Feeling sleepy during the day while having chest congestion could be caused by several conditions. These symptoms may indicate that you have nothing more than a simple cold, or they may also be caused by a serious condition. Daytime sleepiness can affect your work, social life and overall quality of life. Ask your doctor if he thinks you need to come in for an examination and what you can use for treatment at home.
Cold
The common cold is a name given to a number of viruses that affect the upper respiratory tract. Symptoms may vary significantly because of the range of viruses. Common symptoms often include congestion and mild fatigue, which may be behind your daytime sleepiness and chest congestion. You may also experience a runny or stuffy nose, cough, sore or itchy throat, fever, headache and/or body aches. Unless you have severe sinus pain, severe swelling of your glands, a fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, or a fever with colored phlegm and chills, you may not need medical attention.
Bronchitis
Bronchitis may develop from a cold or another respiratory infection. Bronchitis is when the bronchial tubes that transport air to and from the lungs become inflamed. This causes discomfort in your chest, mucus and a cough. Fatigue is another symptom of bronchitis. You may also experience chills or a mild fever. See your doctor if you fever goes above 100.4 degrees, you cough up discolored mucus or blood, you have trouble sleeping or your symptoms last longer than three weeks.
Allergy
Season allergies cause congestion and other symptoms that mimic colds and the flu. Many people take antihistamines to relieve allergy symptoms. Antihistamine medications work by blocking histamines. Histamines are chemicals your body makes in response to stimuli like dust or pollen, which can cause allergic attacks. If you take an over-the-counter antihistamine during the day you may feel sleepy. Drowsiness is a side effect of most over-the-counter antihistamines. Ask your doctor to prescribe or recommend a non-drowsy antihistamine.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Excessive daytime sleepiness is a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. It can also cause snoring, irritability and morning headaches in children and adults. Although congestion is not a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, children may experience the feeling of a heavy chest that makes breathing more difficult than it should be. Their chests may move inward during sleep. Flaring nostrils, perspiration, wetting the bed, and difficulty gaining weight and growing are other symptoms in children.
