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Narcolepsy symptoms can be underdiagnosed as they share commonalities with other medical conditions and sleep disorders. An essential first step in correctly diagnosing and treating this persistent and sometimes crippling sleep disorder is to be aware of the signs of narcolepsy.
A neurological condition, narcolepsy is experienced by about 1 in 2,000 people, making it one of the most widespread sleep disorders. No matter how much rest they receive at night, nothing changes for those suffering from this condition. Each and every day, they go to bed feeling tired and unrested.
While narcolepsy's root cause is unknown, it involves the brain and spinal cord, two components of the body's central nervous system. It can be brought on by a shortage of a brain substance that facilitates communication between neurons.
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Identifying Narcolepsy Symptoms
Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is frequently the first of narcolepsy symptoms. Individuals suffering from narcolepsy may wake up feeling relaxed, only to feel weary again shortly thereafter. No matter how much one sleeps at night, sleepiness still exists, and it frequently gets worse while one is doing boring or tedious activities like watching television or sitting in class. When engaged in activities that capture their attention, people may feel more awake.
Patients with narcolepsy frequently describe "sleep attacks" in addition to their ongoing drowsiness. Extreme drowsiness and an overwhelming need to sleep are also narcolepsy symptoms. People can wake up at any time from a brief slumber that lasts anything from a few seconds to several minutes.
Other narcolepsy symptoms can also be experienced by people suffering from this condition. These include hypnagogic hallucinations, in which people may have extremely vivid, dream-like hallucinations immediately before falling asleep or right after waking up.
Individuals may experience sleep paralysis, which causes them to become immobile when they drift off to sleep or occasionally when they awaken. Cataplexy is another condition that resembles sleep paralysis. The difference is that cataplexy happens in the middle of the day and is brought on by intense and overwhelming feelings.
Finally, despite the fact that someone with narcolepsy is frequently exhausted during the day, they may experience interrupted sleep at night. This is possibly one of the strangest characteristics of this condition. Those suffering from this problem may suddenly wake up four or five times in ten or twenty minutes.
As a result, they struggle to sustain sleep throughout the night in the same manner that they struggle to stay awake throughout the day. Narcolepsy usually starts between the ages of 10 and 20. Sleepiness typically comes first, and subsequently, the other symptoms crop up too.
Diagnosis for Narcolepsy
While narcolepsy may develop in the formative years, there can be a significant delay in diagnosing narcolepsy symptoms in adults. Sleep experts will probably identify narcolepsy symptoms and gage severity depending on:
1) History of your sleep
A thorough sleep history might assist in making a diagnosis. You'll probably need to complete the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. The scale uses brief questions to gage how sleepy you are. This will indicate how likely it is that you would nod off at particular times, such as after eating lunch.
2) Sleeping habits
You might be requested to record your sleep habits for a week or two in writing. This enables your healthcare professional to assess whether your sleep habits may be related to how alert you feel.
You can be asked to wear an actigraph by your healthcare professional as well. It is worn on the wrist like a watch, and it counts the durations of both activity and rest. It gives a proximate indication of when and how you sleep.
3) Sleep Study
A polysomnography, also referred to as a sleep study, may be conducted if you visit a specialist. Using electrodes—flat metal discs—placed on your scalp, this test analyzes electrical signals that occur while you're sleeping. You need to stay the night in the hospital for this test. The test records your respiration, heart rate, and brain waves. It also captures your eye and leg movements.
4) Multiple sleep latency test
The duration of your daytime sleepiness is measured by this test. At a sleep facility, you will be required to take four or five naps. There should be a two-hour gap between naps. Your sleep patterns will be observed by experts, and those who suffer from narcolepsy symptoms can fall asleep easily and enter REM sleep quickly.
An individual will have to visit a professional to treat narcolepsy. The management of narcolepsy focuses on behavioral and pharmaceutical interventions to address the symptoms of excessive daytime drowsiness and cataplexy, if present.
There is currently no recognized treatment for this sleep condition. The major therapeutic objectives should be to enhance the patient's quality of life and maintain maximum functional capacity. The most severe narcolepsy symptoms, excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy, may typically be treated in patients with medication.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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