Excessive daytime sleepiness is a persistent inability to maintain wakefulness and alertness during the day, resulting in an increased propensity to fall asleep at inappropriate times. It is a symptom rather than a single disease, arising from insufficient or fragmented sleep, circadian misalignment, the sedating ef…
Excessive daytime sleepiness is a persistent inability to maintain wakefulness and alertness during the day, resulting in an increased propensity to fall asleep at inappropriate times. It is a symptom rather than a single disease, arising from insufficient or fragmented sleep, circadian misalignment, the sedating effects of medication or illness, and primary sleep disorders. Causes include obstructive and central sleep apnea, in which repeated arousals disrupt sleep continuity, and central disorders of hypersomnolence such as narcolepsy, in which the regulation of sleep and wakefulness is itself impaired. Beyond its effect on concentration, mood, and quality of life, excessive sleepiness carries real risks for safety and performance, making accurate assessment and treatment important. The research gathered here addresses the disorders and influences that produce daytime sleepiness. Narcolepsy is examined in the paediatric population, including presentations with and without cataplexy, and in its associations with connective-tissue conditions. Other studies investigate sleep quality and its measurement, the impact of behavioural and environmental factors such as physical activity and diet on sleep, and disturbed sleep in clinical samples, including patients with night-eating behaviours. Interventions intended to improve sleep, from physical-activity programmes to device- and therapy-based approaches, are also represented. Together these contributions frame excessive daytime sleepiness as a clinically significant manifestation of disturbed sleep whose evaluation requires attention to its underlying cause.
9 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 9 articles above have been cited 52 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Excessive Daytime Sleepiness, linking to each citing work.