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Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a lifelong sleep disorder that makes you feel overwhelmingly tired, and in severe cases, have sudden uncontrollable sleep attacks.
Narcolepsy sleeping
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Narcolepsy can impact nearly every aspect of your life. It is dangerous because you can have excessive sleepiness or a sleep attack at any time of the day, in the middle of any activity including eating, walking or driving. Operating a vehicle with untreated narcolepsy can be very dangerous and some states even have laws against it.
Many people with narcolepsy do not know they have the sleep disorder. About one in 2,000 people have some form of narcolepsy. Narcolepsy may run in some families, but most cases are not genetic. The cause of narcolepsy is still unknown, but recent research suggests that many people with narcolepsy with cataplexy have low levels of the neurotransmitter hypocretin, a chemical that regulates arousal, wakefulness and appetite.

narcolepsy symptoms

There are two types of narcolepsy

Narcolepsy with cataplexy

This type of narcolepsy involves a combination of excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. Cataplexy is when you have attacks that cause a sudden loss of muscle tone while you are awake. It may lead to slurred speech and buckling knees, or in more severe cases complete paralysis. These events are usually triggered by strong emotions such as joy, surprise, laughter or anger.

Narcolepsy without cataplexy

This type of narcolepsy occurs when you have continuous excessive sleepiness but no cataplexy. You may take a nap for a couple of hours and wake up feeling refreshed. But after a short time, you feel tired again.
When you add up the hours of total sleep time, people with narcolepsy don’t necessarily sleep any more than people who don’t have the sleep disorder. This is especially true when you consider that many people with narcolepsy often have difficulty sleeping through the night because of unwanted awakenings.
Treating the underlying cause of secondary insomnia may resolve or improve the sleep problem, especially if you can correct the problem soon after it starts. For example, if caffeine is causing your insomnia, stopping or limiting your intake of the substance might make the insomnia go away.
Lifestyle changes, including better sleep habits, often help relieve acute insomnia. For chronic insomnia, your doctor may recommend medicines or cognitive-behavioral therapy.

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Somnas offers state-of-the-art diagnostic options to identify specific sleep disorders and manage them using the latest treatments and therapies with an individualized treatment plan to ensure long-term optimal outcomes.