What is the Difference Between Idiopathic Hypersomnia and Narcolepsy

The key difference between idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy is that idiopathic hypersomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by unrefreshing naps during the day, while narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by refreshing naps during the day.

Idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy are two sleep disorders. However, idiopathic hypersomnia is not characterized by sleep onset rapid eye movement (REM) changes and cataplexy, while narcolepsy is characterized by REM changes and cataplexy.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Idiopathic Hypersomnia 
3. What is Narcolepsy
4. Similarities –  Idiopathic Hypersomnia and Narcolepsy
5. Idiopathic Hypersomnia vs  Narcolepsy in Tabular Form
6. Summary –  Idiopathic Hypersomnia vs Narcolepsy

What is Idiopathic Hypersomnia?

Idiopathic hypersomnia is an uncommon sleep disorder. It causes people to be very sleepy during the day after a full night of good sleep. In this condition, people may feel unrefreshed and may wake up confused and disoriented. The need to sleep can occur at any time in idiopathic hypersomnia, even when driving a car or working. Therefore, idiopathic hypersomnia is a potentially dangerous condition. The symptoms of this condition include feeling sleepy during the day or after taking long naps, sleeping for longer than usual at night, difficulty waking up, sleep inertia or drunkenness, and unrefreshing or nonrestorative sleep. The causes of idiopathic hypersomnia include abnormal or irregular sleep schedule, exposure to light, sedative or stimulant medications taken in excess, and other sleep conditions like sleep apnea or circadian disturbances. The complications of this condition include anxiety, low energy, and memory problems.

Moreover, idiopathic hypersomnia can be diagnosed through family history, sleep diary, polysomnogram, and multiple sleep latency tests. Furthermore, treatment options for idiopathic hypersomnia include stimulant medication such as modafinil to stay awake during day time, other medications like sodium oxybate, clarithromycin, and methylphenidate, regular night-time sleep schedule, and avoiding alcohol and other medications that affect sleep.

What is Narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder that makes people feel drowsy during the daytime. People suffering from this condition may find it hard to stay awake for a long period of time. Sleep is very refreshing in this condition. However, it can cause serious problems in the daily routine of people. Narcolepsy is often caused by a lack of brain chemicals called hypocretin. The symptoms of this condition may include excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden loss of muscle tone (cataplexy), sleep paralysis, hallucinations, changes in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, obstructive sleep apnea, and insomnia. The complications involved in this condition include public misconception, problems with intimate relationships, physical harm, and obesity.

Narcolepsy can be diagnosed through sleep history, sleep records, polysomnography, and multiple latency test. Furthermore, treatment options for narcolepsy may include stimulants that help awake during day time (modafinil and armodafinil), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, sodium oxybate or oxybate salts, preventing taking medicines that induce drowsiness such as allergy and cold medicines, and immunotherapy.

What are the Similarities Between Idiopathic Hypersomnia and Narcolepsy?

• Idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy are two medical conditions that cause sleep during the day.
• Both conditions cause serious problems in the daily routine of people.
• These conditions can be diagnosed through sleep tests.
• They are treated through specific medications.

What is the Difference Between Idiopathic Hypersomnia and Narcolepsy?

Idiopathic hypersomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by unrefreshing naps during the day, while narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by refreshing naps during the day. Thus, this is the key difference between idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy. Furthermore, idiopathic hypersomnia is not characterized by sleep onset rapid eye movement (REM) changes, and cataplexy. On the other hand, narcolepsy is characterized by sleep onset rapid eye movement (REM) changes, and cataplexy.

The below infographic presents the differences between idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Idiopathic Hypersomnia vs Narcolepsy

Idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy are two medical conditions that cause sleep during the day. Both these conditions cause serious problems in the daily routine of people. Idiopathic hypersomnia is characterized by unrefreshing naps during the day, while narcolepsy is characterized by refreshing naps during the day. So, this is the key difference between idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy.

Reference:

1. “Idiopathic Hypersomnia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 7 Oct. 2022.
2. “Narcolepsy.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 14 Jan. 2023.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Woman Sitting on Chair While Leaning on Laptop” (CC0) via Pexels