Sleepiness is a very common patient complaint and is more widespread than previously
thought, affecting as many as 20% - 30% of U.S. adults. Disorders of excessive sleepiness
of central origin such as idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy are much less prevalent
but not uncommon. I suspect historical prevalence data underestimate the number of
patients affected. Sadly, way too many patients with sleepiness do not discuss symptoms
with their physician or do not recognize sleepiness as the cause of their fatigue,
neurocognitive impairment, mood changes or even fatigue related accidents. The strong
circadian drive for wakefulness supports daytime function and often disguises functional
impairment. In other words, the patient can get by but is not normal. We have personal,
family, community, and work obligations that siphon off our necessary hours of quality
sleep. Living life constantly in a daze and suffering the attendant co-morbidities
should not be the norm in our society, and yet it is. We need to put this issue on
our radar and use the latest in sleep science to address it.
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Footnotes
☆[NSF Chair’s annual state of sleep health editorial for August 2019 issue of Sleep Health]
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc.
