Narcolepsy

Mar. 15, 2016

Are you still tired despite of treating your Insomnia and/or sleep apnea? Do you know what narcolepsy is, and what is the treatment for it? The focus of this blog is on narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that affects the control of sleep and wakefulness. People with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness and episodes of falling asleep during the daytime which is out of their control and can occur during any types of activities at any time of the day. The cause of narcolepsy is not known. Some scientists link narcolepsy with genes that control the production of chemicals in the brain that may signal sleep and awake cycles and deficiency in the production of the same chemical called hypocretin by the brain.

Typically, we enter the deepest stage of sleep called REM (rapid eye movement) after 90 minutes. People suffering from narcolepsy enter REM stage of sleep almost immediately in the sleep, as well as periodically during the waking hours.

Narcolepsy usually begins between the ages of 15 and 25, but it can become apparent at any age. Common signs and symptoms are as followed: Excessive daytime sleepiness, Cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle tone), Hallucinations and Sleep paralysis (temporary inability to move or speak).

To diagnose and confirm narcolepsy two tests are necessary: PSG (Polysomnogram is an overnight sleep test to screen abnormality in stages of sleep) and MSLT (the Multiple Sleep Latency Test is performed during day to measure a person’s tendency to fall asleep).

There is no cure for narcolepsy. The treatment is to control the symptoms of the disorder. Sleepiness is treated with stimulants as amphetamine, while the symptoms of abnormal REM sleep are treated with antidepressant drugs. Xyrem also helps people with narcolepsy get a better night’s sleep. Lifestyle changes such as avoidingcaffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and heavy meals; scheduling daytime naps (10-15 minutes in length), regulating sleep schedules, and establishing a normal exercise and meal schedule may also help to reduce symptoms.

By Bahareh Ezzati (BSc, CPhT, RRT)