Quick answer
Persistent sleepiness during the day can be linked to not enough sleep, sleep apnea, insomnia, medication effects or other sleep and medical conditions. Assessment looks at your sleep, breathing and daytime function together.
What causes daytime sleepiness?
Daytime sleepiness has many causes. Too little sleep is the most common one. Sleep apnea, insomnia, some medicines and other health problems can also play a part. Sleepiness is not the same as feeling tired. It means you want to sleep when you should be awake. The pattern of your sleepiness helps point to the cause. Sleepiness that lasts for weeks, or that comes on while you drive or work, is worth having checked.
What does an assessment involve?
The visit looks at how you sleep and how you breathe at night. Your doctor asks about your sleep, your health and the medicines you take. A sleep study may be suggested. It records your breathing and your sleep through the night. The results show how often your sleep is broken, and how much it affects your day.
Not for emergencies. If breathing difficulty is severe or getting worse quickly, call 998 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Common questions
When should I see a specialist about daytime sleepiness?
Book an assessment if sleep problems are regular, affect how you function during the day, or come with loud snoring, pauses in breathing or gasping at night.
Is this an emergency?
Sleep problems are rarely emergencies, but severe breathing difficulty is. If you or someone else is struggling to breathe, call 998 or go to the nearest emergency department.
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