The Symptoms and Early Signs of Narcolepsy

Have you ever wondered why people fall asleep while driving or operating other critical systems? Yes. It happens to people who are suffering from Narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a health condition that affects people and occasionally loses senses unaware. It is evident that victims of narcolepsy mostly do not recover what has just happened while they were unconscious.

Well, what is narcolepsy? It is a brain complication that affects people’s senses, falling asleep, and falling out of control caused by loss of neurons in the brain. In this article, we will explore the symptoms and options for treatments for Narcolepsy.

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Symptoms of Narcolepsy

Excessive daytime sleep

People suffering from narcolepsy experience longer sleeping hours during the day, and night, they struggle to get sleep. Victims of narcolepsy fall asleep anytime anywhere without warning. Excessive sleeping hours during the day is the first symptom to appear after you are infected with narcolepsy. For example, a victim of narcolepsy may suddenly fall asleep while talking to a friend (1).

Cataplexy

It is unfortunate for someone to lose their senses while doing an activity. Mainly, cataplexy is triggered by anxiety, laughter, anger, fear, and surprise. Cataplexy causes permanent or temporary body changes (2). An example is when a victim experiences slurred speech. Cataplexy is simply a sudden loss of muscle tone.

Sleep paralysis Victims of narcolepsy experience downtime immediately before sleeping or waking up. They usually fall into a state of dormancy because they can’t sleep or see while in sleeping mode. The moments of dormancy are usually short and run for several seconds or up to two minutes. Though sleep paralysis can be confused with rapid eye movement (REM), the latter is characterized by a temporary inability to execute tasks.

Hallucinations Not everyone who experiences hallucinations suffers from narcolepsy, but repeated hallucinations are a symptom of narcolepsy. Hallucinations associated with narcolepsy are hypnagogic and hypnopompic. The latter are hallucinations that happen while falling asleep and the former is happen when waking up.

Automatic behavior The body adapts to situations so fast that a victim of narcolepsy may trigger other behaviors while avoiding sleeping. The behaviors come automatically without the knowledge of the victim. For example, someone in an office may write to avoid falling asleep but scribbling. Another behavior is whistling to avoid sleeping, but the victim is not aware whether they are whistling.

Disrupted sleep Victims of narcolepsy experience a hard time during the night. They experience difficulty staying asleep because of repeated dreams, breathing problems, memories, and body movements.

Treatment of Narcolepsy

Changing the lifestyle According to specialists, most victims of narcolepsy are addicted to substances like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. Suppose you’re a victim of narcolepsy, and you use either or both of the said substances. In that case, changing or avoiding the consumption is recommended to reduce the severity of narcolepsy (3). People who abuse alcohol have a high chance of suffering from narcolepsy.

Using stimulants Stimulants prescribed by the doctor like methylphenidate, armodafinil, and sodium oxybate are used to reduce the severity of narcolepsy. These stimulants treat excessive headaches, nausea, reduce cataplexy, and help patients stay awake for longer hours.

Setting sleeping schedule

Setting sleeping hours and time and adhering to the program help reduce the effects of narcolepsy. The body adapts to similar sleeping and waking hours to not fall asleep during other hours. It is advisable to adhere to seven to eight sleeping hours when setting the hours.

Friendly sleeping environment.

Sleeping with comfort may help reduce the effects of narcolepsy. Decorating the bedroom with alluring colors and objects may attract good memories and sleep comfortably without disruptions. People who work during the night and sleep during the day can use light filtering curtains and dull paint the color of the entire walls. The bedroom should be excellent.

Regular exercises Keeping the body muscles firm by exercising regularly helps in reducing the chances of rapid eye movement. Regular exercise boosts muscle energy levels and keeps the body alert during the day. However, the exercises should not be done there to four hours before going to bed.

Massages Relaxing your body allows the respiratory system to operate normally. Getting lots of massages regularly enhances better blood flow and keeps the body muscles alert.

Since it is known that narcolepsy is a common health complication that can come unnoticed, it is recommended that when you experience either of these symptoms, you visit your doctor for further medical guidance. It should not be assumed that it’s a typical disorder because it can cause accidents.

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