How Is Hypersomnia Treated?

Hypersomnia is a sleep disorder marked by oversleeping. Individuals with hypersomnia find it hard to wake up and never feel rested. Some other effects of this condition include loss of memory, difficulty in concentrating etc. This article will inform you about the available treatment options of hypersomnia.

Cause of majority of the hypersomnia cases is unknown. A group of researchers followed some hypersomnia patients for a certain number of years. During this time, most of the monitored hypersomnia patients experienced persistent episodes of extremely deep sleep and unrefreshing naps. After a few years, it was found that many of these patients recovered from the problem without any treatment. This proves that hypersomnia can be a passing phase that improves with time. However, if it continues for several months, seeking medical treatment is advisable.

Usually, hypersomnia gets treated with alerting medications. A stimulant drug called Methylphenidate is often prescribed for fighting heavy sleeping habit. Recently, a medication promoting wakefulness has been launched in the market; its name is Modafinil. A study conducted in the year 2009 revealed that 65% of the hypersomnia patients will get rid of their problem after having the prescribed dosages of Modafinil. Both the drugs mentioned here are considered to be safe and effective.

The year 2007 saw FDA approving another medicinal drug meant for hypersomnia treatment. The name of the drug is armodafinil. The chemical composition of this drug is similar to that of modafinil. Most physicians prefer armodafinil over modafinil as the former is administered in smaller dosages and works for longer duration. This feature of armodafinil was also proved clinically when a 2008 study revealed that as a result of being administered in lower dosages, armodafinil is most tolerable among all alerting medications.

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