Sleep Disorders - Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy can be defined as constant sleepiness and a tendency to sleep at inappropriate times. This disorder affects 1 in 2,000 people and has a significant, sometimes even disabling, impact on a person's life. A person with Narcolepsy generally suffers "sleep attacks" as well as continued sleepiness that isn't relieved by any amount of sleep. If it isn't recognized and managed appropriately, this disorder can drastically affect a person's life.
Although no cure has been found yet, most people with Narcolepsy can lead nearly normal lives with proper treatment. Recent advances are helping with the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
Narcolepsy is not caused by psychiatric or psychological problems. No exact cause for Narcolepsy is known, but it appears to be a disorder of that part of the brain that controls sleep and wakefulness. This disorder causes a lack of muscle tone and dream experiences at inappropriate times.
The four most common symptoms of Narcolepsy are:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Cataplexy (a sudden loss of strength in the muscles)
- Sleep paralysis
- Hypnagogic hallucinations (hallucinations that occur just before falling asleep, during naps, and/or on waking up)
