Why am I sleepy all the time?
First, check you sleep at least 7 to 9 hours. Still nodding off in the day after that? It may be hypersomnia. That isn’t the same as being tired, and one question tells them apart.
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Why am I sleepy all the time?
Start with your hours. Adults need 7 to 9 hours on average. The NHS says you probably don’t get enough if you’re constantly tired in the day.
Get enough and still fall asleep again and again in the day? The NHS calls that excessive daytime sleepiness, or hypersomnia. You may nap a lot, doze off in the day and still sleep long hours at night.
Other things you notice can point to the cause.
| What else you notice | What it can point to | First step |
|---|---|---|
| Needing to sleep anywhere, sometimes without warning | Narcolepsy, a rare condition | See a GP. |
| Loud snoring, snorting or heavy breathing at night | Sleep apnoea, where breathing stops and starts | See a GP. |
| An odd feeling in your legs, mostly at night | Restless legs syndrome | Mention it to a GP. |
| Low mood, little interest in things | Depression | Talk to a GP. |
| Mood swings from extreme highs to extreme lows | Bipolar disorder | Talk to a GP. |
| Slow recovery after activity, trouble thinking or remembering | ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) | See a GP. |
Sources: NHS: hypersomnia; NHS: sleep apnoea
Not sure what you do at night? Ask whoever sleeps near you what they see and hear. More on that in sleep apnoea and blood tests.
If you often fall asleep in the day, or sleepiness affects your life, see a GP.
Sleepy or tired: what’s the difference?
The NHS says hypersomnia is different from feeling tired all the time. So the question is: do you actually fall asleep?
Think of your phone. Tired is a low battery: it still works, just slowly. Sleepy is the phone switching itself off.
If yours keeps switching off, that’s the one to take to a GP.
One way to score dozing is the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. It asks how likely you are to doze in 8 everyday situations, each scored 0 to 3 (the official site shows a sample copy). Scores were tested against people with sleep apnoea, narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia.
- Below 11 pointsNormal daytime sleepiness.
- 11 to just under 13 pointsMild excessive sleepiness.
- 13 to just under 16 pointsModerate excessive sleepiness.
- 16 points or aboveSevere excessive sleepiness.
Sources: Epworth Sleepiness Scale; Johns 1991
Take your score to your GP.
Drained but not dozing? The NHS links tiredness to things like iron deficiency anaemia, diabetes and an overactive thyroid. See always tired for the blood tests behind those.
Why am I sleeping too much?
Long nights can be part of hypersomnia too. The possible causes in the table above are the same.
Some medicines, too much alcohol and taking drugs can cause it too. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
One type, idiopathic hypersomnia, has no known cause. You sleep for long periods and wake confused or irritable, and not refreshed. That groggy spell is called sleep inertia.
The NHS gives no number of hours that counts as too much. So judge it by your day. Long sleeps plus dozing off in the day, or sleepiness that affects your life, is the pattern to take to a GP.
What will a GP do about hypersomnia?
What a GP might do
- 1
Questions
About your mental and physical health, and any medicines you take.
- 2
Sleep diary
A note of when you sleep and when you doze.
- 3
Blood tests
If you’re tired too, to check for anaemia, diabetes or an overactive thyroid.
- 4
Sleep specialist
A referral to a doctor who specialises in sleep disorders.
Sources: NHS: hypersomnia; NHS: tiredness
For possible narcolepsy, a specialist may check your sleep overnight and time how fast you fall asleep. Treatment depends on the cause. It may include medicine to help keep you awake.
Start the diary now. Our sleep diary guide shows what to write down.
How to feel less sleepy in the day
Better habits may not cure hypersomnia, but they might help you feel better.
Six NHS habits to try this week
- Go to bed at the same time every night.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
- Make your bedroom peaceful: not too bright, noisy or warm.
- Avoid working late into the night.
- Ask your GP or pharmacist if any of your medicines can cause drowsiness.
- Tell family and friends about your sleepiness, so they know.
Sources: NHS: hypersomnia; NHS: tiredness
For more on bedtime routines, see sleep hygiene and how much sleep you need.
Do you drive? If you’re diagnosed with hypersomnia, you must tell the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency), and you may not be able to drive. The same goes for any sleep condition that has caused excessive sleepiness for at least 3 months.
Don’t drive until you’re free from it, or your symptoms are under control and you’re strictly following any treatment you need. Not telling the DVLA can mean a fine of up to £1,000.
When to speak to a GP
Book an appointment if:
- You often fall asleep in the day, or sleepiness is affecting your life.
- You fall asleep suddenly in the day, or feel tired all the time for no reason.
- Someone sees your breathing stop and start, or hears you gasp, snort or choke in your sleep.
- You’ve felt tired for a few weeks and don’t know why, your tiredness affects your daily life, or you’re tired and losing weight or your mood has changed.
If someone has seen your symptoms at night, it can help to bring them with you. Take your sleep diary too.