Understanding Narcolepsy Symptoms

If you’re asking yourself the question “Why can’t I sleep?” or have been wondering why you suddenly feel an irresistible bout of sleep at untypical time of the day, then you should have yourself checked for narcolepsy disorder. Knowing whether what you’re experiencing are narcolepsy symptoms is vital so that you could take the right measures as soon as possible.

 

Contrary to the common belief, narcolepsy isn’t rare among people. According to the scientists’ research results it usually occurs at the age of 15 up to 25. When a person suffers from this kind of disorder of the central nervous system, the brain sends sleep-inducing signals to the body, which triggers sleep regardless the time of the day. This explains why people with narcolepsy would suddenly fall asleep, no matter where they are or what they are doing. They just fall asleep almost instantly while having a meeting, eating, watching TV, walking, talking or even driving.

 

The opposite, brain sending wake -inducing signals, falls into the category of narcolepsy symptoms as well. This is the answer to the question “Why can’t I sleep?”

 

Many people with narcolepsy aren’t even aware how or when they fall asleep until somebody wakes them up or the effect of the brain chemicals passes out. This is why in most of the cases patients are totally unaware of their condition.

 

There are five major narcolepsy symptoms to indicate the disorder

 

Insomnia or Chronic Sleeplessness

 

What is insomnia? - a sleep disorder and one of the narcolepsy symptoms that almost all patients experience.  The possibility for people who have difficulties falling and/or staying asleep to qualify as narcoleptic is very high. That’s why, the moment the question “Why can’t I sleep?” passes through your mind you must immediately see a neurologist.

 

Excessive Daytime Sleep (EDS)

This symptom is characterized by uncontrollable desire to sleep at the peak of the day although you don’t feel tired. It is also called sleep attack. People suffering from narcolepsy may have sleep attacks several times a day.

 

Sleep Paralysis

 

Sleep paralysis is when a person simultaneously loses his both, extensor and flexor reflexes during REM sleep. To put it in an understandable way, when a person simply can’t talk, move or even control his body. This loss in reflexes can be a cardiovascular-related problem symptom but more often turns out to be a narcolepsy symptom.

 

Cataplexy

 

Under this condition the patient is unable to voluntary control his muscles for a short period of time. When cataplexy attacks, the patient wouldn’t move his body parts including jaw, neck and limbs. More than half of the people with diagnosed narcolepsy experience this symptom.

 

Sleep Inducing Hallucinations

 

Sleep inducing hallucinations can be easily mistaken with weird dreams where patients see frightening images, hear sounds and experience uncommon physical sensations just before waking up or before falling asleep. This is often connected with sleep paralysis.

 

Another minor narcolepsy symptom is a migraine attack. And just like the five big narcolepsy symptoms, a person experiencing it along with weird sleeping habits or patterns should seek medical advice quickly.

 

Narcolepsy is serious medical condition and unless treated immediately it can severely harm your health and lifestyle.

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