An overwhelming desire to sleep at inappropriate times.Ĭataplexy. Symptoms may include:Įxcessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). However, people may experience symptoms differently. The following are the most common symptoms of narcolepsy. It is caused by a deficiency in the production of a brain chemical that helps neurons talk to each other. It involves the body's central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord.
Because it results in a rapid onset of sleep, Xyrem must be taken exactly as prescribed.The cause of narcolepsy is not known. Xyrem helps regulate nighttime sleep, which leads to better control of EDS and cataplexy. Xyrem (sodium oxybate) is available through a restricted-enrollment program for the treatment of narcolepsy. Prescription medications used to control symptoms include stimulants to avoid daytime sleepiness and antidepressants to control cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations. It may be necessary to limit certain activities that could be dangerous during a sleep attack or cataplexic attack, such as driving, until symptoms are well controlled. Exercising early in the day is helpful, and some people find it advantageous to take a relaxing warm bath before bedtime. Avoiding caffeine and large meals before bedtime is best. Regularly scheduled bedtimes and morning wake-up times are advised, and some people benefit from taking scheduled short naps during the day when they feel most sleepy. Treatment focuses on reducing daytime symptoms and improving nighttime sleep. If a person enters the REM stage of sleep quickly after falling asleep, narcolepsy is the likely diagnosis. The PSG measures breathing, heart rate, and brainwave activity during nighttime sleep and records sleep cycles. The MSLT measures the time it takes for a person to fall asleep for scheduled naps throughout the day and the qualities of the daytime sleep. After other common causes of symptoms are ruled out, sleep studies-including the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) and the polysomnogram (PSG)-are used to confirm the diagnosis. The symptoms of narcolepsy can be confused with those of other conditions, such as epilepsy, insomnia, restless legs syndrome, or sleep apnea. Sometimes, realistic hallucinations occur along with the paralysis, making this a highly disturbing experience. This symptom is alarming because the person is conscious but unable to move for up to several minutes. Sleep paralysis is a temporary paralysis that occurs just before falling asleep or immediately upon waking. At night, the person usually falls asleep rapidly, but has a hard time staying asleep for more than a few hours. This cycle is repeated up to several times per day. This “sleep attack” may last from a few seconds or minutes to a longer nap. This powerful need to sleep results in a person nodding off abruptly, even while eating or talking. It is believed that these brain cells are destroyed by the body, possibly as a result of an autoimmune reaction.ĮDS is an urge to sleep at intervals throughout the day. This condition has been linked to a loss of the brain cells that make hypocretin. Cataplexy is often triggered by a strong emotional response, such as laughter, excitement, anger, or fear. During a cataplexic attack, a person stays awake but cannot move or speak, making the attack appear similar to a seizure. The symptoms of narcolepsy include cataplexy, EDS, and sleep paralysis with or without hallucinations.Ĭataplexy is a sudden muscle weakness that can last several seconds or minutes. Narcolepsy is associated with low levels of hypocretin, a brain chemical that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. It affects about 1 in 2,000 people, although the actual number may be higher because mild cases can go undiagnosed. Narcolepsy usually begins during adolescence or young adulthood. Treatment Goals Are to Reduce Daytime Symptoms and Improve Nighttime Sleep
Although narcolepsy has no cure, medications and changes in lifestyle can help control this condition. Narcolepsy can lead to dangerous situations, such as falls or auto accidents. After a brief nap, the person awakens refreshed, but feels sleepy again after a few hours. A person with this disorder can suddenly fall asleep while talking, walking, or driving. People suffering from narcolepsy have an overwhelming need to sleep, often several times during the day. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes extreme daytime sleepiness, or EDS.
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