Narcolepsy Defined

Saturday, February 21st, 2009 at 6:36 pm

What Is Narcolepsy ?

Unlike general Insomnia, Sleeplessness and Sleep Apnea, Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder. It is not rare and is often under-recognized and under-diagnosed. It is caused by the brain’s inability to regulate normal sleep-wake cycles.

narcolepsy, sleeping help Apart from daytime drowsiness and involuntary sleep episodes, most people with narcolepsy also experience frequent waking during their night time sleep. For these reasons, narcolepsy is often considered to be a disorder of the normal boundaries between the sleeping and waking states.

Symptoms:

Daytime Sleepiness: Frequent urges to sleep throughout the day. They may suddenly fall asleep for periods lasting from a few seconds to several minutes or longer in rare cases. Up to 40 percent of patients are prone to automatic behaviors such as "micro-sleeps." This usually happens while they are engaged in habitual or "second nature" activities such as taking notes in class, having a conversation with friends, typing, or driving.

Cataplexy: The sudden loss of voluntary muscle tone. Attacks may vary in length and severity and can lead to a total physical collapse. During these attacks the patient remains fully conscious. Although cataplexy can occur spontaneously, it is usually triggered by sudden, strong emotions such as fear, anger, stress, excitement, or humor.

Paralysis: Temporary episodes of total paralysis may occur at the beginning or end of sleep, after which the patient will fully recover.

Hallucinations: These are usually very vivid and occur during sleep onset or upon awakening; these delusional experiences are unusually vivid and frequently frightening.

What can be done to help?

A clinical examination and exhaustive medical history are essential for diagnosis and treatment. There is no current cure for narcolepsy however excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexy, the most disabling symptoms of the disorder, can usually be controlled with drug treatment. The treatment may be modified as symptoms change.

Safety precautions are of paramount importance for all people with narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is not fatal however EDS and cataplexy can lead to serious injury or death if left uncontrolled. They may transform actions that are ordinarily safe into serious hazards. If not treated - people with untreated narcoleptic symptoms are involved in automobile accidents roughly 10 times more frequently than the general population.

Support groups will generally prove of great value because people with narcoleptic symptoms may become socially isolated due to embarrassment.

Among the most important common-sense measures patients can take to enhance sleep quality are:

(1) Maintaining a regular sleep schedule;

(2) Avoiding alcohol and caffeine-containing beverages for several hours before bedtime;

(3) Avoiding smoking, especially at night;

(4) Maintaining a comfortable, adequately warmed bedroom environment; and

(5) Engaging in relaxing activities such as a warm bath before bedtime.

(6) Exercising for at least 20 minutes per day at least 4 or 5 hours before bedtime also improves sleep quality and can help people avoid gaining excess weight.

Narcolepsy - A Life Threatening Sleep Disorder

Rarer forms of narcolepsy include brief periods of paralysis and hallucinations where people can fall asleep while driving creating life threatening situations.

What Is Narcolepsy?

Believe it or not, thousands of people suffer from a strange condition in which they are prone to suddenly fall asleep in the middle of a sentence

Narcolepsy Diagnosis in the Home Testing Era

With a rise in home sleep testing, could there be a potential for missed narcolepsy diagnoses?

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness - Narcolepsy

The disorder is scientifically termed as narcolepsy and is characterized by extreme daytime drowsiness which commonly leads to falling onto sleep.

Narcolepsy

In school she was always falling asleep. Then at night, she had trouble staying asleep. She would sometimes awaken unable to move. Narcolepsy is characterized by sleep attacks and daytime paralysis Sleepless in America.