A 23-year-old woman with a rare sleep condition has "lost so many years" because of her "insatiable appetite for sleep".
Helena Smythe revealed how she feels tired all day - no matter how well she sleeps at night - and has to take daily naps of at least two hours.
She has a little-known condition called Idiopathic hypersomnia, also known as Excessive Daytime Sleepiness.
Helena explained how she has fallen asleep in an A-Level exam and passed up invitations with friends as she needs to nap.
She said: "I have an insatiable appetite for sleep and while some people can just perk themselves up with a coffee or some caffeine, that doesn’t work for me.
"I have to nap every day, and 20 minutes or half an hour is not enough. It needs to be two or three hours at a time.
"The main symptom is that I feel excessively sleepy in the day, no matter how much sleep I get at night or how long I sleep for."
(Royal Papworth Hospital / SWNS)
Doctors do not know the underlying cause of hypersomnia so there is no cure and the condition can only be managed through medication.
Helena has lived with hypersomnia since the age of 12 and explained how it had seen her "miss out" as a teenager.
She said: "I would miss school, have to cancel social events and even fell asleep during an A-Level exam.
"I had to plan my whole life around sleep and pick between academia and friends.
"I can’t tell you how much I missed out on as a teenager; I have lost so many years to sleep."
Helena is due to start a full-time job soon and said she is nervous that her need for sleep may disrupt her work.
She is taking part in sleep studies at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge and said that medication is partially helping her.
Helena said: "I am given medication which helps to alleviate my symptoms and although it has not entirely removed the problem, my quality of life is much better and I am able to get on with life having had a much more ‘normal’ level of sleep.
"My advice to people is that sleep health needs to be taken seriously. It should be just as important as eating the right food, not drinking too much alcohol, not smoking and getting physical exercise.
"Some of the advice that has worked for me has been about improving sleep hygiene, and in particular getting into a proper routine by going to bed and waking up at the same times each day."
Stories and infographics by ‘Talker Research’ are available to download & ready to use. Stories and videos by ‘Talker News’ are managed by SWNS. To license content for editorial or commercial use and to see the full scope of SWNS content, please email [email protected] or submit an inquiry via our contact form.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.