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What Causes Excessive Sleeping And Drowsiness?
Question: I am a 72 old man who has never been much for napping and now every day after I get up have breakfast and watch the news I take a nap that is usually 2 to 3 hours long. My appetite is regular as are all my other functions.
Brief Answer:
thyroid disease, sleep apnea, etc have to be excluded
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
getting older usually means sleeping less. Taking naps every so often could be caused by various conditions. I'll make a short list of some common causes:
- thyroid disease: hypothyroidism may cause a retardation in the functions of the whole body, including the nervous system, causing slow thinking, tiredness and sleepiness. It can be easily checked by measuring the serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
- drugs: new drugs may cause new side effects. Old drugs may also cause new side effects if new drugs are added to the regimen or if the kidneys or liver malfunction (depending on the drug metabolism).
- alcohol: increased consumption of alcohol may impair sleep in various ways.
- sleep-apnea: this syndrome may cause a sense of constant tiredness even after having awaken in the morning, taking naps every time you sit and having seemingly unrelated problems like an increased blood pressure or a worsening of arterial hypertension. Your wife may confirm snoring and periods of apnea (that is breath pauses for several seconds). An ENT specialist and a pulmonologist have to be consulted.
- electrolyte imbalance: sodium mainly, when low, may cause sleepiness. Measuring blood levels of sodium should suffice to confirm or exclude it.
- mood disorders like depression may impair sleep. Other symptoms may include a reduced appetite, feelings of grief all the time, no XXXXXXX lack of energy, etc. A psychiatrist is the right person to diagnose such disorders.
etc
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
thyroid disease, sleep apnea, etc have to be excluded
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
getting older usually means sleeping less. Taking naps every so often could be caused by various conditions. I'll make a short list of some common causes:
- thyroid disease: hypothyroidism may cause a retardation in the functions of the whole body, including the nervous system, causing slow thinking, tiredness and sleepiness. It can be easily checked by measuring the serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
- drugs: new drugs may cause new side effects. Old drugs may also cause new side effects if new drugs are added to the regimen or if the kidneys or liver malfunction (depending on the drug metabolism).
- alcohol: increased consumption of alcohol may impair sleep in various ways.
- sleep-apnea: this syndrome may cause a sense of constant tiredness even after having awaken in the morning, taking naps every time you sit and having seemingly unrelated problems like an increased blood pressure or a worsening of arterial hypertension. Your wife may confirm snoring and periods of apnea (that is breath pauses for several seconds). An ENT specialist and a pulmonologist have to be consulted.
- electrolyte imbalance: sodium mainly, when low, may cause sleepiness. Measuring blood levels of sodium should suffice to confirm or exclude it.
- mood disorders like depression may impair sleep. Other symptoms may include a reduced appetite, feelings of grief all the time, no XXXXXXX lack of energy, etc. A psychiatrist is the right person to diagnose such disorders.
etc
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I sleep great 7 hours an night uninterrupted. I do take several medication for cardiovascular disease but I've been taking them for years. I don't drink or smoke and am not depressed. I usually sty up till 11 and am up by 630 or 7. Stay up for 3 hours and then take the nap. I see a cardiologist and gastroenterologist 2x a year.
Brief Answer:
the list gets shorter then...
Detailed Answer:
If you wake up refreshed (and not like if you hadn't slept enough) then the sleep-apnea scenario is unlikely.
You haven't mentioned which drugs you use and if anything has changed in your regimen recently. Some drugs may cause sleepiness like clonidine for example, others may impair your sleep (like beta blockers). Some of them may impair the electrolytes (the diuretics mostly).
So in conclusion, a basic chemistry panel and thyroid test (TSH) should suffice to exclude the most common causes.
Kind Regards!
the list gets shorter then...
Detailed Answer:
If you wake up refreshed (and not like if you hadn't slept enough) then the sleep-apnea scenario is unlikely.
You haven't mentioned which drugs you use and if anything has changed in your regimen recently. Some drugs may cause sleepiness like clonidine for example, others may impair your sleep (like beta blockers). Some of them may impair the electrolytes (the diuretics mostly).
So in conclusion, a basic chemistry panel and thyroid test (TSH) should suffice to exclude the most common causes.
Kind Regards!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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