The doctor spoke about the role of sleep and rest in the fight against hypersomnia.

Chronic daytime sleepiness is not just fatigue after work. It can disrupt brain activity, reduce concentration and memory, increase irritability and aggression, and ultimately increase the risk of injury and accidents. Early diagnosis and lifestyle adjustments can prevent serious health consequences, and attentive attention to body signals helps maintain productivity and quality of life. Daria Dibrova, a doctor at Bioniq, told Izvestia on October 15.

Excessive daytime sleepiness is the official name of this condition "hypersomnia" or "narcolepsy." Chronic drowsiness significantly impairs the quality of life, depressing brain activity: decreased performance, memory impairment, ability to concentrate, suppression of cognitive abilities. Unmotivated aggression, irritability, and short temper may increase in a person. In addition, drowsiness significantly increases the risk of industrial and household injuries, and causes accidents," the doctor said.

A comprehensive examination is important for accurate detection of hypersomnia. The doctor collects a detailed medical history of the patient, takes into account data from the family, evaluates the emotional state, including manifestations of depression and anxiety, and conducts polysomnography, a study that allows analyzing brain, muscle, and respiratory activity, as well as heart rate at night. The Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MTLS) helps determine the rate of falling asleep and identify sleep disorders, and in some cases, an MRI scan of the brain is prescribed to exclude a tumor origin.

In addition, laboratory tests are necessary: general and biochemical blood tests, tests for thyroid hormones and other indicators, and a physical examination helps to assess the condition of the heart, glucose levels and blood pressure.

"At an early stage, the negative effects of hypersomnia on cognitive abilities and brain activity can be prevented. First of all, it is necessary to exclude the pathological causes of this condition: hypothyroidism, chronic anemia, renal and liver failure, arterial hypotension (including those caused by an overabundance of antihypertensive drugs), hypoglycemia (including those caused by an overabundance of sugar—lowering drugs), obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, depression or anxiety disorder," Dibrova emphasized.

If the underlying pathology is excluded, lifestyle adjustment becomes key. Compliance with work and rest conditions is an important factor. Overwork and staying awake at night for no good reason can worsen hypersomnia, so you should strive to go to bed before 23:00. Sleep hygiene also plays an important role: a cool, quiet and completely darkened room, the use of sleep masks, black-out curtains and the elimination of light sources from electrical appliances helps the body to fully recover.

"Avoid consuming caffeine and caffeinated beverages (black tea, green tea, karkade, invigorating herbal teas like sagan-dail, lemonades like Coca-Cola, cocoa) and nicotine, especially in the evening. Avoid eating and drinking caffeinated beverages after 3 p.m. Sports and physical exercises. Physical activity during the day can improve the quality of a night's sleep. Avoid heavy physical exertion before going to bed," Dibrova advised.

The doctor concluded that it is important to spend time outdoors. Natural sunlight or bright light during the day helps maintain the natural cycle of sleep and wakefulness, and the morning sun is especially effective for awakening the body.

On October 4, Abigail Dove, a researcher at the Department of Neurobiology, Social Sciences and Public Health at the Karolinska Institute, who led the study, spoke about the dependence of the aging process of the brain on sleep quality. She also suggested that due to the ability to modify sleep, it may be possible to prevent accelerated aging of the brain and even a decrease in its cognitive functions.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.