In contrast, hypersomnia sleep disorders involve excessive sleepiness. The most well-known form of hypersomnia is narcolepsy, but there are other disorders in this category, such as Kleine-Levin syndrome and insufficient sleep syndrome. The important thing to note is that those with hypersomnia do not necessarily sleep more than the average population when it comes to total hours of sleep. However, the sleep they do get is rarely refreshing, causing intense fatigue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that disrupts the sleep-wake cycle. It is characterized by extreme bouts of sleepiness. For some people, it can also involve sudden muscle weakness, especially during times of intense emotion (even when laughing!) known as cataplexy. Cataplexy can be dangerous because it can happen while driving or working, which can open up the possibility for serious injury. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While someone with narcolepsy may feel refreshed immediately after sleeping or taking a nap, the individual will soon become fatigued again and not feel rested. Other common symptoms of narcolepsy are sleep hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and issues with memory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, narcolepsy is treatable. Available treatments for narcolepsy include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n