Introduction

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder that affects the brain’s ability to regulate normal sleep cycles. People with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), which can lead to falls and other injuries. They also may experience other sleep disorders, including cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis. The symptoms of narcolepsy often mimic common disorders like insomnia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleeping disorder that affects the brain’s ability to regulate normal sleep cycles.

Narcolepsy is a chronic disorder that affects the brain’s ability to regulate normal sleep cycles. The condition presents itself in two forms: “cataplexy,” when patients lose muscle tone and collapse during an emotional reaction such as laughter, or “sleep paralysis,” where they experience temporary paralysis upon waking or falling asleep. Narcolepsy can also cause sudden sleep attacks (known as “sleep starts”), which often happen while one is active and can be embarrassing or dangerous if you are driving at the time.

The exact cause of narcolepsy is not known but there may be a genetic component due to its tendency to run in families. Research indicates that narcolepsy may be caused by several different factors acting together, which might explain why it presents differently from person to person.

When people with narcolepsy are in a state of calm or relaxation, they fall asleep.

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that causes sufferers to fall asleep at inopportune times. Most people find it hard to understand how narcoleptics can fall asleep while they’re talking or eating, but this is because the brain of a narcoleptic responds differently from that of a non-narcoleptic. When people with narcolepsy are in a state of calm or relaxation, they fall asleep.

People with narcolepsy also may experience other sleep disorders, including cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis.

People with narcolepsy also may experience other sleep disorders, including cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis.

Cataplexy is a sudden loss of voluntary muscle tone while awake that results in a collapse or partial collapse of the body. The person often remains conscious or can awaken during an episode of cataplexy but cannot move until it passes. In some cases the person remains awake but experiences weakness or paralysis (postural instability) in parts of their body when they try to move. The event usually lasts for only a few seconds to minutes and is often followed by temporary confusion about what happened during the attack. Cataplectic attacks are disruptive and sometimes frightening for people who experience them because they lose control over their bodies without warning when talking or moving around during an episode. Cataplectic attacks may come on suddenly at any time of day or night, including while driving a car or engaging in other tasks that require concentration and coordination like playing sports or using sharp tools at work/school; normally these activities would not cause such problems if someone was not having an episode at this time.”

Narcolepsy is often undiagnosed because the symptoms can mimic common disorders like insomnia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

You may be surprised to learn that narcolepsy is often misdiagnosed as other disorders. Many symptoms of narcolepsy are often mistaken for common disorders such as insomnia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

It’s no wonder that so many people with narcolepsy go undiagnosed for years—the condition can be extremely difficult to recognize, even by experienced physicians. In fact, the average time between onset and diagnosis for narcolepsy is over seven years!

The primary symptoms of narcolepsy are excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), cataplexy, and disrupted nighttime sleep.

The primary symptoms of narcolepsy are excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), cataplexy, and disrupted nighttime sleep.

• EDS is the most common symptom of narcolepsy, and it’s basically the opposite of insomnia. People with EDS need to sleep a lot more than they should be able to in order to feel rested during the day. That feeling can often last for several hours at a time (even after naps), leaving people feeling exhausted and unable to concentrate on tasks that require attention or focus—like studying for school or being productive at work!
• Cataplexy is a sudden loss of muscle tone that causes a person to collapse into an involuntary state of paralysis for seconds at a time—usually triggered by strong emotions such as laughter or fear. Cataplexy can also cause your voice pitch to change suddenly when you’re experiencing these intense emotions; if this happens while you’re driving or standing near high places like balconies or rooftops, then falling could be serious business!

There are four main types of narcolepsy: type 1, type 2, associated, and secondary.

A doctor will usually diagnose you with narcolepsy after ruling out other possible causes of symptoms.

Depending on your situation, there may be a few different types of narcolepsy, and each type has its own set of symptoms. The most common forms are:

• Type 1 narcolepsy involves EDS and cataplexy (muscle paralysis).
• Type 2 narcolepsy involves an EDS (excessive daytime sleepiness), but not cataplexy. Cataplexy is rarer than EDS because most people who have it also experience excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and muscle paralysis during their sleep attacks or naps.

Type 1 narcolepsy involves EDS and cataplexy.

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the sleep cycle. People with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and may experience brief moments of loss of muscle control, often triggered by strong emotions such as laughter or anger.

The two main types of narcolepsy are narcolepsy with cataplexy (a form where EDS and cataplexy are present) and without cataplexy (a form where EDS occurs but cataplexy does not).

Type 2 narcolepsy involves EDS but not cataplexy.

Narcolepsy type 2 is a rare form of narcolepsy, which is an autoimmune disorder that affects your brain. In narcolepsy type 2, the immune system attacks the brain and causes it to produce too much orexin. Orexin promotes wakefulness and helps you stay alert during the day. Narcolepsy type 2 typically comes on in adulthood, but it can also start in childhood or adolescence.

In some people with narcolepsy type 2 (also called “atypical narcolepsy”), they may have some cataplexy episodes, but they don’t experience excessive daytime sleepiness or hypnagogic hallucinations (hallucinations that occur when falling asleep).

Associated narcolepsy occurs alongside another medical condition.

Associated narcolepsy occurs alongside another medical condition. Narcolepsy-cataplexy is often associated with many different immune system disorders, including:

• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Sjögren’s syndrome (a disease that affects the glands that produce tears, saliva, and other body fluids)
• Infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (a virus that causes mononucleosis) or cytomegalovirus (CMV). It may also be associated with neurosarcoidosis or multiple sclerosis.

Secondary narcolepsy can be caused by head trauma or tumors.

The second type of narcolepsy is called secondary narcolepsy. It’s caused by a brain injury, such as a head trauma or tumor, that damages the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus controls sleep cycles and regulates hormones that control appetite, pain tolerance and other basic functions.

Secondary narcolepsy can also be brought on by medications used to treat other conditions. These include:

• Antidepressants like Prozac or Zoloft, which affect chemicals in the brain called serotonin and norepinephrine;
• Sleep aids like Ambien;
• Colds medicines that contain dextromethorphan (DM) — this drug can cause side effects such as hallucinations or dizziness if taken for too long;

Conclusion

Narcolepsy is a chronic disorder that affects the brain’s ability to regulate normal sleep cycles. People with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexy, which are two of the primary symptoms of this condition. EDS can be caused by any number of factors, including stress or medications. Narcolepsy can also be associated with other medical conditions such as depression or anxiety disorders.