Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder that manifests itself with heavy drowsiness and sudden sleep attacks during the daytime. People with narcolepsy have difficulty staying awake for long periods of time, regardless of the situation. Narcolepsy can sometimes be accompanied by a sudden loss of muscle tone, called cataplexy, and cataplexy can be triggered by strong emotions. Narcolepsy that occurs together with cataplexy is called type-1 narcolepsy. The disorder seen without cataplexy is called type-2 narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a chronic disorder with no cure. However, it may be possible to manage symptoms with medications and lifestyle changes. Getting support from other people, such as family, friends, teachers, and co-workers, can also make it easier for you to cope with narcolepsy.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of narcolepsy may become progressively worse in the first few years and then It can continue throughout life. These include:
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Excessive daytime sleepiness: People with narcolepsy can fall asleep anywhere and at any time without warning. For example, you may be working or talking with friends, but you still fall asleep suddenly and can sleep for a few minutes to half an hour. When you wake up, you feel rested, but you start to feel sleepy again.
Your attention and awareness may decrease during the day. Excessive daytime sleepiness is often the first symptom to appear and is often the most challenging because it makes it very difficult to concentrate and function fully.
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Sudden loss of muscle tone: This condition is called cataplexy. It can cause many physical changes, from speech impairment to weakness in many muscles, and can last up to a few minutes.
They are limited. Narcolepsy can cause serious disruptions in your daily routine.
Cataplexy is uncontrollable and is triggered by intense emotions. However, although these are generally positive emotions such as laughter or excitement, they can sometimes be due to fear, surprise and anger. For example, when you laugh, your head may fall forward uncontrollably or your knees may suddenly bend.
Some people with narcolepsy may only lose weight once a year. Some people experience cataplexy once or twice, but in some people, seizures may occur every day. Not everyone with narcolepsy experiences cataplexy.
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Sleep paralysis: People with narcolepsy often experience temporary paralysis while falling asleep or after waking up, and may have difficulty moving and speaking. These seizures are usually short-lived and can last from a few seconds to a few minutes, but they can be frightening. You may be aware of this or remember what happened next, but you still have no control over what happened.
This sleep paralysis is an imitation of the temporary paralysis that normally occurs during REM sleep. This temporary inactivity during REM sleep prevents the body from taking action during dreams.
Not everyone who experiences sleep paralysis has narcolepsy. Many people who do not have narcolepsy can also experience sleep paralysis attacks.
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Changes in REM sleep: REM sleep is the sleep phase where most of our dreams occur. In people with narcolepsy, this REM sleep can occur at any time of the day. People with narcolepsy can usually go into REM sleep in as little as 15 minutes after falling asleep.
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Hallucinations: These hallucinations are called soporific hallucinations because they occur while falling asleep. and arousing hallucinations may also occur upon awakening. For example, you may feel like there is a stranger in your bedroom. These hallucinations are very clear and frightening because when you start dreaming, you may not have fully fallen asleep and the dreams may seem real.
Other Characteristic Features
People with narcolepsy may also have other sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and even insomnia.
Some people with narcolepsy exhibit automatic behaviors during short narcolepsy attacks. For example, you can fall asleep while doing tasks you normally do, such as writing or driving, and continue doing that task while you sleep. When you wake up, you don't remember what you did, and you probably didn't do it very well.
When to See a Doctor?
If you have excessive daytime sleep, If sleepiness begins to threaten your personal and professional life, see a doctor.
Causes
The exact cause of narcolepsy is unknown. People with type-1 narcolepsy have low levels of a chemical called hypocretin in their brains. Hypocretin is an important neurochemical that helps the brain manage the stages of wakefulness and REM sleep.
Hypocretin levels are especially low in those with cataplexy. It is unknown what causes the loss of cells that produce hypocretin in the brain. However, experts think that this may be caused by an autoimmune response.
It is also thought that genetics may play a role in the development of narcolepsy. However, the chance of a parent passing the disease to their child is very small, around 1%.
Studies show that exposure to the swine flu virus and some swine flu vaccines may also be linked, but it is not yet clear why this happens.
Normal Sleep Pattern and Narcolepsy Comparison
In the process of falling asleep normally, the first thing that occurs is the NREM sleep process. At this stage, brain waves slow down significantly. After about an hour of NREM sleep, brain activity changes and REM sleep begins. Most of the dreams occur in REM sleep.
In narcolepsy, REM sleep is entered directly without experiencing NREM sleep first, and this occurs both day and night. Cataplexy, sleep paralysis and hallucinations, which are among the typical features of narcolepsy, are similar to the changes experienced in REM sleep, but they occur in the wakefulness and drowsiness phase.
Risk Factors
What is known for narcolepsy? There are only a few risk factors:
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Age: It usually starts in individuals between the ages of 10-30.
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Family history: If If you have a family member with narcolepsy, your risk of having it is 20-40 times higher.
Complications
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Failure to understand the disorder: Narcolepsy can cause serious problems in your professional and personal life. Others may find you lazy or lethargic. Your performance at school and work may be poor.
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Deterioration in close relationships: Add intense emotions such as anger and joy. It can trigger signs of narcolepsy, such as aplexy, which can cause affected people to shy away from emotional interactions.
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Physical damage: Sleep attacks can cause physical harm for people with narcolepsy. For example, if you have an attack while driving, your risk of accident increases significantly. If you fall asleep while preparing food, your risk of cuts and burns increases significantly.
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Obesity: People with narcolepsy are more likely to be overweight. This weight gain may be caused by a low metabolic rate.
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