A 16-year-old boy from Delhi would often fall asleep in class. He would feel lethargic the whole day and his friends would see him take short naps at the oddest of times—while eating, sitting and even while talking to them. However, the boy himself wasn’t aware of his condition.
He was diagnosed with Mircosleep. Microsleep is when a person falls asleep for a period of several seconds in the middle of something. As the name implies, it occurs so quickly that persons who have an episode might not even realise they have fallen asleep.
It can occur at any time of day and not just at night. “This unpredictability and suddenness of the problem makes the condition hazardous, especially if one’s occupation demands high level of alertness,” says Vivek Singh, director of pulmonology and transplant pulmonology, Medanta Hospital, Gurugram. The condition can cause major issues.
“A microsleep patient never feels fresh and rejuvenated,” says Arun Chowdary Kotaru, associate consultant at respiratory critical care and sleep medicine, department of Artemis Hospitals, Delhi. The abovementioned Delhi boy would have three to four energy drinks while studying at night. Since he didn’t get enough rest at night, his body pushed him to sleep in the morning.
When he would wake up from the involuntary and uncontrollable sleep phases, he would feel confused and dazed. “If unchecked, the condition can become chronic, causing diabetes and even heart attack,” says Kotaru. In most cases,.