How can you have hypersomnia with periods of insomnia?

Sleep problems: Your sleep cycle can be disrupted in all kinds of ways. If you have insomnia or multiple awakenings at night, you can have hypersomnia in the daytime. Many depressed people have sleep disruption -- it can be hypersomnia or insomnia. Medications or other stimulants can greatly complicate this. In complex cases it's best to work with a sleep medicine physician and psychiatrist.

Related issues: Usually, by hypersomnia people mean excessive daytime sleepiness (eds), which is actually a fairly common consequence of insomnia. If you are looking for help for these related conditions, the first step would be to reduce or eliminate all stimulating substances - including coffee, stimulant drugs, etc., followed by instituting good sleep hygiene habits. Ultimately a sleep study might be necessary.

It can happen.: Not uncommon. A person who becomes sleep deprived from a number of nights of insomnia may then become exhausted with periods of hypersomnia.