Narcolepsy is a lifelong neurologic disorder of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness that can have serious consequences. It is a nervous system condition that can make you feel extremely tired during the day with fragmented sleep at night. This rare, serious condition can also lead to bouts of muscle control loss. It is a physical and emotional struggle for many with this condition. However, the causes of narcolepsy are largely unknown. How can you know if you begin to develop narcolepsy?
Are you feeling exhausted during the day, but having trouble sleeping through the night? Have you ever fallen asleep doing a regular activity such as cooking or driving? You may be more than just tired, you could have a serious sleep disorder known as narcolepsy.
Who Might Develop Narcolepsy?
About 1 in 2,000 people develop narcolepsy. It can develop as early as 10 years old through 25 years old. If there’s a presence of narcolepsy in your family medical history, you are 20 – 40 % more likely to develop this sleep disorder. However, there are also links to an individual’s productions of the brain protein called hypocretin. Hypocretin is an important chemical that helps to regulate your sleep-wake cycles.
There are two types of narcolepsy that can develop. Type 1 is the most common and is highly linked to the low production of hypocretin. Type 2 can develop in a person with normal hypocretin levels, and show little symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms of Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy can seriously debilitate and endanger the life of an individual due to its unexpected and involuntary symptoms.
Narcolepsy can cause:
- Significant daytime sleepiness: the overwhelming urge to sleep.
- Cataplexy: sudden, temporary loss of muscle tone. Can include drooping eyelids, and total body collapse.
- Sleep paralysis: the inability to move or speak while falling asleep, sleeping, or waking.
- Hallucinations when falling asleep
- Fragmented sleep: difficulty sleeping at night.
- Unregulated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep: REM is a deep stage of sleep that is often achieved about 90 minutes after falling asleep. Unregulated REM in a person with narcolepsy can happen at any time of the day and is achieved in about 15 minutes.
It is often difficult for people with narcolepsy to maintain jobs, perform well in academics and maintain relationships. Everyday tasks such as driving to the bank can be life-threatening to themselves and others. When a person begins to develop narcolepsy, it is crucial to visit a sleep medicine physician for treatment.
Finding a Sleep Medicine Physician for Narcolepsy
Feeling exhausted during the day with little relief during bedtime can affect your participation and enjoyment of daily life unless you take an active role in managing it. Part of that action means you have to seek proper help from an experienced sleep medicine physician. Narcolepsy is a condition that can often be misdiagnosed for some patients, so it’s important to communicate with your doctor if you think you might have narcolepsy. Especially because some of the more unique symptoms, such as cataplexy, do not develop until later.
If you live in the Charlotte, North Carolina region, you can get the expert sleep help you need from Dr. Jeannine Gingras. With over 20 years of experience in sleep medicine, Dr. Gingras has made it her mission to provide the highest quality care and attention to sleep medicine patients. She and her staff know the importance of providing patients with relief from distressing and debilitating sleep disorders like narcolepsy. Getting a patient to achieve better sleeping habits can give them the energy they need to have hobbies, maintain relationships and careers and live life to their fullest. You can learn more about Dr. Gingras, narcolepsy and sleep medicine by visiting our website.