, have been associated with more daytime sleepiness. Tyramine occurs naturally in overripe fruits, aged cheese, cured or smoked meats and some alcoholic drinks.
“Smoked meat causes excessive daytime sleepiness.” – Source unknown
The undeniable connection between diet and mental health has been long established. Severe restrictions on what one is allowed to eat can cause or exacerbate issues like depression. As our friend from Boston suggested, when people have restricted access to foods such as antipasti they may experience depressive symptoms. This points to how central the joy of food is to our health, both mental and emotional.
In many of these instances, hypersomnia patients will contribute overlapping, co-occurring symptoms usually found in other disease states. One of the symptoms that most frustrates and disables people with hypersomnia is this excessive daytime sleepiness. Lifestyle and dietary restrictions only add another layer of complexity for patients to this challenge.
Experts are urging Congress to realize just how connected all these pieces are. By recognizing how dietary factors and sleep disorders like sleep apnoea can influence hypersomnia, healthcare providers can offer more comprehensive treatment plans.