Make time for physical activity every day. Sedentary activities can make anyone feel lethargic and sluggish – and this is especially true for those with narcolepsy. Instead, try scheduling a brief nap when you feel sleepiest during the day. Be careful not to nap for too long, however, as it can make it harder to fall asleep at night. Refrain from using technology in the 90 minutes before bedĪvoid stimulants, like caffeine and nicotine, before bedĭiscover more ways to improve your sleep quality and wake up feeling energised here.įor many people with narcolepsy, a short nap – no longer than 15-20 minutes – can be refreshing, improving alertness and productivity. Keep your bedroom temperate, quiet, dark, and comfortable Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day Give yourself a non-negotiable seven to nine-hour sleep opportunity window. To minimise excessive daytime sleepiness and promote quality sleep at night, try to establish good sleep hygiene practices. Prioritising your sleep hygiene and making appropriate lifestyle changes can be particularly helpful 14. While there’s no specific cure for narcolepsy, you can certainly manage the symptoms and reduce their effect on your daily life. What are the treatment options for narcolepsy? Hormonal changes during puberty or the menopauseĪn infection, like streptococcal infection or swine flu Though the root cause of narcolepsy isn’t fully understood, existing research suggests it may result from a combination of factors that work together to reduce hypocretin levels in the body, which may include: 12 13 Indeed, hypocretin levels are usually healthy in people who have narcolepsy without cataplexy. For individuals suffering from narcolepsy and cataplexy, it’s hypothesized that a lack of the brain chemical hypocretin – which promotes wakefulness and regulates sleep – may be responsible for triggering the condition 11. Individuals with narcolepsy may rouse several times each night – perhaps due to vivid dreams or REM sleep behaviour disorder - exacerbating daytime sleepiness.Īside from the classic five signs of narcolepsy, the condition can also lead to a range of additional symptoms, such as memory problems, headaches, depression and automatic behaviour (continuing an activity without having any memory of it afterwards) 10.Įxperts believe there may be several reasons why narcolepsy develops. However, other senses can be involved, too.Īlthough people with narcolepsy can feel extremely fatigued throughout the day, it’s not uncommon for them to experience insomnia and trouble sleeping through the night 9. Often, these hallucinations occur alongside sleep paralysis. Individuals with narcolepsy may also have hypnagogic hallucinations – scary, vivid dream-like experiences during the shift between sleep and wakefulness 8. Frightening hallucinations may also accompany sleep paralysis. The experience is unusual because individuals are conscious and awake but simply cannot connect to move. These episodes usually occur during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, either when falling asleep or rousing 7. Sleep paralysis can be another symptom of narcolepsy. The episodes can last anywhere between a few seconds and two minutes. The severity and length of cataplexy attacks can vary: some people will experience mild jaw drooping others, however, may fall to the ground completely. Positive emotions – most notably laughter – and negative emotions – embarrassment, fear, anger, and surprise – are the most likely triggers 6. Those with narcolepsy may also experience cataplexy attacks, characterised by temporary involuntary muscle weakness in response to anticipated emotion 5. Insomnia and night-time disturbances are partly responsible for daytime sleepiness. 4 Excessive daytime sleepiness often compromises productivity, concentration, and short-term memory. Narcolepsy may lead to chronic fatigue and sleepiness and/or falling asleep at inappropriate times during the day. Most individuals with narcolepsy will generally exhibit a few of the symptoms outlined below: 3 And the sooner the diagnosis, the sooner you can implement the necessary measures to improve the quality of your sleep and wakefulness. But spotting the early signs of narcolepsy can be tremendously helpful in reaching an early diagnosis 2. Since narcolepsy can progress slowly, it often remains undiagnosed for years. Here, we explore the early signs of narcolepsy and available treatment options. While there’s no cure for narcolepsy, it can be greatly improved by making lifestyle changes and using management tools. Characterised by sleep attacks, excessive sleepiness, sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and – for a few – cataplexy (the sudden loss of muscle control), narcolepsy is a rare neurological sleep disorder that affects roughly 1 in 2,000 to 3,000 people 1.
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