Causes of Narcolepsy, Symptoms and Treatments

Narcolepsy is a very serious condition that can endanger an individual's life. Sufferers of this condition will find themselves dropping off to sleep in the middle of a normal activity and are often tired during the day. Such a condition is not due to sloth or keeping late nights, but is a medical issue and can cause the individual much distress.

This condition usually shows up between the ages of 10 and 25. It will rarely affect those who are over the age of 40.

Despite having a good rest at night, intense fatigue and dozing off during the day are signs of this issue. People who suffer from narcolepsy have difficulty focusing on daily tasks due to a constant feeling of being tired. Such an illness is difficult to cope with, but it is even scarier when one considers the fact that the individual might sleep suddenly in the midst of operating machinery or activities that need full concentration.

This can be very serious and dangerous because it happens with no prior warning. The person has no time to stop doing what they are doing to get prepared. It is almost impossible for the individual to move away from a dangerous predicament or even consider finding a place for them to lie down. It can occur at any instant and so it is life-threatening if you are engaged in activities such as driving or operating heavy machinery.

When these episodes strike, the individual's length of sleep can range from a few minutes to as long as half an hour. Such occurrences can happen a few times within a day. Often, there are automatic reactions that accompany this issue like a resumption of activities beforen they dozed off. Individuals who have this condition might not even recall falling asleep after they wake up.

Cataplexy is another problem 75% of sufferers face when they have narcolepsy. Narcolepsy actually shuts the body down to some extent and muscles cannot be controlled by the individual. It could be anything from trouble speaking to a loss of all muscle control. Some will experience this symptom more often than others. Some report rare instances, while others experience it every day. There seems to be some association between this condition and a sudden change in emotions, such as excessive laughing or becoming angry.

Narcolepsy can also show up in the form of paralysis, such as can be seen during REM sleep. However, paralysis in such situations occurs when the individual is beginning to fall asleep or is awakening. What is scary about this is that the individual is conscience that it is happening but is powerless to stop it or do anything.

Another symptom of narcolepsy is hypnagogic hallucinations. These are very real images that appear to a person while in a semi-awake state. 25% to 50% of those with this condition tend to have such symptoms.

There is still much to learn about what actually causes narcolepsy, but it is believed that genetics plays a role. Having low amounts of a chemical called hypocretin, which is needed to awaken sleep, can be a possible reason.