“Hypersomnia” in other words “Excessive Daytime Sleepiness” may be an indication of a common symptom for many diseases or other sleep disorders and it may also be a sleep disorder alone.

The most important disease group characterized by the state of excessive sleepiness are Narcolepsy syndromes. The main symptom of the disease is irresistible and short-term sleepiness that may occur during the day in any situation. In addition, partial or complete muscle loss (in the form of collapsing the place in) revealing during sudden emotions (laughter, surprise, fear, excitement, etc.) called “cataplexy”, seeing live and horrible dreams or hallucinations while falling asleep or waking up, and the state of short-term inability to move despite being conscious known as “sleep paralysis” can be added to the disease in time.

Other major sleep disorders that excessive sleepiness is the main symptom are periodic hypersomnia, idiopathic hypersomnia and behavioral insufficient sleep syndrome. The complaint of excessive sleepiness should be set forth with examination and sleep test whether it is a symptom of another sleep disorder or a primary hypersomnia disease; and the treatment should be made accordingly.

Insomnia is defined as difficulty in falling asleep despite adequate terms and conditions for sleep, difficulty in continuing or wake up early hour and inability to sleep.

The presence of a symptom during the day and to last this situation at least one month is always required in order to accept insomnia not only a symptom, but a disease.

Symptoms such as tiredness, cognitive disorders such as impairment of attention, concentration and memory, deterioration of social, personal or school performance, emotional disturbance or irritability, daytime sleepiness, shortage of motivation and energy, tendency to make mistake/accidents while working or driving, tension, headache or gastrointestinal symptoms that arise as a result of the disruption of sleep are included in the daytime symptoms.

Insomnia may be caused by the sleep itself primarily; it may also be a symptom of another sleep disorder or internal diseases. Insomnia as sleep disorder is diagnosed with its unique diagnostic criteria. It is defined as;

• Adapted insomnia
• Psychophysiological insomnia
• Idiopathic insomnia
• Paradoxical insomnia
• Insufficient Sleep Hygiene

Although insomnia treatment changes depending on the type of insomnia it includes medication and behavioral therapies.

Respiratory disorders during sleep are a group of vital importance among sleep disorders. It courses with cessation, reduction, difficulty breathing during sleep. Although the most common is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, it covers 13 different diseases within itself.

Consecutive repetitive complete cessation, reduction of breathing for at least 10 seconds, which is repeated tens or hundreds of times during all sleeping time, or difficulty of breathing during sleep is being in question in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. During these abnormal respiratory events, the amount of oxygen in blood decreases at least 3 per cent; first decrease and then increase in heart rate, sometimes other rhythm abnormalities are observed; reduction and increase in pulse, reduction in the blood pumping of the heart and blood flow of the brain occur. Shallow sleep in which the patient does not remember but breathing occurs, or short awakenings arise after each abnormal respiratory event.

Although the most common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is snoring, the most important symptom affecting both private and social life is the state of daytime sleepiness. It should be noted that; snoring is not a simple noise but it may a symptom of a life-threatening disease. Because, these abnormal respiratory events cause frequent interruption of the sleep, reductions of deep sleep periods, deterioration of the brain oxygenation. Sleepiness or drowsiness that may arise while only in inactive status, namely while sitting, watching TV, reading in the beginning of the disease and while driving, even talking with the progression of the disease, is an important symptom. Statistics made in the whole world reports that the most important risk factor in traffic accidents is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. According to the laws of our country, examination and treatment of drivers of heavy vehicles in terms of this disease is mandatory.

Patients living obstructive sleep apnea syndrome have difficulty in deepening the sleep or cannot enter to deep sleep. Deep sleep period is the period in which 80 per cent of testosterone and growth hormone is secreted in the 24-hour period. Sexual dysfunction that may reach up to complete impotence arises in male as a result of reduction of this period or no sleeping.

Growth hormone provides physical growth during childhood, while it takes part in the regulation of fat metabolism in adulthood. The reductions of deep sleep periods due to obstructive sleep apnea lead to growth retardation in children and obesity in adults. Scientific studies has proven that obesity does not lead to obstructive sleep apnea, but obstructive sleep apnea lead to obesity. These patients cannot lose weight despite very serious diet, it they are not treated.

Not only deep sleep period is reducing in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Next day, REM sleep, in other words dreaming period, which allows our cognitive functions such as attention, memory and learning is also reduced in these patients. As a result, increasing forgetfulness, lack of attention and concentration arise.

Other symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome are going to the toilet at night, sweating at night, waking up tired in the morning, headache in the morning and tiredness in daytime.

The complications of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome are mainly hypertension, heart attack, heart diseases such as heart failure, stroke, obesity and insulin resistance. It was proven with very serious scientific diseases, in which a large number of patients are monitored for long-term, the problem leads to hypertension if not treated. The treatment of this problem in patients with that are suspected with hypertension or diagnosed with hypertension and receiving the treatment of it has now become medically necessary. The studies show that the risk of heart disease increase 4-6 times, in risk of stroke increase 5-9 times in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is a life-long disease, but its treatment is possible. It is diagnosed with all night sleep test. It should not be forgotten that the presence of these symptoms is more important in patients who previously have hypertension, heart disease or stroke.