DrowsinessSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Drowsiness
Drowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times which can lead to safety concerns.
Sleepiness - during the day; Hypersomnia; Somnolence
Excessive daytime sleepiness (without a known cause) may be a sign of a sleep disorder.
Depression, anxiety, stress, and boredom can all contribute to excessive sleepiness. However, these conditions more often cause fatigue and apathy.
Drowsiness may be due to the following:
- Long-term (chronic) pain
- Diabetes
- Having to work long hours or different shifts (nights, weekends)
- Insomnia and other problems falling or staying asleep
- Changes in blood sodium levels (hyponatremia or hypernatremia)
- Medicines (tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antihistamines, certain painkillers, some psychiatric medicines)
- Not sleeping long enough
- Sleep disorders (such as sleep apnea and narcolepsy)
- Too much calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia)
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
You can relieve drowsiness by treating the cause of the problem. First, determine whether your drowsiness is due to depression, anxiety, boredom, or stress. If you are not sure, talk with your health care provider.
For drowsiness due to medicines, talk to your provider about switching or stopping your medicines. But, do nots stop taking or change your medicine without first talking to your provider.
Do not drive when drowsy.
Your provider will examine you to determine the cause of your drowsiness. You will be asked about your sleep patterns and health. Questions may include:
- How well do you sleep?
- How much do you sleep?
- Do you snore?
- Do you fall asleep during the day when you do not plan to nap (such as when watching TV or reading)? If so, do you awake feeling refreshed? How often does this happen?
- Are you depressed, anxious, stressed, or bored?
- What medicines do you take?
- What have you done to try to relieve the drowsiness? How well did it work?
- What other symptoms do you have?
Tests that may be done include:
- Blood tests (such as a CBC and blood differential, blood sugar level, electrolytes, calcium, and thyroid hormone levels)
- CT or MRI scan of the head
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- Sleep studies
- Urine tests (such as a urinalysis)
Treatment depends on the cause of your drowsiness.
Emory Sleep Center
Lynn Trotti is a Sleep Medicine provider in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Trotti has been practicing medicine for over 23 years and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Drowsiness. Her top areas of expertise are Idiopathic Hypersomnia, Drowsiness, Excessive Daytime Sleepiness, Restless Legs Syndrome, and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
Nancy Foldvary is a Neurologist in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Foldvary has been practicing medicine for over 42 years and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Drowsiness. Her top areas of expertise are Narcolepsy, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Drowsiness, and Idiopathic Hypersomnia.
BIDMC Department Of Neurology
Thomas Scammell is a Neurologist and a Sleep Medicine provider in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Scammell is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Drowsiness. His top areas of expertise are Narcolepsy, Drowsiness, Idiopathic Hypersomnia, and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness.
Summary: Narcolepsy without cataplexy or Narcolepsy Type 2 (NT2) is a lifelong condition that makes people very sleepy during the day, regardless of how much sleep they get at night. People with NT2 may fall asleep suddenly, have trouble staying awake during the day, or may not be able to sleep well at night. They may have difficulty thinking clearly, paying attention, or remembering things, during the day...
Summary: The purpose of this study is to measure the safety and decrease in daytime sleepiness in subjects with Idiopathic Hypersomnia when taking ALKS 2680 tablets compared with placebo tablets
Published Date: July 03, 2025
Published By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Avidan AY. Sleep and its disorders. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 101.
Sharafkhaneh A, Hirshkowitz M. Evaluating sleepiness and fatigue. In: Kryger M, Roth T, Goldstein CA, Dement WC, eds. Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 207.
Vaughn BV, Basner RC. Sleep disorders. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 374.