Narcolepsy Disorder
Narcolepsy that causes extreme sleepiness and may even make a person fall asleep suddenly and without warning. Narcolepsy is a degenerative sleep disorder, also known as dyssomnia. This condition is distinguished by unrestrained daytime drowsiness, where in, the patient experiences intense weakness and falls in a state of sleep at inappropriate times, like for example, in the office or during school hours.
A narcoleptic is likely to experience troubled nocturnal sleep and also irregular daytime sleep patterns that are often confused with common sleep disorders. When a person with narcolepsy falls asleep or slips into slumber they will mostly go through the fourth level of sleep REM (a recurring sleep state during which dreaming occurs; a state of rapidly shifting eye movements during sleep), within a few minutes; whereas most people tend to experience REM approximately 30 minutes into their slumber.
A person with narcolepsy may also experience daytime naps with absolutely no warning at all and the feelings of sleep might get physically overwhelming.
Daytime naps with narcoleptics can take place several times a day with a feeling of drowsiness likely to persist for extended time periods. Night time sleep among narcoleptics is often fitful, with regular awakenings.
There are four classic symptoms of narcolepsy, these include:
- Cataplexy - a morbid condition caused by an overwhelming shock or extreme fear and marked by rigidity of the muscles
- Hypnagogic hallucinations - Sleep inducing delusions
A person with narcolepsy may or may not experience all the four symptoms. Cataplexy is an occasional condition causing loss in muscle functionalities, varying from mild fatigue (like a flabby softness at the neck or knees, drooping facial muscles, or lack of ability to communicate distinctly) to breaking down completely.
Narcolepsy occurrences are likely to be activated by sudden emotional responses like violent laughter, rage, astonishment, or fright, and usually last from a couple of seconds to several minutes. During an episode of narcolepsy, the patient is likely to stay cognizant of his or her surroundings during the incident.
Diagnosing narcolepsy is quite easy if all the symptoms of narcolepsy are obvious or demonstrated, however if the sleep attacks are sporadic and cataplexy is moderate in degree or is lacking altogether, then diagnosis can get difficult. It is also possible that cataplexy can take place in isolation. Two tools that are commonly used to measure narcolepsy are the polysomnogram and the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT).
The treatment to deal with narcolepsy is often dependent on the patient and is usually tailor made to suit the individual's symptoms and therapeutic reaction. It may take several months or longer to accomplish the optimal restraint of the symptoms. In most cases medication modifications are also often needed. Whilst oral drugs and medicines are the central cohesive source of support and stability in treating narcolepsy, lifestyle alterations are also of significance. Experts believe that narcolepsy can run in families and that a tiny percentage of people with narcolepsy are likely to have a close blood relation with the disease.
