Symptoms
Symptoms may vary to each person afflicted withNarcolepsy Narcolepsy. These include;

• Excessive daytime sleepiness – the first symptom to appear. They will feel drowsy throughout the day, and will have difficulty staying awake. They can fall asleep suddenly, without warning.

• Cataplexy – a condition that causes sudden, temporary loss of muscle control. For example, their jaw drops, head slumps down, legs may collapse, and their speech may slur. It is triggered by emotional excitement, like laughter, fear or anger.

• Hallucinations – seeing or hearing things that are not real. They can be vivid and sometimes frightening. It happens when falling asleep or upon awakening.

• Sleep paralysis – inability to move or talk at the beginning or end of sleep.

• Automatic behavior - a person continues to function during brief sleep episodes. They awaken with no memory of doing the activities.

• Disturbed Nocturnal Sleep – disturbed sleep at nighttime. They awaken several times at night, with hot flashes, elevated heart rate, and sometimes intense alertness.

Narcolepsy Overview

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological sleep disorder. It happens when a person’s brain fails to control the normal

cycle of sleep. The person feels drowsy during the day and suffers from sudden attacks of uncontrollable sleep. It can happen at any time, no matter what you are doing. The disorder will seriously affect your daily activities.

The term “Narcolepsy” is taken from the French word “Narcolepsie”. It is created by a French doctor named Jean Baptiste- Édouard Gélineau. He combined the Greek term “narkē”, which means  stupor, and “lepsis”, meaning an  attack.

On a normal basis, when a person first falls asleep, our brain waves become slower and irregular. It is called non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. After about an hour of NREM sleep, the brain waves become more active. This is called the REM sleep. It is the state of sleep where dreaming occurs. People with narcolepsy, however, are different. Their REM sleep occurs immediately after sleep begins, instead of after a period of NREM sleep.

CAUSES

The cause of narcolepsy is still not known. But studies have already been made to know more about it. It was discovered that narcoleptics have abnormal “hypocretin neurons “in their brains. These are groups of nerve cells found  in the part of the brain called the “hypothalamus”.

Distribution of hypocretin cells and fibers in the hypothalamus of a normal (A and B) and narcoleptic brain (D and E).

The hypothalamus normally secretes neurotransmitter substances, which are special proteins that make the neurons communicate with each other. Such substance is called the “hypocretin”. The hypocretins neurons are responsible for keeping the brain systems awake and not shut down unexpectedly. Narcoleptics have a decreased number of these neurons in their brains. That is why they experience sudden attacks of sleep.

But what causes the loss of the neurons in their brains in the first place? Experts believed that the loss is caused by an “autoimmune reaction”. It is a condition where normal brain cells are attacked by the body’s own system. As a result, the neurons are destroyed. With the neurons damaged, the neurotransmitter chemicals they secrete also lessen. This theory, however, is not yet proven.

Other factors that contribute to narcolepsy are traumatic injuries, infection, stress, dietary factors, and others. It seems that both genetic and environmental factors can lead to the development of the disorder.

DIAGNOSIS

Narcolepsy is easy to diagnose when all the symptoms are present. But it will be hard to diagnose if the sleep attacks are seldom. It is also hard if cataplexy is mild or absent. Often, the disorder remains undiagnosed or misdiagnosed by doctors. It is because they do not consider the disorder often enough. This happens when a patient complains of fatigue, problems with concentration, attention, performance, and others.

To diagnose the disorder properly, a clinical test, questionnaires, and sleep diaries are made. Tests like the “polysomnogram test” and “multiple latency tests” are performed. Both tests try to find out how soon a person falls into REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.

TREATMENTS

Sad news is, there is no known cure for Narcolepsy. Drug treatments are only given to control the symptoms.  Drugs like Modafinil (provigil), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) or Methylphenidate (Ritalin) are given to help patient stay awake. Antidepressant medications can also help lessen the symptoms of narcolepsy.


Narcoleptic patients need to change their lifestyle too. The following steps should be taken to help prevent their symptoms:

  • Light or vegetarian meals must be eaten during the day. Heavy meals should be avoided before doing important activities.
  • Naps must be taken after meals. This is because most sleep attacks occur right after eating.
  • Nicotine, alcohol and caffeine should be avoided especially at night. It can affect the quality of sleep.
  • They should be careful when driving. They need to stop to take a nap or exercise during the drive. They should not drive if they can’t control their sleepiness.
  • Avoid other activities that could be dangerous if you have a sudden sleep attack. Do not climb ladders, or use dangerous machines.
  • They must maintain a regular sleep schedule. They must go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.
  • They should exercise at daytime. It makes you feel more awake during the day.
  • They must tell their employer or teachers about their condition. It will allow other people around them to work for a way to accommodate their needs.
  • Carry a tape recorder. They can record important meetings or classes in case they fall asleep.
  • Wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace.
  • Lastly, they should find support groups and get counseling.

Due to lack of public knowledge about the disorder, people with narcolepsy are often judged unfairly. They are viewed as lazy, dull or unmotivated. It can be hard on the person’s self-esteem. It can even drive them into self-isolation. But narcoleptics should understand that although their disorder is life-long, they can still live a normal life. They can achieve this through the help of family, friends and other support groups. These people can offer them practical and emotional help.