Narcolepsy

        Narcolepsy is a very serious form of sleep disorder, a neurological disease that manifests in the form of sleep attacks, occurs suddenly, it can occur anywhere. Moreover, wakefulness function is temporarily interrupted. Narcolepsy is a morbid event that occurs in repeated crises of varying duration, characterized by an urgent and uncontrollable need to sleep, which can not be opposed, accompanied by short episodes of loss of muscle tone. Sleep attacks occur regularly, the sleep immediately turns into dreams, without the non-REM phase.

       Narcoleptics can sleep any time, without wakefulness interruption control. It is estimated that a rate of 0.03% of the population is affected by narcolepsy symptoms. The main symptom of narcolepsy is excessive sleepiness in adolescence, but signs can occur from an early age (school, preschool), affecting both sexes equally. Symptoms into adulthood are rare, but they can start because of strong psychological and social stress, disruption of sleep-waking rhythm.

       Those who suffer from narcolepsy can not stay asleep longer periods of time and can't enjoy the soothing effect of sleep. It is not known what causes this disease, but is presumed to be related with autoimmune and genetic causes. It seams that a certain mutant gene occurred more frequently among those with narcolepsy symptoms, located between genes and CHKB and CPT1B; CPT1B controls enzyme inducing sleep and the CHKB gene is responsible with wake mechanisms.

Narcolepsy symptoms

       The main symptom is the sudden falling asleep episodes that can occur at any time. The unexpected siesta usually lasts half an hour, after which the patient wakes up voluntary. These episodes usually occur several times a day and are accompanied by other symptoms that vary from patient to patient, which makes this disease difficult to diagnose.

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Narcolepsy other symptoms:

• Cataplexy is impressive. Patient suddenly loses muscle tone and can crumble in the middle of an activity. However, he doesn't lose consciousness. These crises are often triggered by strong emotions, positive or negative ones.
• Brutal and temporary paralysis can also occur during sleep or on awakening. The patient tries to move in vain. Symptoms disappear by themselves in minutes.
• Some people, victims of narcolepsy, also describe very realistic hallucinations during sleep.

Narcolepsy treatment

       Unfortunately, there are no specific remedies for narcolepsy symptoms, but symptoms can be controlled by repeated treatments. The best treatment for narcolepsy is combining medication with a guide. The goal of the treatment is to succeed in keeping the patient awake as long as possible during the day in order to be able to have a regular sleep schedule, accompanied by appropriate medication. Those affected by narcolepsy should avoid stressful situations, strong emotions, alcohol and using the car. Also, they can use incentives for the central nervous system but precautions must be taken to avoid addiction: methylphenidate (psychostimulant), dextroamfetamina, methamphetamine, modafinil. Narcolepsy symptoms must be distinguished from normal variations of sleep, in the afternoon appearing an increased physiological sleepiness and from sleep disturbances arising as a result of use of or abstinence from substances or drugs.

       Moreover, it is important to have a healthy diet and a normal life style, all mixed with natural remedies like herbs and homeopathic treatments and social support.

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Narcolepsy Diagnosis

       Narcolepsy diagnosis is based on symptoms described by patients. In the absence of certainty, the doctor may also ask an electroencephalogram: it will look like the person with narcolepsy will fall directly into the phase of paradoxical sleep without passing through the first stage of sleep, as it happens to most people.

Narcolepsy evolution

       Narcolepsy evolution may take until the end of life. It is not a serious condition itself, but may have disastrous consequences if the patient sleeps in a place or a moment that requires attention. This disease requires vigilance on the patient activities and some activities may be prohibited (driving).

Narcolepsy Facts

       Even if they sleep enough in the night, narcoleptics tend to fall asleep in the middle of a meeting or watching a movie at the cinema. This sleep disorder can be a real social handicap and it can affect all the life aspects, from work to sexual life and taking care of children.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS)

       Restless legs syndrome is a neurological movement disorder characterized by sensory and motor abnormalities. Experts say that establishing a correct diagnosis may take up to two years from the moment the patient first sought medical advice. According to the National Institute of Health in the United States, approximately 12 million Americans suffer from restless legs syndrome (RLS). Although lately more studies were made into the disease, becoming known in professional circles, a large number of experts think that it is a subdiagnosed disease and most often overlooked. That happens because patients feel that their symptoms will not be taking into account or that they can not be treated.

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Hypersomnia

       Normally, today, to tell someone that he is sleeping too much can be no more than a joke. Stressed by the lack of time and by tens of urgent things done, we barely got to rest, so that the normal limit or sleep hours per day decreases more and more.

       But you should know that people who sleep very much are not as happy and healthy as it may seam. Under the guise of good hours of rest it can often hide a much more dangerous enemy: hypersomnia. If normally, an adult has an average of 10 hours sleep per night, those suffering from hypersomnia exceed this value considerably and the consequences are visible on ones health.

       Hypersomnia is a disorder that is characterized by an excessive desire to sleep during the day, even after a full night of rest. It should not be confused with ordinary situations in which we don't rest during the night and in the morning we are dizzy, sleepy and with a desire to recover the sleepless hours.

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Hypersomnia symptoms

       There are four types of the disease, each with its symptoms:

• Recurrent hypersomnia - It appears as episodes in which the affected person, after full periods of normal sleep, 8-10 hours per night, feels much more need of sleep. It is triggered by a dysfunction of the hypothalamus and it is treatable.
• Idiopathic hypersomnia - It usually occurs suddenly and without any triggers. The person is always the sleepy, confused and can no longer perform the tasks daily. There are no hypothalamic dysfunctions.
• Post-traumatic hypersomnia - It occurs due to excessive stress triggered by a traumatic event that affected the person emotionally and that triggered abnormal mechanisms in the central nervous system. It is treated with antidepressants and nervous tranquilizers.
• Genetic Hypersomnia - The affected person inherits the genetic disease. It occurs more obvious at maturity, a child only presents sporadic episodes of excessive sleep.