DO YOU HAVE NARCOLEPSY

NARCOLEPSY

from the article '4 Sleep Disorders Solved'
By Stephanie Schorow, Special to Lifescript
Published April 26, 2010

Narcolepsy

What it is: In TV shows and movies, narcoleptics fall asleep in mid-sentence and wake up as if nothing happened. In reality, a person suffering from narcolepsy has intense daytime sleepiness and dozes off gradually, Schulman says, sometimes in inappropriate situations.

“People with narcolepsy are very sleepy but it’s not as if they're walking and suddenly drop over asleep,” he says.

Narcoleptics may also have to deal with the double-whammy of insomnia too. Not only do they fall asleep during the day, but they can have periods of intense wakefulness during the night.

About one in every 2,000 people suffers from narcolepsy.

It's associated with a condition called cataplexy and its sufferers sometimes experience episodes of partial or total muscle loss, often triggered by emotions such as anger or laughter.

It may be frightening to see someone go completely slack for 30-60 seconds, but cataplexy isn't life-threatening, Schulman says. “People are awake during cataplexy attacks, but they just can’t move.”

Narcolepsy seems to affect men just slightly more than women, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. It generally starts in the teens but may not be diagnosed until a person is 20-30 years old. Often, it’s never diagnosed.

“People just get used to being tired,” Schulman says.

What causes narcolepsy: Research has found differences between normal sleepers and narcoleptics during the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep. Narcoleptics go into REM sleep much more quickly than normal sleepers.

The brain chemical hypocretin may be to blame. Hypocretin helps regulate wakefulness and keeps REM sleep stable. Narcoleptics have lower levels of this chemical, but researchers don’t know why. There could be a genetic link: Up to 10% of people with narcolepsy report having a family member with the same symptoms, according to the National Institutes of Health.

How to treat narcolepsy: There’s no cure, so daytime sleepiness and drowsiness is treated symptomatically. Short naps can be particularly effective. In extreme cases, medications – often stimulants – can be prescribed.

MY THOUGHTS

Sounds serious to me.  Especially since there's no cure.  I remember having a friends (who has joined our Creator at age 40 or so), who would fall asleep while choosing food from a restaurant menu.  Found it funny then.  Never  knew it was a sleep disorder.