• Sleeping Stages and Need
• Airway Pressure Advantages
• Sleep Apnea Diagnosing
• Sleep Apnea Causes & treatment
• Sleep Apnea Treatment
• Causes of Excessive Sleepiness
• Child Settling Problems
• Sleep Disorders
• Sleep Disturbances
• Dreams Psychology
• What Happens During Sleep
• Excessive Sleepiness Trouble Shooting
• Common Factors Producing Insomnia
• Family Bed-Sleeping with Baby
• Teach Child Good Sleep Habits
• Know about How Babies Sleep
• How Long to Sleep and Need
• Idiopathic Hypersomnia Reasons
• Insomnia Causes
• Insomnia Treatment
• Insomnia Definition and Cause
• International Health Problem
• Medications Helps Child Sleep Better
• Medications Improves Sleep Cycle
• Hard to Get up in the Morning
• First Move Against Insomnia
• Narcolepsy Sleep Attacks
• How Narcolepsy is Diagnosed
• Know About Night Waking
• Nightmares & Terrors
• Nightmares to Frightened
• Nocturnal Myoclonus Movement
• Restore Normal Breathing During Sleep
• Oral Appliances Treatment Options
• Overcome Common Aging Sleep Problems
• Parasomnia Exam and Tests
• Pre-School Children Problem
• Factors Reducing Treatments Effects
• Restless Legs Syndrome
• School Age Children Sleep Problems
• Sleep Problems for Elders
• Sleep and Aging Problems
• Relief Social Stress by Insomnia
• Sleep Disorder FAQ
• Sleeping Related Glossary

Excessive Sleepiness Trouble Shooting Guide

If you have been doing well, then suddenly find you are worse--it may help to go through the following sequence:

• First, look for a cause:
  1. Am I sleep deprived?
  2. Are my sleep habits more irregular?
  3. Do I have an infection?
  4. Am I taking other medications now?
  5. Drinking alcohol?
  6. Am I forgetting to take my medication, or did I change its timing or dosage?
  7. Am I eating foods that perhaps might be making me worse?
  8. Am I depressed or under unusual stress?
  9. (Women only)-where am I in my menstrual cycle?
  10. Am I less physically active than before? Can I change that?
• If you find a possible cause, take appropriate steps to correct it.
• On the other hand, it you can't pinpoint any cause--don't despair! Remind yourself the problem may only be temporary and that in many cases, it simply will clear up on its own.
• Then, if this period of 'worsening' persists past 7 days, and if you weren't able to identify a correctable cause, contact your treating physician with your concerns and observations.