Have you been feeling excessively sleepy of late? Are you sleeping at work and then coming back home to sleep again? This medical condition of excessive sleepiness is called Idiopathic Hypersomnia and approximately 20% of the population of the US suffers from it. Read on to find out more about how to beat an excess of sleepiness and feel refreshed, energetic, and rejuvenated.

What is excessive sleepiness?

Excessive sleepiness or hypersomnia is the condition of persistent tiredness and low level of physical energy. It is a sleep disorder that is often a symptom of other underlying problems such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and more.

What causes excessive sleepiness?

Excessive sleepiness is the outcome of several causes which work in permutation and combination to induce fatigue and drowsiness. Some of the most significant factors include

• Deprivation of sleep

Restriction of the duration of sound and restful sleep at the proper time of the day results in this condition. If you have turned into a night owl owing to busy schedules and strenuous work, then it is likely to derogate your abilities to stay awake and perform with full vigor during the day. Deprivation of sleep always leads to excessive sleepiness at odd hours of the day. Not getting enough time to sleep due to work may be an excuse and a valid reason sometimes, but therapeutic yogic techniques will come to the rescue if used properly and under guidance of an expert.

• Poor quality of sleep

Just because you are sleeping like a queen in a bed fitted with the most comfortable linen in the world, does not mean that you will get sufficient restful sleep. Insomnia is one of the primary causes of excessive sleepiness. But instead of taking sleeping pills and drugs that pose a lot of harmful side effects, you can try some essential oils that can help you sleep better. The mind has to be in a particular state for full recovery and getting the beneficial effects of sleep.

• Excess use of stimulant herbs

Herbs like guarana, taurine, etc. are stimulants and consumption of these herbs along with sports drinks, drugs, and diet pills, may affect your circadian rhythm and cause excessive sleepiness and sleep disorders.

• Improper diet

Deficiency of healthy foods and nutrients in the daily diet make the body susceptible to a wide variety of diseases, infections, and ailments. The stress upon the body’s defenses caused by nutritional deficiencies triggers sleepiness and fatigue. Tweaking the diet in the right way often helps in sleeping better, and combating undesirable sleepiness.

• Excessive consumption of sugar

Sugar and artificial sweetening agents are the worst enemies of sleep. They trigger a surge of physical energy which rebounds into hypoglycemia, thereby causing fatigue, lethargy, and sleepiness.

• Excess consumption of caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that induces an energized and activated state in the mind and body. The alertness collapses within a few hours and causes excess sleepiness.

• Sedentary lifestyle

A sedentary lifestyle and lack of regular exercise cause this condition especially during the daytime because the person fails to get proper sleep at night owing to a high level of unspent energy in the body. Exercise helps to promote the quality of sleep and induces sleepiness at the right time of the day.

• Excessive consumption of alcohol

Alcohol has a detrimental effect on sleep quality and duration. It suppresses the REM cycle of sleep and leads to poor quality of restfulness and recovery from sleep throughout the day along with a lack of focus and pathetic performance.

Top 8 Fabulous Natural Treatments of Excessive Sleepiness and Fatigue

Start your day with a cup of green tea

• Green tea helps in boosting physical energy and enhancing performance and stamina which lasts for hours.
• It can effectively fight against enhanced sleepiness, drowsiness, stress, and fatigue, and improve focus and cognition.
• Green tea is rich in polyphenols that help to promote the quality and duration of sleep.
• An important word of caution here for those with hyperacidity and stomach bloating , or symptoms of GERD, this may not be the best idea.

Try a glass of refreshing lemon water

• Drinking lemon water is excellent for the cure for excessive sleepiness. It helps to stay hydrated and aids in the detoxification of the body.
• It prevents dehydration which adversely affects the oxygenation of the brain and induces sleepiness and fatigue.
• The Caution here as well here, for those with hyperacidity and stomach bloating , or symptoms of GERD, this may not be the best idea. As according to alternative medicine, this combination can excite pitta.

A little aromatherapy works wonders

• Aromatherapy works by the reduction of daytime drowsiness, fatigue, and irritability.
• It can also aid in the natural treatment of headache and lethargy and induce peak performance at work.
• Some of the most effective essential oils of aromatherapy include peppermint, basil, and rosemary essential oils.

Meditation is the key

• Deprivation of sleep at night is one of the primary causes of excessive sleepiness. You can beat insomnia and promote the quality of sleep with mediation.
• Meditate for about ten minutes before retiring for the day to sleep well and then feel energized and refreshed throughout the day.
• It is important to learn the right technique for individual body and mind types.

Get out and get going with vigorous exercise

• Exercise for about half an hour on a daily basis, and your sleep cycle will thank you. It helps to stay vigilant and provides the energy to fight sleepiness and fatigue.
• Exercising regularly helps in the improvement of sleep quality and promotes a healthy sleep cycle.

Commit to a healthy sleep routine

• Let’s talk about commitment, shall we? Setting a proper and healthy sleep routine and adhering to it strictly on a daily basis is one of the most effective ways of preventing and curing sleepiness.
• Sound and proper sleep at night help in fighting against low levels of energy, stress, depression, and fatigue.

Load your diet with the omega-3 foods

• Extensive research reveals that the consumption of a high level of omega-3 fatty acids helps in fighting drowsiness, fatigue, and depression.
• The consumption of foods like fatty fish, walnuts, peanut butter, eggs, canola oil, soy products, and seeds helps in boosting body immunity and energy and contributes to staying vigilant throughout the day.
• Caution while including such foods, so as not to cause digestive problems, especially in those with slow or impaired digestion.

Try a drop of golden Sun

• Here’s a fantastic way to beat excessive sleepiness in an old-fashioned way. Exposure of the body to sunlight helps in staying energetic and alert throughout the day.
• Sunlight helps in the regulation of the sleep cycle and induces the generation of vitamin D in the body which is essential for the natural treatment of sleep disorders.

All the remedies in above list are proven and considered the most effective home remedies to cure sleep apnea.

A few words of caution

• Do not take stimulant drugs and pills as they induce an artificial state of alertness and adversely affect health.
• Avoid the consumption of junk foods, fatty food, sugary desserts, and beverages.

Conclusion

With advancing age comes new loads of responsibilities, and every responsibility tends to rob us of our sleep and peace of mind. But it is of utmost necessity to sleep in time and wake up in time to stay healthy, wealthy, and wise just as the old saying goes. Follow through with the natural remedies and work on the elimination of the causes to beat excessive sleepiness and feel vigorous and dynamic. We need to have a holistic and Integrative medicine approach to this problem, which is a cause of other problems.