Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes severe and persistent drowsiness during the day, disrupting sleep-wake cycles. It is caused by low levels of a brain hormone called hypocretin, which regulates sleep. The condition can develop over a few months and last for the rest of one’s life. People with IH tend to sleep for long periods, while those with narcolepsy tend to sleep for longer.
Narcolepsy is often caused by a lack of hypocretin, a brain chemical that regulates sleep. The immune system mistakenly attacks the cells that produce it or the receptors that allow it to work. Type 1 narcolepsy can develop after certain viral and bacterial infections, especially strains of H1N1 influenza and bacteria. The exact cause of narcolepsy is unknown, but people with type 1 narcolepsy have low levels of hypocretin (hi-poe-KREE-tin), also called orexin.
Narcolepsy can develop at any age, but it commonly starts during the teenage years or in middle age. It is often triggered by sudden, strong emotions such as laughter, fear, anger, stress, or excitement. Symptoms of cataplexy may appear.
Experts are not sure of the exact cause of narcolepsy, as it may have more than one cause. Many cases of narcolepsy are thought to be caused by a deficiency in the production of a brain chemical called hypocretin, which helps neurons talk to each other. One theory is that it happens when an external factor triggers an immune response in genetically vulnerable people, leading to a deficiency in the production of hypocretin.
In conclusion, narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to control sleep-wake cycles. Improving the quality of nighttime sleep can help combat excessive daytime sleepiness and improve overall health.
📹 Here’s What Causes Narcolepsy
When you think of narcolepsy, you probably think of people falling asleep at seemingly random times, but it’s actually much more …
At what age does narcolepsy appear the most?
Narcolepsy, a condition affecting children aged 15 to 36, can be onset between early childhood and 50 years old. It is a lifelong condition with varying symptoms over time. The disorder was first described in medical literature in 1880 by Gelineau and 1887 by Westphal. Diagnosis involves a thorough clinical evaluation, patient and family history, objective verification of characteristic symptoms, and specialized sleep studies. Some researchers believe that narcolepsy is under-diagnosed in children.
Can you suddenly develop narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a chronic condition that may manifest gradually over an extended period or abruptly over a relatively short interval. In the event of suspecting narcolepsy, it is advisable to consult with a general practitioner in order to ascertain the underlying cause and, if necessary, to be referred to a sleep disorder specialist for confirmation. The initial indication is excessive daytime somnolence, which can markedly affect one’s daily activities.
What are two triggers for narcolepsy?
The onset of narcolepsy may be precipitated by a number of factors, including hormonal fluctuations, psychological stress, viral infections such as swine flu, and the vaccine. It is estimated that approximately 30, 000 individuals in the UK are affected by narcolepsy, although the precise number is challenging to ascertain due to the existence of unreported cases. Hormonal changes, significant psychological stress, and infections such as swine flu have been identified as potential triggers.
Can you gain narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder causing sudden, unrelenting sleepiness during the day. It is often caused by viral and bacterial infections, particularly H1N1 influenza and strep throat bacteria. The condition is treatable but can cause significant disruptions in life, work, and social relationships. The four main symptoms of narcolepsy include excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden muscle weakness (cataplexy), sleep-related hallucinations, and sleep paralysis.
These symptoms are often referred to as “sleep attacks” and can have mild or light effects on one side of the body. Sleep-related hallucinations occur immediately after falling asleep or before waking up, while sleep paralysis occurs when the individual wakes up but is unable to move. Despite its severity, narcolepsy is generally treatable, but it can still cause significant disruptions in daily life.
What vitamin deficiency causes narcolepsy?
The study reveals that narcolepsy is linked to decreased serum vitamin B12 levels, highlighting the intricate relationship between vitamin B12 and narcolepsy. The research is published in ScienceDirect and includes cookies for user convenience. The study is copyrighted by Elsevier B. V. and its licensors, and all rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
Can you fix narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a condition with no specific cure, but managing symptoms can help minimize their impact on daily life. Some simple changes to sleeping habits can help, and if symptoms are severe, medication may be needed. Good sleeping habits include taking frequent, brief naps, sticking to a strict bedtime routine, relaxing before bed, maintaining a comfortable sleeping environment, avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and smoking before bedtime, exercising not too close to bedtime, and not eating large, heavy meals before bedtime. A GP or sleep specialist can help plan a schedule that fits with other activities, and a comfortable bedroom temperature, quiet, and free from distractions can also help.
What confirms narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a condition where individuals fall asleep easily and enter rapid eye movement (REM) sleep quickly. It can be diagnosed through genetic tests and a spinal tap. A sleep specialist may be referred to the patient based on symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden muscle loss, known as cataplexy. A formal diagnosis requires overnight stay at a sleep center for an in-depth sleep analysis. The sleep specialist will determine the severity of narcolepsy by analyzing the patient’s sleep patterns, which may be recorded for a week or two.
What diseases are associated with narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Differences in brain chemicals in some individuals with narcolepsy may prevent blood pressure from lowering during sleep, increasing the risk of heart disease. Other conditions like obesity and depression can also increase the risk of heart disease. Additionally, medications taken to stay awake during narcolepsy can also increase heart rate and blood pressure.
What can be mistaken for narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is often misdiagnosed as other conditions like depression, anxiety, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea. Its underrecognition is due to low awareness of symptoms and is particularly risky for children. Over half of those with narcolepsy start symptoms before age 18, but it can take 10 or more years for an accurate diagnosis. Some may have six doctor visits before symptoms are recognized. Undiagnosed narcolepsy can lead to problems in childhood and throughout a person’s life, as it can be mistaken for laziness or lack of motivation.
What is the root cause of narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a genetic disorder affecting the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. It is characterized by a deficiency in the production of a brain chemical that facilitates neuron communication. Common symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and an overwhelming desire to sleep at inappropriate times. The cause is unknown, but it can be a significant health issue.
Does narcolepsy go away?
Narcolepsy is a lifelong condition that does not usually worsen as an individual ages. Symptoms can partially improve over time but will never disappear completely. The most typical symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), cataplexy, sleep paralysis, hallucinations, fragmented sleep and insomnia, and automatic behaviors.
EDS is the most obvious symptom, characterized by persistent sleepiness regardless of how much sleep an individual gets at night. Cataplexy is a sudden loss of muscle tone while a person is awake, leading to weakness and a loss of voluntary muscle control. It is often triggered by strong emotions such as laughter, fear, anger, stress, or excitement. The symptoms of cataplexy may appear weeks or even years after the onset of EDS.
Sleep paralysis is the temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up, similar to REM-induced inhibitions of voluntary muscle activity. It occurs at the edges of sleep and is similar to REM-induced inhibitions of voluntary muscle activity. Even when severe, cataplexy and sleep paralysis do not result in permanent dysfunction; after episodes end, people rapidly recover their full capacity to move and speak.
Hallucinations are vivid and sometimes frightening images that usually occur when people are falling asleep or waking up. Fragmented sleep and insomnia can disrupt sleep, while automatic behaviors can cause temporary sleep episodes that can be brief, lasting no more than seconds at a time.
Type 1 narcolepsy (previously known as narcolepsy with cataplexy) is diagnosed based on the individual either having low levels of a brain hormone (hypocretin) or reporting cataplexy and having excessive daytime sleepiness on a special nap test. Type 2 narcolepsy (previously known as narcolepsy without cataplexy) experiences excessive daytime sleepiness but usually does not have muscle weakness triggered by emotions. They usually also have less severe symptoms and have normal levels of the brain hormone hypocretin.
📹 Narcolepsy (NORD) – causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology
What is Narcolepsy? Narcolepsy is a disorder in which the ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles is impaired, so the normal …
I fought diabetes for 20 years. I would literally “pass out” during meetings, driving, waiting in line at McDonald’s. I would wake up in my car not knowing where I was. I started loosing muscle control when I heard dry humor… I thought it was my blood sugar. Then I had a stoke at 54 and I knew I couldn’t fight no more. I hung up my car keys. It’s a long road to get diagnosed. You first enemy in this endeavor is yourself, then comes the medical system. While I believe the identifying criteria for narcolepsy is sound it took me many sleep study’s and two years to obtain the medical diag of narcolepsy 1. Very frustrating. Even worse my employment disability is ensured if I can no longer perform my duties… sounds proper but there twisting of things are criminal. Anyway… in my case thank God for Uncle Sam. I paid into the system for many years and they are a God send ! If you have any weird symptoms don’t just try to forget about them, be proactive !
Not sure of my issue but I struggle with fighting an undescribably strong urge to sleep during the first 4 hrs of work and I’m on my feet on into the day. I’ll actually start experiencing that beggining of dream state while awake but its more just confusional arousal. If I am fresh and heavily interested I’ll remain awake but if its mundane, repetative, and easy, I risk nodding off standing.
Great article! Very important that people know Narcolepsy is auto-immune caused brain damage. People with Narcolepsy (PwN) even develop a glial scar, just like survivors of stroke. Also, you can develop Narcolepsy by experiencing a Traumatic Brain Injury (or TBI- like from multiple concussions, or car accidents) if that same area of the brain is damaged. So many tend to write off Narcolepsy in invalidating ways, saying we’re lazy or just need to drink more coffee or whatever. Nope, it’s actual brain damage. Grateful for this professor and all those who are seeking to understand and better treat Narcolepsy! Hoping for more medications to help increase deep wave/restful sleep (which PwN greatly lack due to high REM and unregulated sleep stages), as there are currently only two meds that do this. Many don’t respond to them or have unbearable side effects or reactions. There are many stimulants out there and in development, but many can not handle stims for various reasons. We sorely need more options for the sleep aspect of treatment! The current two medications are GABA-B agonists, but maybe there is even another way we could get the same result. Like how one of the new stimulants acts on histamine receptors which hasn’t been done before. Here’s hoping.
ERROR at 12 seconds. Narcolepsy isn’t triggered by joy, this is cataplexy. As a person with narcolepsy, this distinction is important, because during a cataplexy attack, the narcoleptic is still aware of the world around them, they just are limp and unable to respond because of the paralysis of voluntary muscles. Sleep attacks are different from cataplexy attacks, even though they appear similar to the onlooker.
I have narcolepsy with cateplexy and this is straight on. I really don’t have any cateplexy symptoms now because of my medication but whenever i used to laugh i would have muscle weakness in my neck area. Now almost every night i have vivid dreams, nightmares and vivid nightmares every other night. It’s nothing unusual to me. I just wish i could sleep throughout the whole night.
Having nightmares manifest in reality before you properly fall asleep causing extreme terror, which in turn causes cataplexy, which in turn makes the brain fall asleep partially again and manifest more nightmares, getting myself stuck in a perpetual cycle of sleep paralysis and nightmare hallucinations assaulting your every sense while getting constantly paralysed. Not a fun time, I became afraid of sleep and insomniac. Thankfully, everything is better now that it’s medicated.
Thank you for the very informative article, I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy with Cataplexy last November, its been a whirlwind the past seven years, having being misdiagnosed as having schizoaffective disorder due to my really strong hypnogogic and hypnopompic hallucinations back in 2013. It’s been an insane one!
I was diagnosed with diabetes T2 many years ago. I have progressed to taking insulin. For years I thought my “melting” when laughing, sleep attacks, and lack of energy was due to blood sugar. As these “weird” symptoms got worse I found myself drinking 12 monster rehabs and still falling asleep in the drive thru with my foot on the break. I fall “asleep” in seconds. So I haven’t drove for 2 years. With the addition of a stroke I am disabled… I want to thank everyone who pays taxes because SSDI came through for me. My private insurance however is a joke ! Everyone take care and thanks !
I’ve had Type 1 Narcolepsy for 31 of my 38 years on earth. Type 1, meaning, with Cataplexy, and all the other ‘fun’ symptoms it comes with. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. The Doctor Mignots of the world, give us hope. 1:01 “Narcolepsy isn’t really about falling asleep, it’s about not being able to stay awake” Frickin’ nailed it!
Please can someone help me out. I have many symptoms of narcolepsy. I know hallucinations are one of them. so during the day or during the night whenever I feel an overwhelming tiredness right before I fall asleep it feel like something shakes my body awake. Right before I fall asleep. It happens all the time. Sometimes I am so tired that I just ignore it and basically pass out from being so tired. But most of the time it scares me so bad I fight everyday not to fall asleep. Please anyone give me an honest opinion. Is this a symptom of narcolepsy or do I have a poltergeist?
How about sleep debt causes narcolepsy (it raises both orexin and melanin concentrating hormone, latter triggering rem sleep). They did an experiment, it took 20 days of extra sleep to work off accumulated sleep debt, a total of about 50 hours extra sleep in addition to the required 8h each night (they put people in total darkness for 12h+), before sleep went back to only 8h. With much improved mood, vigor etc. This was for normal people without symptoms. Probably a tad more for people with narcolepsy. Sleep Extension: Getting as Much Extra Sleep as Possible, 2005, stanford.
I have cataplexic tendencies, insomnia, frequent sleep paralysis, abnormal REM sleep (in fact I can dream in just minutes of sleeping), and hypnagogic hallucinations (i feel like my whole body was spinning in all directions and angles) but I don’t have excessive daytime sleepiness (as a matter of fact, if i return to sleep hours after having a 2-3 hrs of sleep, I’ll get sleep paralysis). Is this still be considered as narcolepsy? Help.
For many years doctors thought I had absent seizures, taking the medication for it only made my narcolepsy worse. Here recently they sent me to a sleep specialist that concluded I had narcolepsy. It sucks having this and honestly I wouldn’t wish it to my worst enemy… it’s just to much to deal with ;-;
Excellent info. I have narcolepsy with cataplexy & parasomnias. I’ve done 4 sleep studies. A blood test showed I have two genes that most of the population does not have & a few percentage have one gene or the other but rarely both. Having both genes meant I had a 72% chance of having sleep disorders. The sleep study & sleep diary factored in with that 72% & the result was a proper diagnosis (after 15 years of seeking medical help).
Doesn’t it mean that allergy drugs should be at least somewhat effective against Narcolepsy? If this condition is caused by immune response immunodepressant drugs should at least somewhat improve the situation. Though suppressing your own immune system is not the best thing in some cases it should be better than randomly falling asleep or hallucinating while awake.
Your information about narcolepsy was very interesting. From the comments below, viewers might be interested in learning about sleep. If you are looking for a doctor’s perspective on this subject, then Doctor Avinesh Bhar would be interested in doing an interview/video with you. He is a fellowship-trained and board-certified doctor in sleep and pulmonary medicine. He is based in Macon, Georgia, and has a sleep treatment practice. Thank you.
It’s nice having someone who knows what they are talking about explain a scientific breakthrough (especially when they are partly or mostly responsible themselves for that breakthrough) instead of a parrot who is trying (way too hard) to be “hip” and “exciting” and just comes off as condescending and intelligent.
This article series is awesome. Kudos to all the Seeker crew and medical specialists that made it possible. Surprisingly I wasn’t expecting swine to get any worse than already being a source for Trichinella spiralis, Taenia solium and Ascaris suum. I was aware of the H1N1 virus, unaware that it’s a strong risk factor for narcolepsy. 😨.
I used to take a sleep medicine called Lunesta until I started finding my keys in the fridge or a half-made peanut butter and toothpaste sandwich on the counter in the morning. They switched me over to a medication called Belsomra (Suvorexant). Apparently it is totally different in how it acts. It is an Orexin blocker. It works by decreasing the amount of Orexin that your brain produces and in turn makes you drowsy. It works like a charm. Sometimes too well. I can remember times where I’d wake up to use the bathroom and I couldn’t get on my feet because I had no control of them. I’d get out of bed and fall to the floor because I just couldn’t walk. Strange feeling. I think that this medication was somehow mimicking the symptoms of narcolepsy.
I have type 1 narcolepsy and my father was a veteran of the First World War. I was born in 1941 and always remember my father as being sick. It is possible he died of flu because my family received support benefits. I came down with symptons after an operation on my leg. I was in the hospital for about 3 months. Do you think there is a relationship?
im being evaluated what sleep disorder i have and when we got to the swine flu part i had a sinking feeling in my stomach. i thought my symptoms were much more recent, like they started a few months before the pandemic after i had a couple of returning flu cases. but maybe it’s all connected to the swine flu
Yes please do one on Schizophrenia! My son had symptoms from the age of 5 after a horrible device and was diagnosed at the age of 12. All the books available in librarys say that you can’t have a normal life… I believe that is not true and we have raised our son to believe that he will have to work a little harder then most but he has every right and chance of having a normal life, job, friends, and a family of his own one day. He has just turned 16 years old and is A-B honor roll.
I had episodes of multiple sleep paralysis in a row while falling asleep, I’d wake myself up shaking it off just to fall into it again Like an unending assault, getting more tired with each instance of sleep paralysis and being unable to actually sleep. It sucked, but was sort of fascinating at the same time.
Very nice summary. I always wondered why I could naever stay awake, for decades while in the Navy and being a professional engineer. It’s now been 40+ years, and finally after going for a sleep study in 1995 I understood why. Don’t ignore this. You will ALWAYS be tired. ALWAYS. Well, likely not uplifting, but maybe it helps someone. I am 62 years old, and been afflicted with this my entire life. It’s easier before being an adult, completely horrible as a working adult, and still terrible in retirement. Sleep is a sometimes acquaintance. Always tired, unless you take amphetimines, and those are always incredibly expensive. Well, enough of that. Narcolepsy is a no shit problem. Apologies for posting, but if one person gets advantage, I have paid my dues to the future.
Thank you for sharing this valuable and vital information ! As a child I would wake up paralyzed and I could not cry out for my mom ! Eventually I realized that it I just fell asleep again, I would wake up just fine ! I hope that experience never comes back because it’s horrible ! Monday February 28th 2022 ! ❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍♥️♥️♥️😊😊😊🤗🤗🤗
For a while I’ve been wondering why I’m so tired all the time and can sleep three times during the day and still have my eight hours of sleep at night with short intervals. I’ve been looking into chronic fatigue but apparently you can’t be diagnosed with depression or other mental illness in order to be diagnosed with fatigue? A fellow student told me a week ago she has narcolepsy and she recognises some of my symptoms. But now I’m too scared to go to the sleep clinic.
Ok so here’s my theory on why I have narcolepsy and nobody else in my family does: My body has a lot of tension. If I stop thinking I stop breathing because I actually can’t just breathe automatically. I actually have no chill because if I do I get cataplexy. I’m alive but I can’t really live and my only respite from the pain is sleep but even that is plagued with nightmares, sleep paralysis, tossing, turning and waking up so I can breathe again. My brain is trying to achieve the state of mind you would have when you are in the womb and trying to grow. I get sleep attacks to force my mind to shut down (and in doing so eventually I will stop breathing) and for it to suffocate. Why suffocate? This will cause my brain to fire off signals to the body to convulse and wake up, but more accurately it is trying to connect to the body in a less tense manner. It’s a bit hard to explain but I held my breath for a while to stop myself from breathing. I did it long enough to for it to feel like I needed to have a seizure. Part(s) of my brain that I don’t usually feel felt like they’d awakened, albeit briefly, from a long slumber and part of my chest felt looser. I held my breath for as long as I could, feeling my brain activity going crazy, then gasped deeply for air. I felt like part of my lungs were being used for the first time! The tightness in my chest is more on the right side and I feel like not a lot of oxygen goes to the right lung (evidenced by an observation I made whilst in a swimming pool.
I keep having extreme sleep through the day that gets better and worse for a few weeks or week at a time but like this week it’s so bad I can’t stay awake or im exhausted as hell and it affects my daily tasks it’s awful I want to do things but I am just so exhausted and don’t understand what’s happening
3:56 As someone with narcolepsy my only thing to add is that not all hallucinations are frightening, I’ll have hallucinations that have to do with my phone going off, or that my roommates are talking to me when they’re not. I’ve noticed that generally when I’m sleeping alone I don’t even notice them because I just think they’re real most of the time :), I’d also note that while not everyone has all five, whether or not you have Cataplexy actually determines wether you have type 1 or type 2 narcolepsy, which can be very important in day-to-day functioning. (These are just my observations as someone with narcolepsy, I’m perusal these articles to find out more though, so if my info is wrong lmk 🙂 )
Hi, not to bother you but I’m curently working on my story right now and I’d like to make some research before writing any ideas, I’d like to make it somehow educational. In my story there is a girl with narcolepsy ( I think ), she just stuck on her dream thinking it’s the reality but in reality, she was just sleeping in a hospital bed for weeks. do you think this type of disease also an example or narcolepsy?