Drowsiness: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention - Healthline

Feeling abnormally sleepy or tired during the day is commonly known as drowsiness. Drowsiness may lead to additional symptoms, such as forgetfulness or ... HealthConditionsFeaturedBreastCancerIBDMigraineMultipleSclerosis(MS)RheumatoidArthritisType2DiabetesSponsoredTopicsArticlesAcidRefluxADHDAllergiesAlzheimer's&DementiaBipolarDisorderCancerCrohn'sDiseaseChronicPainCold&FluCOPDDepressionFibromyalgiaHeartDiseaseHighCholesterolHIVHypertensionIPFOsteoarthritisPsoriasisSkinDisordersandCareSTDsDiscoverWellnessTopicsNutritionFitnessSkinCareSexualHealthWomen'sHealthMentalHealthSleepOriginalSeriesFreshFoodFastDiagnosisDiariesYou’reNotAlonePresentTenseVideoSeriesYouthinFocusHealthyHarvestNoMoreSilenceFutureofHealthPlanHealthChallengesMindfulEatingSugarSavvyMoveYourBodyGutHealthMoodFoodsAlignYourSpineFindCarePrimaryCareMentalHealthOB-GYNDermatologistsNeurologistsCardiologistsOrthopedistsLifestyleQuizzesWeightManagementAmIDepressed?AQuizforTeensAreYouaWorkaholic?HowWellDoYouSleep?Tools&ResourcesHealthNewsFindaDietFindHealthySnacksDrugsA-ZHealthA-ZConnectFindYourBezzyCommunityBreastCancerInflammatoryBowelDiseasePsoriaticArthritisMigraineMultipleSclerosisPsoriasisFollowusonsocialmediaShopProductsbyConditionInsomniaStressReliefBackPainNeckPainSleepApneaHotSleepersAllergiesPainReliefProductReviewsVitamins&SupplementsSleepMentalHealthNutritionAt-HomeTestingCBDMen’sHealthWomen’sHealthHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeSleepSleepScienceRoutinesMind&BodyDisordersChallengeNapsDreamsProductsEverythingYouNeedtoKnowAboutDrowsinessMedicallyreviewedbyElaineK.Luo,M.D.—ByKatiBlake—UpdatedonJuly31,2019CausesTreatmentWhentoseekhelpPreventionOutlookOverviewFeelingabnormallysleepyortiredduringthedayiscommonlyknownasdrowsiness.Drowsinessmayleadtoadditionalsymptoms,suchasforgetfulnessorfallingasleepatinappropriatetimes.Whatarethecausesofdrowsiness?Avarietyofthingsmaycausedrowsiness.Thesecanrangefrommentalstatesandlifestylechoicestoseriousmedicalconditions.LifestylefactorsCertainlifestylefactorsmayleadtoincreaseddrowsiness,suchasworkingverylonghoursorswitchingtoanightshift.Inmostcases,yourdrowsinesswillsubsideasyourbodyadaptstoyournewschedule.MentalstateDrowsinesscanalsobearesultofyourmental,emotional,orpsychologicalstate.Depressioncangreatlyincreasedrowsiness,ascanhighlevelsofstressoranxiety.Boredomisanotherknowncauseofdrowsiness.Ifyou’reexperiencinganyofthesementalconditions,you’realsolikelytofeelfatiguedandapathetic.MedicalconditionsSomemedicalconditionscancausedrowsiness.Oneofthemostcommonoftheseisdiabetes.Otherconditionsthatmayleadtodrowsinessincludethosethatcausechronicpainoraffectyourmetabolismormentalstate,suchashypothyroidismorhyponatremia.Hyponatremiaiswhenthelevelofsodiuminyourbloodistoolow.Othermedicalconditionsknowntocausedrowsinessincludeinfectiousmononucleosis(mono)andchronicfatiguesyndrome(CFS).MedicationsManymedications,particularlyantihistamines,tranquilizers,andsleepingpills,listdrowsinessasapossiblesideeffect.Thesemedicationshavealabelthatwarnsagainstdrivingoroperatingheavymachinerywhileusingthesedrugs.Talktoyourdoctorifyouexperienceprolongeddrowsinessduetoyourmedications.Theymayprescribeanalternativeoradjustyourcurrentdosage.SleepingdisorderExcessivedrowsinesswithoutaknowncausecanbeasignofasleepingdisorder.There’sarangeofsleepingdisorders,andeachhasitsownuniqueeffects.Inobstructivesleepapnea,ablockageinyourupperairwaysleadstosnoringandpausesinyourbreathingthroughoutthenight.Thiscausesyoutowakeupfrequentlywithachokingsound.Othersleepdisordersincludenarcolepsy,restlesslegsyndrome(RLS),anddelayedsleepphasedisorder(DSPS).Howisdrowsinesstreated?Treatmentofdrowsinessdependsonitscause.Self-treatmentSomedrowsinesscanbetreatedathome,especiallyifit’stheresultoflifestylefactors,suchasworkinglongerhours,oramentalstate,suchasstress.Inthesecases,itmayhelptogetplentyofrestanddistractyourself.It’salsoimportanttoinvestigatewhat’scausingtheproblem—likeifit’sstressoranxiety—andtakestepstoreducethefeeling.MedicalcareDuringyourappointment,yourdoctorwilltrytoidentifythecauseofyourdrowsinessbydiscussingthesymptomwithyou.Theymayaskyouabouthowwellyousleepandwhetheryouwakeupfrequentlyinthenight.Bepreparedtoanswerquestionsabout:yoursleepinghabitstheamountofsleepyougetifyousnorehowoftenyoufallasleepduringthedayhowoftenyoufeeldrowsyduringthedayYourdoctormayaskyoutokeepadiaryofyoursleepinghabitsforafewdays,documentinghowlongyousleepatnightandwhatyou’redoingwhenyoufeeldrowsyduringtheday.Theymayalsoaskforspecificdetails,suchasifyouactuallyfallasleepduringthedayandwhetheryouwakeupfeelingrefreshed.Ifthedoctorsuspectsthatthecauseispsychological,theymayreferyoutoacounselorortherapisttohelpyoufindasolution.Drowsinessthat’sasideeffectofmedicationisoftencurable.Yourdoctormayswapthemedicationforadifferenttypeorchangeyourdosageuntilthedrowsinesssubsides.Neverchangeyourdosageorstopaprescriptionmedicationwithoutfirsttalkingtoyourdoctor.Ifnocauseforyourdrowsinessisapparent,youmayneedtoundergosometests.Mostareusuallynoninvasiveandpainless.Yourdoctorcouldrequestanyofthefollowing:completebloodcount(CBC)urinetestselectroencephalogram(EEG)CTscanoftheheadIfyourdoctorsuspectsthatyoumayhaveobstructivesleepapnea,RLS,oranothersleepdisorder,theymayscheduleasleepstudytest.Forthistest,you’llspendthenightinthehospitalorasleepcenterundertheobservationandcareofasleepspecialist.Yourbloodpressure,heartrate,heartrhythm,breathing,oxygenation,brainwaves,andcertainbodymovementswillbemonitoredthroughoutthenightforanysignsofasleepdisorder.WhentoseekemergencycareYoushouldseekmedicalattentionifyoubegintofeeldrowsyafteryou:startanewmedicationtakeanoverdoseofmedicationsustainaheadinjurybecomeexposedtothecoldHowcandrowsinessbeprevented?Aregularamountofsleepeachnightcanoftenpreventdrowsiness.Mostadultsrequireabouteighthoursofsleeptofeelfullyrefreshed.Somepeoplemayneedmore,especiallythosewithmedicalconditionsoraparticularlyactivelifestyle.Formoresleepsupport,checkoutoursleepshop.Talktoyourdoctorassoonaspossibleifyouexperienceanychangesinyourmood,signsofdepression,oruncontrollablefeelingsofstressandanxiety.What’stheoutlookforuntreateddrowsiness?Youmayfindthatdrowsinessgoesawaynaturallyasyourbodybecomesusedtoanewscheduleorasyoubecomelessstressed,depressed,oranxious.However,ifthedrowsinessisduetoamedicalproblemorsleepdisorder,it’sunlikelytogetbetteronitsown.Infact,thedrowsinessislikelytoworsenwithoutpropertreatment.Somepeoplemanagetolivewithdrowsiness.However,itmaylimityourabilitytowork,drive,andoperatemachinerysafely.LastmedicallyreviewedonJuly30,2019Howwevettedthisarticle:SourcesHistoryHealthlinehasstrictsourcingguidelinesandreliesonpeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicalassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.HartseKM.(n.d.).Drowsiness:Causes,treatments,andprevention.sleepassociation.org/sleep-disorder/drowsiness-causes-treatments-preventionMedicationsthatcanaffectsleep.(2010).health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/medications-that-can-affect-sleepPagelJF,etal.(2009).Excessivedaytimesleepiness.aafp.org/afp/2009/0301/p391.htmlSmolleyL,etal.(2016)Alwaystired?Daytimesleepinessdecoded.my.clevelandclinic.org/health/transcripts/3815_always-tired-daytime-sleepiness-decodedOurexpertscontinuallymonitorthehealthandwellnessspace,andweupdateourarticleswhennewinformationbecomesavailable.CurrentVersionAug1,2019ByKatiBlakeEditedByFrankCrooksJul30,2019MedicallyReviewedByElaineK.Luo,MDSharethisarticleMedicallyreviewedbyElaineK.Luo,M.D.—ByKatiBlake—UpdatedonJuly31,2019ReadthisnextEverythingYouShouldKnowAboutSleepTalkingMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDSleeptalking,alsoknownassomniloquy,isasleepdisorder.Learnmoreaboutthiscondition.READMOREWhatYouShouldKnowAboutOversleeping,Plus5TipsforBetterSleepMedicallyreviewedbyDebraRoseWilson,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,IBCLC,AHN-BC,CHTOversleeping(hypersomnia)canbeasymptomofamedicalcondition.Readmoreabouthypersomnia,andget5tipsforbettersleep.READMOREWhatYouShouldKnowAboutLethargyMedicallyreviewedbySuzanneFalck,MDLethargyisastateoffatigueorsluggishness.Learnaboutthevarietyofconditionsthatmaycauseit,andwhenitmaysignalamedicalemergency.READMOREWhatDoYouWanttoKnowAboutHealthySleep?MedicallyreviewedbyGerhardWhitworth,R.N.Sleepisasimportanttoyourphysicalandmentalhealthasfoodandwater.Findoutwhatmakesforhealthysleep,andgettipsandtricksfor…READMORETheConnectionBetweenBenadrylandAnxietyMedicallyreviewedbyAlanCarter,Pharm.D.OnecommonsideeffectofBenadrylisdrowsiness.Butsomepeoplemayfindthattakingitcausesthemtofeelanxious,excitable,ornervous.READMORETheBestMattressesforPeoplewithShoulderPainin2022MedicallyreviewedbyGregoryMinnis,DPTIfyou’redealingwithshoulderpainatnight,findingthebestmattressforyoumaybeonewaytowakeuppain-free.Tryoneofourtopninepicks.READMORESleepRestrictionTherapyforInsomniaandOtherConditionsSleeprestrictiontherapyisaproventreatmentforinsomniathatdoesnotrequiremedication.Itworksformostpeople,butlet'slookatthedetails.READMORESaatvaMattressReview2022MedicallyreviewedbyGregoryMinnis,DPTWetestedoutthestylesofmattressinthisSaatvamattressreview.Learnabouthowtheirdurability,comfort,andfirmnessstackedupinourtests.READMOREPurpleHybridvs.OriginalPurpleMattressReview2022:WhichIsBestForYou?WetestedoutthestylesofmattressesinthisPurpleHybridvs.OriginalPurplemattressreview.Learnabouthowtheirdurability,comfort,and…READMORETheBestMattressesforPeoplewithSciaticaMedicallyreviewedbyGregoryMinnis,DPTSciaticacanbearealpainatnight.Tryoneofourpicksforthebestmattressesforsciaticatohelpgettherestyouneed.READMORE