Caused by the brain’s inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally, narcolepsy is a neurological sleep disorder that affects one in 2000 people.
This condition is characterized by excessive sleepiness and a tendency to fall sleep at inappropriate times.
For those suffering with narcolepsy, falling asleep for a few seconds to a few minutes is quite typical. Although more rare, these periods of falling asleep can last for an hour or even longer.
The episodes of falling asleep can occur without warning, making this a dangerous condition, since the falling asleep can occur at most inopportune times. Even the nighttime sleep can be affected in that sufferers can wake frequently throughout the night.
Although the exact cause of narcolepsy remains unknown, it appears to be hereditary, affecting both men and women of any age alike. However it is thought that many factors must combine in order to cause the neurological and sleep disturbances.
Unless detected and appropriately treated, narcolepsy can definitely have an adverse affect on your quality of life. But the true challenge is that typically diagnosing narcolepsy takes many years from the initial time of the onset of symptoms.
Two of the tests that are often used to diagnose narcolepsy are the polysomnogram and the multiple sleep latency test. When these tests are performed it is evident that people with narcolepsy fall asleep rapidly, enter REM sleep early, and may awaken often during the night.
Although there are several treatments for narcolepsy all are designed to treat the symptoms and not the cause itself since that remains elusive.
Narcolepsy is treatable but at this time it remains incurable. Often with trial and error, symptoms of narcolepsy can be managed in most people.
Education and information are the keys to learning to live with narcolepsy. Maintaining a set sleep and waking schedule, avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine, and working with your physician to determine which medications are best to treat your symptoms are the wisest choices to help you best manage the ravages of narcolepsy. Stimulant medications may be prescribed for improving alertness and wakefulness, while antidepressants may be prescribed for controlling hallucinations, cataplexy, and sleep paralysis.
Narcolepsy can without a doubt adversely impact your everyday life. Depending on when and where you fall asleep it can even be a dangerous condition.
If you have been diagnosed with narcolepsy working with a knowledgeable healthcare provider to help regain control of your life is the best thing you can do for yourself.