• Turkish Sleep Medicine Society - TSMS
  • Naci Çakır Mah. 760 Sk. No:25/17
  • Çankaya / Ankara

Central Disorders of Hypersomnolence - General Information

Daytime sleepiness is defined as the inability to stay awake and alert during the major waking episodes of the day, resulting in periods of irrepressible need for sleep or unintended lapses into drowsiness or sleep. Sleepiness may vary in severity and is more likely to occur in sedentary, boring, and monotonous situations that require little active participation. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that is often misunderstood. It is characterized by severe and persistent daytime sleepiness that can cause impairments in school, work, and social settings as well as heighten the risk of serious accidents and injuries. Normal sleep unfolds through a series of stages, with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep occurring in the final stage, usually an hour or more after falling asleep. In narcolepsy, REM sleep is irregular and often begins within minutes after falling asleep.