what is Axis Hypersomnia

AXIS HYPERSOMNIA

Axis Hypersomnia is a chronic neurological sleep disorder that leads to daytime sleepiness and/or long sleeping hours for over 9-10 hours in 24  hours, Hypersomnia means excessive daytime sleep or when you spent excessive time sleeping. You will often feel exhausted and find it it hard to stay awake during the day. There are times when you will feel the need to sleep all day, even after taking sufficient sleep. People who have

hypersomnia can fall asleep at any time, for instance, at work, while they are driving or while performing any other activities. Some other conditions may also include sleep-related problems, lack of energy, and trouble thinking clearly.

REAL LIFE CASE

A 42-year-old man from Rajasthan's Nagaur district sleeps 300 days a year and has been dubbed as the real-life 'Kumbhkarna', the mythological character from Ramayan, famous for sleeping undisturbed for six months. 

Pukharam, a resident of Bhadwa village in Parbatsar division, suffers from a rare disorder called Axis Hypersomnia which makes him sleep for 20-25 days at a stretch once he takes a nap.

Pukhram was diagnosed with this condition 23 years ago and, since then, it has affected his daily life as it gets difficult to wake him up once he falls asleep.

CAUSE

Axis Hypersomnia is caused due to the fluctuation in the brain Protein known as the TNF-alpha, and is associated with other disorders such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and excessive sleepiness.

You can encounter this problem due to sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, being obese, drug or alcohol use, a head injury, using certain medications, having depression or there could also be a genetic reason behind it.

There can be two types of hypersomnia, primary and secondary.

• Primary hypersomnia has no other medical conditions but excessive fatigue.

• Secondary hypersomnia occurs due to medical conditions, like kidney failure, chronic fatigue syndrome, or anything else that makes it hard for you to sleep.

SYMPTOMS

• If you are one who suffers from this condition, you probably struggle to wake up, despite setting multiple alarms and have difficulty getting up from the bed (known as sleep inertia).

• Such individuals may start the day feeling groggy referred to as sleep drunk and can also experience brain fog, reduced attention span, frustration, irritation, anxiety, and depression.

DIAGNOSIS

• If you keep experiencing this problem on a regular basis, it is advised to consult a doctor.

• The doctor will monitor your sleeping habits and ask questions like, when do you wake up, do you tend to fall asleep during the day, do you have emotional problems etc. 

• Following this, the expert will advise blood tests, computed tomography (CT) scans, and a sleep test called polysomnography which is a comprehensive test used to diagnose sleep disorders.

• Delaying treatment can also lead to consequences in later life.

• Make sure that you adhere to a proper sleep routine to stay fresh. Do not take this lightly at all. Do not get bogged down, you will surely be able to manage this condition with timely intervention.

• The treatment can be based on medications and antidepressants. To prevent this condition, one should stay away from caffeine.

• Do not consume alcohol just before sleeping as it can interfere with your sleep