Intoxication with sleep: Research into the cause is important

All content is checked by medical journalists.

MunichSome people seem drunk for minutes after waking up in the morning. However, drugs or alcohol are rarely the reason for disorientation. Sometimes there are serious illnesses behind it.

Drowsiness is not uncommon. But so far it has hardly been examined. Now a research team led by Dr. Maurice Ohayon from Stanford University collected hard data for the first time on the frequency and possible causes of the morning staggering state: In a questionnaire, around 19,000 adults gave information about night sleep habits and possible sleep disorders, their alcohol and drug consumption and chronic illnesses.

15 minutes "by the wind"

It showed: 15.2 percent of the test subjects had experienced intoxication in the past year, half of them even more than once a week. And for some, the condition lasted longer than 15 minutes. Most of the time, those affected could remember it well for themselves.

Indication of serious illnesses

However, the disturbances did not appear completely out of the blue, as was shown in the evaluation of the questionnaires. Many of the "sleep-drunk" were organically or mentally ill. Around 70 percent of them suffered from insomnia or nocturnal breathing disorders (sleep apnea). Depression and other mental disorders occurred in 37.4 percent of the respondents. For the researchers, drowsiness can therefore be an indication of other illnesses and should be clarified by a doctor.

Shift work, medication, alcohol

People who are drunk asleep find themselves in a kind of twilight state after they wake up. The perception and processing of external stimuli and the reactions to them are sometimes restricted for several minutes. Drowsiness is a sleep disorder and can be treated with medication. The episodes are triggered, for example, when the affected person is suddenly ripped out of deep sleep, but also by a disruption of the natural phases of sleep, sleep deprivation, shift work or the consumption of medication, alcohol or drugs. (jb)

Source: Ohayon M. et al .: “Are confusional arousals pathological?”, Neurology. 09/17/2014.

Tags:  prevention news foot care