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An Overview Of Narcolepsy

A Brief Guide to Narcolepsy and How to Manage It

Oct 10, 2008 Jen Syrkiewicz

Narcolepsy is a chronic condition that disrupts normal sleeping patterns. It causes sufferers to fall asleep suddenly, and without warning.

The condition causes feelings of persistent excessive drowsiness. Other symptoms of narcolepsy can include sudden loss of muscle control (cataplexy), hallucinations, disturbed night time sleep and difficulty concentrating.

Narcolepsy affects approximately 3-5 people in every 10,000, with men and women being equally affected. There is currently no cure for narcolepsy, but there are a number of treatments which can help to effectively manage symptoms, and minimise the impact the condition has on daily life.

Symptoms of Narcolepsy

The symptoms of narcolepsy can vary from person to person. Some people experience symptoms very frequently, while others are less severely affected. The symptoms of narcolepsy tend to first appear between 10-25 years of age:

Sleep attacks – falling asleep suddenly and without warning
Persistent drowsiness and difficulty concentrating
Temporary muscle paralysis when falling asleep, or waking up
Hallucinations
Restless night time sleep
Automatic behaviour (continuing to carry out normal activities, such as talking, or moving around, while still asleep).

Cataplexy Attacks

Approximately 70% of people who have narcolepsy also experience cataplexy. This condition causes sudden loss of muscular control. Cataplexy attacks are normally triggered by an emotion, such as excitement, laughter, or fear. The attacks can last for a few seconds, or they may continue for several minutes.

Narcolepsy Sleep Patterns

Narcoleptics do not have normal sleep patterns. Instead, the body falls straight into the second stage of sleep, known as REM. This means that people with narcolepsy often start having vivid dreams almost as soon as they fall asleep. People with narcolepsy also go into REM sleep at inappropriate times.

Epworth Sleepiness Scale

The Epworth sleepiness scale is a special questionnaire which is given to patients to help analyse what situations make them feel sleepy. In filling out the questionnaire, they rank the likelihood of falling asleep in situations such as sitting and reading, watching television, or being a passenger in a car. The specialist can then look at the answers to help determine whether there is an unusual level of drowsiness, or whether the sleep pattern is fairly normal.

Diagnosis Through a Polysomnogram

A polysomnogram will usually involve an overnight stay at a special facility in order to measure sleep patterns. During night-time sleep, several different parts of the body will be carefully monitored, such as the heart, brain, muscles and eyes. After sleep, a specialist will analyse results to identify brain wave and breathing patterns, as well as muscle and eye movement.

Getting Treatment for Narcolepsy

There is currently no cure for narcolepsy. However, there are a number of ways that symptoms can be managed to minimise the impact that narcolepsy has on daily life.

One of the best ways to help manage excessive daytime drowsiness is to take frequent, brief naps, evenly spaced throughout the day. Where possible, try and schedule a 10-15 minute nap after meals, as this is when drowsiness is most likely to occur. Stick to a strict bedtime routine to help make night time sleep less disturbed.

There are a number of lifestyle changes that you can make to help manage narcolepsy symptoms. These include:

Avoiding stressful situations because stress can make the condition worse,
Taking regular exercise
Avoiding heavy meals during the day and before doing any potentially dangerous activities, such as driving, or operating machinery.

Talk to a GP or specialist to establish whether over the counter medications such as stimulants or anti-depressants may be effective in managing the condition.

Sources:

The Narcolepsy Association UK

The National Health Service Online

The copyright of the article An Overview Of Narcolepsy in General Medicine is owned by Jen Syrkiewicz. Permission to republish An Overview Of Narcolepsy in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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