Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable daytime sleepiness. If you have narcolepsy, you may experience the sudden onset of sleep at inappropriate times such as while working or driving, having a conversation, or being in any sedentary or non-stimulating situation.

If you experience the signs and symptoms of narcolepsy, schedule an appointment with your SSM Health primary care provider to discuss the steps you can take to get the sleep you need.

Signs and Symptoms of Narcolepsy

The signs and symptoms of narcolepsy include:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Sudden loss of muscle tone. This condition, called cataplexy, can cause a range of physical changes, from slurred speech to complete weakness of most muscles, and may last for a few seconds to a few minutes. Cataplexy is uncontrollable and is often triggered by intense emotions, usually positive ones such as laughter or excitement, but sometimes fear, surprise or anger. For example, your head may droop uncontrollably or your knees may suddenly buckle when you laugh. Some people with narcolepsy experience only one or two episodes of cataplexy a year, while others have numerous episodes each day. About 70 percent of people with narcolepsy experience cataplexy.
• Sleep paralysis. People with narcolepsy often experience a temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or upon waking. These episodes are usually brief — lasting one or two minutes — but they can be frightening. You may be aware of the condition and have no difficulty recalling it afterward, even if you had no control over what was happening to you.
• Hallucinations. These hallucinations, called hypnagogic hallucinations, may take place when a person with narcolepsy falls quickly into REM sleep, as he or she does at sleep onset at night and periodically during the day, or upon waking. Because you may be semi-awake when you begin dreaming, you experience your dreams as reality, and they may be particularly vivid and frightening.
• Automatic Behavior. During episodes of automatic behavior, you continue to function during sleep episodes — even talking and putting things away, for example — but you awaken with no memory of performing such activities, and you generally do not perform these tasks well. As many as 40 percent of people with narcolepsy experience automatic behavior. People with narcolepsy may also act out their dreams at night by flailing their arms or kicking and screaming.

The signs and symptoms of narcolepsy can begin anytime up to your 50s, but they most commonly begin between the ages of 10 and 25. Narcolepsy is chronic, which means signs and symptoms may vary in severity, but they never go away entirely.

How Narcolepsy is Treated

If your doctor thinks you have narcolepsy, you may be referred for a sleep study. In many cases, narcolepsy can be treated with medications and modifying your sleep habits. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of the condition can greatly improve your quality of life and overall health, so don’t delay asking for help if you struggle with sleep. We understand the impact the condition can have on your life and will work with you to create a treatment plan that leaves you feeling rested and ready for your day.