Do you find yourself nodding off a lot during the day? Getting more — or better-quality — sleep may not be enough to resolve excessive daytime sleepiness.

A new study casts doubt on the theory that excessive daytime sleepiness is a sure sign of sleep apnea or other sleeping disorders. Rather, the research points to several other factors that may make it hard to stay awake and alert throughout the day.

Defining Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

We all have the occasional rough morning or groggy afternoon, but what really constitutes excessive daytime sleepiness?

More than 16,000 men and women ages 20 to 100 answered questions about their health and sleep. Daytime sleepiness was defined as excessive when subjects gave moderate or severe ratings to either of these two questions: “Do you feel drowsy or sleepy most of the day but manage to stay awake?” and “Do you any have irresistible sleep attacks during the day?”

A subset of 1,741 participants also spent a night in a diagnostic sleep lab. They were tested for sleep apnea and conditions that might disturb sleep.

The Link to Depression

The No. 1 factor linked to excessive daytime sleepiness was depression. The National Institute of Mental Health has identified other common symptoms of depression, which include:

• Feeling sad
• Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Appetite or weight changes
• Sleeping troubles
• Loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
• Frequently thinking about suicide or death

Treatment for these signs of depression is a phone call away, since Willowbrooke at Tanner offers free, confidential screenings for a wide range of behavioral health problems. You can reach Willowbrooke at Tanner by calling 770-812-9551, or learn more online at WillowbrookeAtTanner.org.

Diabetes and Excess Weight Also Involved

This study linked other factors to excessive daytime sleepiness, too, including:

• Being overweight or obese
• Having diabetes
• Smoking

Excessive daytime sleepiness is also a leading symptom of a sleep disordered breathing condition, such as obstructive sleep apnea — a condition that impacts as many as 24 percent of men and 9 percent of women. Ensuring that you’re getting a healthy night sleep can be as simple as arranging a sleep study at the Tanner Center for Sleep Disorders, which offers diagnostic sleep study services in Carrollton and Villa Rica, as well as in-home sleep study services. More information on the Tanner Center for Sleep Disorders is online at TannerSleep.org.

Excessive daytime sleepiness is most common among subjects younger than age 30 and subjects older than age 75. In younger people, sleepiness might be the result of depression or not getting enough sleep. Health problems may be more common causes of sleepiness in older subjects.

If excessive daytime sleepiness is a problem for you, ask your doctor about testing for depression, obesity and diabetes, as well as a sleep study.

West Georgia Lung and Sleep Medicine is located in Carrollton. For more information, visit www.pcgofwestga.com or call 770-838-5864.