Idiopathic Hypersomnia

Idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) is a sleep disorder where you have an excessive need to sleep. You wake up very tired even after getting an adequate amount of sleep. “Idiopathic” means the cause is unknown.

If you have idiopathic hypersomnia, you probably won’t feel rested when you wake up, even after more than nine hours of sleep at night. You may need to set several alarms and drag yourself out of bed in the morning. You might take an afternoon nap to help you feel more alert, but you still feel tired when you wake up. Feeling tired during the day can interfere with your ability to function as expected.

A healthcare provider can help you manage the symptoms of this type of hypersomnia.

How rare is idiopathic hypersomnia?

Idiopathic hypersomnia affects an estimated 10 people out of every 100,000 in the United States annually.