Narcolepsy Symptoms

There are quite a few symptoms of Narcolepsy. They usually have to do with excessive daytime sleepiness and abnormal REM sleep. Other unusual side effects of abnormal REM sleep, includes hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and Cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle tone). It's usually triggered by laughter or humor, sadness, surprise or frustration. Not all people who have Narcolepsy have it come with Cataplexy. However they all suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness.

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness...

To normal people, after their naps they stay refreshed for about a few hours but to people with Narcolepsy they stay refreshed for about half that time. To people with Narcolepsy the urge to sleep is often uncontrollable. People with Narcolepsy take certain medication to help them stay awake through out their day because their brain is always sleeping incorrectly. People with this condition usually have a hard time going through long periods of physical exertion, loud noise, sudden temperature changes and other forms of stress.


 Cataplexy...

64% - 80% of all narcoleptics go through their life with the development of Narcolepsy with Cataplexy. Cataplexy is a symptom of Narcolepsy when the person loses complete control of muscle tone. It's usually triggered by strong emotions that are usually triggered often. Humor is the most

common trigger known for Cataplexy. But there are still other triggers like sadness and proudness even a surprise or frustration can do the trick. When a person with Narcolepsy experience Cataplexy they can have a complete fall or just head drops and wobbly knees. When these people are not medicated, they're more likely to have complete falls than just head drops and wobbly knees. When Cataplexy occurs the person may not be able to more or speak for about 30 seconds to a minute. But some episodes can last for 20 minutes, But it's unlikely. Even though their body cannot more or speak they are still aware of what's going on around them and they can feel themselves too. They just can't more or speak. Cataplexy is the most dangerous side effect or symptom of Narcolepsy because if you fall unexpectedly quickly on a hard surface you could be seriously hurt. When a person has a complete fall it looks like a medical emergency to strangers but it's just a medical condition that others don't know about. If a child has a complete fall in a public place like a grocery store in an isle or in a store it would just look like a child goofing around. But if an adult has a complete fall in a public place someone might think to call 911 because adults don't usually completely fall or goof around. If during a Cataplexy episode the person can't move into a comfortable position it can hurt them, a person can help them into a better position.

Hypnagogic and/ or Hypnopompic Hallucinations...

This isn't daydreaming this is real dreaming while awake and experiencing things. The brain mistakenly thinks the false and imaginative information is real. 86% of all narcoleptics experience often hallucinations of scents, visual things and auditory sensations while falling asleep. This can happen at any time of the day. This is also a dangerous side effect or symptom of Narcolepsy because if you're driving for example and you see something that isn't actually there you might cause an accident. These hallucinations can at some points be dreamlike and others be quite real. That's why it's important to try to be aware of the things that are actually happening around you not the things that are just a figment of your imagination. Some hallucinations can be quite frightening and cause anxiety. These hallucination take place from the transition from wakefulness to sleep. These are REM related abnormalities.

Sleep Paralysis...

Sleep paralysis is the inability to move or talk at the beginning or end of sleep for several seconds or minutes. 63% of all narcoleptics have experienced this symptom of Narcolepsy. When someone first experiences sleep paralysis it can be quite frightening and they say they feel unable to be when in fact they actually can. This is also another REM abnormality. Everyone meaning even people without Narcolepsy experience paralysis when they enter REM sleep but people with Narcolepsy, their brains are out of sync with whatever the stage of wakefulness the body should be in. So sometimes it might take a few minutes to for the brain to let the muscles release from the grasp of REM sleep.

Insomnia... 

Insomnia is having a real hard time falling asleep at night. While most people can fall asleep just like that people with insomnia need a little bit longer to fall into REM sleep.

Excessive Hunger and Obesity...

The part of the brain that controls your sleep stage cycles also controls your ability to control how much you eat. People with Narcolepsy when tired may feel the urge to eat. They eat when tired because they're trying to get more energy when in fact they're getting less exercise  they get quickly exhausted by physical exertion and they suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness. Many narcoleptics suffer from the after effect of sleepiness when they eat carbs/sugar.

Slurred Speech...

Slurred speech is a symptom of Cataplexy. Because of when you have an episode of Cataplexy you lose all muscle tone in your body you also lose it in your mouth as well. That's when slurred speech makes it's way through into the symptoms category.

Nighttime Wakefulness...

Nighttime wakefulness is when you have a sudden burst of energy at night. Which comes with a bunch of hot flashes, elevated heart rate and intense alertness. Some people feel full of great ideas and others are darkly depressed but before anything really happens they just fall back asleep.

Fun Facts...

Want to hear some fun facts about Narcolepsy, well I'm hear to tell you that. Did you know that if a person without Narcolepsy stays up for 30 hours that's equivalent to what a person with Narcolepsy feels like all the time. Narcolepsy is not as common to see in kids as it is in adults.;