It is often seen that at many people fall asleep during the day and that also on a frequent basis. This may be a result of tiredness or exhaustion and there is nothing abnormal in it. However, there are people who experience sleepy phases on a regular basis – according to medical science, they are victims of Narcolepsy. In short, Narcolepsy is a severe sleeping disorder. You yourself don’t know when and where you will fall asleep. However, there are numerous options to beat the attack and get rid of Narcolepsy.
The Telltale Signs of Narcolepsy
Frequent sleep attacks are the prime symptom of narcolepsy. Even when you sleep peacefully at night, you can experience an attack. In case of severe narcolepsy, people often fall asleep involuntarily. They don’t get time to think where they are and what they are doing before falling asleep. Not only does this result in embarrassment in a victim’s professional life but their personal life too get messy. Though the attack stays from few seconds to thirty minutes, it can be enough to damage the social lives of victims. Most of the narcoleptics wakes up at night. According to research many of them can’t even determine the exact time gap between their sleeping phases and the time for which they remain awake. To explain the particular symptom it is to say that they go through a rich REM stage while sleeping. Normal people also go through the stage, but not so frequently as Narcoleptics. There are other symptoms of Narcolepsy. But these may or may not be observed in every Narcoleptics. Cataplexy, Sleep paralysis and Hypnologic dreams are some of them.
According to recent reviews, 350,000 of Americans suffer from Narcolepsy, whereas only 50,000 have been diagnosed properly. If the scenario remains same in the coming years, then Narcolepsy will come into the category of the most devastating disease like Parkinson’s disease and others. We know that Narcolepsy symptoms are experienced mostly during the day time. Adolescents or adults are more vulnerable to the disease when compared with the infants. Actually, it is very rare to find victims below the age of 5 years. Irrespective of the age, a proper diagnosis of Narcolepsy can save anyone from its dangerous effects.
A PSG, or polysonogram, is an overnight sleep recording test is the proper diagnosis method for Narcolepsy. Information from this test assists sleep experts in prescribing the exact remedy for their patients. So if you are experiencing any of the symptoms then consult your doctor and go for a test.
But how do you get rid of this embarrassing disease?
If you have gone through a proper diagnosis, it is not very difficult to find whether you have Narcolepsy or not. Prior to going for any meditation or other therapies, try to bring some changes to your lifestyle. It is known that in addition to medication, an organized and scheduled lifestyle proves effective in providing long-term relief to Narcolepsy patients. Stress as well as work related pressure would always be there but still you have to learn how to manage them without affecting your health. Six hours of sleep is a must if you want to avoid Narcolepsy symptoms. To sleep tight at night, take your dinner at least five hours before going to bed. Try to sleep in a dark and noise-free room. Narcolepsy patients can’t sleep for longer hours at a stretch and tend to wake up frequently. If you experience such breaks in your sleep then wait for twenty minutes as you might feel sleepy again or you can practice reading books – a sure shot method to exercise your eyes and brains and eventually fall asleep.
Do you feel hungry when you wake up at night? Avoid this habit right now as it can result in complete sleep loss. Nocturnal eating habits can greatly affect existing Narcolepsy symptoms. Try to change the habit as soon as you can. Else you will grow flabby and there will be no chance to cure the narcolepsy symptom. Eating during the night can be a difficult habit to get rid of, but definitely not impossible. Older people are facing this problem more than the younger ones. Due to irregular lifestyle and ill practices like cigarette and alcohol consumption, they tend to experience sleepless nights and eventually can become a victim of Narcolepsy or can exacerbate existing symptoms of the condition.
Medical facts regarding Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is not a curable disease. Research in the field of Narcolepsy has resulted in the successful invention of different stimulants and anti depressants to keep Narcolepsy patients awake and active. Modafinil is one of the stimulants that help the Narcoleptics lead normal life like others. In case of old stimulants, people used to get addicted to it sooner. In case of this stimulant, the risk is lesser. This particular stimulant is free of side effects. Thus, if you want faster result, then opt for Modafinil. Or you can avail the antidepressants like sodium oxybate or fluexotine.
However, when medication is used, there is always a risk of side effects. Most of the stimulants and antidepressants are high power medicines that affect the nervous system. Soon it becomes a practice of maintenance and habit instead of a true cure. After a certain time, a patient finds it difficult to sleep at night or start the day without popping a pill. To avoid all these hazards, it is better to go for natural or holistic treatments. Natural treatments include exercise or yoga therapy. Even regular walks can help you to sleep peacefully at night. Holistic treatment calms the mind. If you have strong body and a calm mind, you can easily combat a disease, including Narcolepsy.
There are many things to know about Narcolepsy, which researchers are still working upon. It is still not clear why only a few people experience this severe attack. Experts are still in search of the primary elements that cause the disease. Once it is done, we are sure to find a permanent cure for this dangerous disease.