Narcolepsy

What is narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a neurological condition that affects the control of your brain when you sleep. It is a condition characterized by “sleep attacks” during the day, which cause you to fall asleep suddenly and uncontrollably.

Narcolepsy is relatively rare, affecting only 1 in 2000 people, and affects men and women equally. The cause is not entirely clear, but it is believed that narcolepsy can be triggered by puberty, menopause, an infection or if you suffer a lot of psychological stress. Most people who are diagnosed with narcolepsy are between the ages of 20 and 40.

Narcolepsy is a neurological condition that affects the control of your brain when you sleep.

What are the symptoms?

As mentioned above, the most well-known symptom of narcolepsy is daytime sleep attacks. Other symptoms include:

  • Excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Disturbed night sleep
  • Cataplexy: This is the sudden loss of strength and control in some muscles, resulting in slurred speech, drooping head syndrome and sometimes falls.
  • Sleep paralysis: It is a sudden inability to move when you are asleep or when you wake up, usually lasting a few minutes.
  • Hallucinations while sleeping or upon awakening.
  • Automatic behavior: doing an activity and not being able to remember doing it.

How is narcolepsy diagnosed?

Diagnosis is made by a sleep disorders specialist and involves ruling out other conditions that may cause similar symptoms, such as sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, epilepsy or due to an underactive thyroid gland.

To make a diagnosis, the primary care physician will analyze your sleep patterns and medical history and perform some tests. The most common tests are:

  • Polysomnographic tests (PSG): measure your brain’s electrical activity while you sleep and during sleep.
  • Multiple sleep latency test (MSLT): measures your “sleep latency,” which is the speed at which you fall asleep.
  • Lumbar puncture: used to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid. People with narcolepsy often have a deficiency of the brain chemical hypocretin, so a cerebrospinal fluid examination can determine if this is the case.
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How is narcolepsy treated?

There are many things you can do to improve the symptoms of narcolepsy by making healthy sleep habits and changes in your diet. Avoid caffeine, do not eat before bedtime, keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature and take frequent naps during the day.

In addition, a doctor can prescribe medication. The options are:

  • A stimulant such as modafinil or dexantamine, which help keep you awake during the day.
  • Sodium oxybate: Can help you sleep at night and therefore combat daytime sleepiness and can also help improve cataplexy.
  • Antidepressants: These are sometimes given as an option to treat sleep paralysis and hallucinations.

How can narcolepsy affect my daily life?

Narcolepsy is a long-term condition, so it can impact many areas of your day-to-day life.

When working

Managing your symptoms well makes it possible for people with narcolepsy to work in most professions. Your boss is required by disability discrimination law to make changes that make it possible for you to work, such as allowing you to rest for a while and offering flexible hours.

When driving

Likewise, as long as you can keep your symptoms under control, you can drive and get car insurance.