Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH) is essentially pathological daytime sleepiness without a clear etiology. The clinical investigations for both IH and narcolepsy are the same; a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). Here at the Wesley Hospital Sleep Disorders Centre we can perform up to 6 of these daytime sleep investigations each week, it is rare we go a full week without performing one of these tests.
The first week in September is Idiopathic Hypersomnia Awareness Week. The theme of this year is that while IH can at times be all consuming, that it shouldn’t define a person. The idea is to remind people that IH doesn’t define them, and that people with IH can live a fulfilling life! #livingwithidiopathichypersomnia
For more information on the MLST:
http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/narcolepsy/diagnosing-narcolepsy/narcolepsy-testing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_Sleep_Latency_Test
For more information on Idiopathic Hypersomnia or the Idiopathic Hypersomnia Awareness Week, try these links:
https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/idiopathic-hypersomnia.html
https://www.hypersomnolenceaustralia.org.au/ih-awareness-week-2019
