Doctors Answers (2)
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Hypersomnia is a word which translates to "excessively sleepy". Many sleep disorders are associated with hypersomnia. Excluding narcolepsy, which is often associated with a deficiency of a chemical that promotes wakefulness. Most people with hypersomnia have a sleep pattern which is fragmented and/or restorative sleep is missing or reduced. Of course, medications can cause daytime sleepiness. The diagnosis of narcolepsy is relatively easy in the hands of a sleep specialist and other causes for sleepiness or hypersomnia is also often easy to diagnose
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Both conditions have excessive sleepiness as their primary symptom. What makes them different is that narcolepsy will have REM onsets during 2 or more nap attempts on the multiple sleep latency test. Cataplexy may also be seen with narcolepsy. Treatment for both includes stimulant medication and if possible scheduled napping during the day.