What is Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy as a Sleep Disorder
Narcolepsy is one of the sleep disorder, and its main symptoms include:
- excessive sleepiness
- loss of muscle tone or cataplexy
- sleep paralysis
- hallucinations
- automatic behaviour
- disruption of sleep at night time
People that suffer from this disorder may have some or all of the symptoms mentioned above.
Narcolepsy belongs to a group of neurological disorders, which means that it is not caused by mental illness and not related to phycological problems.More likely it happens because of some genetic abnormalities that affect brain, plus an environmental factor, like virus, for example.
Approximately 3 millions people worldwide are affected by it, and often it is mistaken for other conditions such as depression, side effects of medicines or even epilepsy. It can also be mistaken for laziness, drug use or poor sleep hygiene. There is evidence that it may run in families, as most people that suffer from narcolepsy would have a relative with that condition.
Why it Happens?
This disorder is causing unpreventable episodes of sleep, and they can happen without warning at any time, for example during driving, talking, eating or doing something else. These episodes can become more frequent during inactivity periods.
It happens when the part of a human’s brain that is responsible for regulation sleep and wake cycle doesn’t perform properly, and that is causing sudden spells in the dreaming state of sleep. These attacks can last from seconds to a half an hour, regardless of how much time you have slept the night before or the quality of sleep. This results in experiencing uncontrollable sleep attacks.
People with this condition are at higher risk of death of injury as a result of driving accidents or work-related accidents, so it i advised to make sure that the situations where these accidents can potentially occur should be avoided. This is a life-time condition, and it can not be permanently treated, however most people enjoy almost normal lifestyle when their condition is managed with proper medication …
Such as Provigil, for example, as well as support from families, employers and friends.
It can have a devastating impact on a person’s life if not treated properly, so if you suspect that you or someone in your family suffer from this condition, you should see a doctor as soon as you can.
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