Sleep disorders are common, but that doesn’t mean that they’re easy to manage. Take narcolepsy for instance. You’re sleeping and waking up at weird times of the day. Here are some commonly asked questions about narcolepsy that people at sleep clinics Silver Spring.

What is narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder that makes you lose track of your sleep and when you wake up. If you’re not getting a good night’s rest every single day and you’re still waking up fresh, but then you’re sleeping throughout the day, then that is not normal.

Narcolepsy can also cause daytime sleepiness and just overall fatigue. Think about it – your biological clock is messed up and you don’t know when to fall asleep and when to wake up. Your body has a natural clock inside called the circadian rhythm and this is what tells you that you’re sleepy, you’re tired, and you’re awake. This is something that your body is naturally wired with.

But, in people who suffer from narcolepsy, the biological clock can get thrown out of line and it will just lead to an array of problems. You will hallucinate, you won’t be able to focus, and you will be snoozing throughout the day, never fully getting that rest you need desperately for a sane mind and healthy body.

How is narcolepsy caused?

There may or may not be any cause of narcolepsy and that is the most frustrating part. You know that you’re not getting enough sleep, but you don’t know what the reason is. Sometimes, it can be caused if you have out-of-whack routines and just really bad working hours that make you stay awake all night. Night shift workers will understand this bit.

Sometimes, narcolepsy can be genetic and it can be passed down to people in the family, which is even more frustrating. So, there can be a lot of causes or none at all when it comes to narcolepsy.

What are the symptoms of narcolepsy?

This is a very important question that a lot of people ask and this is the only way by which you can be able to help the doctor make a diagnosis and that is the symptoms of the disorder. Here is a list of symptoms you can feel if you’re suffering from narcolepsy:

• Lack of sleep or irregular sleeping hours
• Lots of naps, even though you’re not necessarily a nap person or haven’t taken naps before
• You’re very tired, even after waking up from a nap and that’s because your body is just not getting the rest it needs
• You can get refreshed after 3 to 5 hours of sleep. A normal human body requires a good 7 to 8 hours of sleep to feel fully refreshed.
• You are experiencing mind fog. You tend to forget things and just can’t seem to concentrate.
• Loss of focus is also very common in narcolepsy. Since you’re not sleeping, you’re going to have a hard time focusing on things.
• You will also experience hallucinations. This is scary and common in people who suffer from narcolepsy. The brain is so tired that it just can’t tell what’s true and what’s not.

Is narcolepsy treatable?

This is also another very vital question that a lot of people are concerned with and that has to do with the fact that whether or not narcolepsy is treatable or not. Well, unfortunately, there is no cure for it at the moment. Like many other sleep disorders, narcolepsy is also untreatable.

The only thing you can do is manage the symptoms and try to tweak your sleep schedule and lifestyle to make it easier for you to handle things. This is very discouraging but sadly there is nothing that you can do unless you want to live in this endless and very exhausting pit of not being able to sleep.

How to manage the symptoms of narcolepsy?

Tying in with the last question, you need to know how to manage the symptoms and make sure that you’re not spiraling down when suffering from narcolepsy. Here are some things recommended by specialists that you can do to help yourself. Take help from an experienced doctor at a sleep center Frederick for personalized suggestions and help.

• Try to have a set time of when you go to sleep and when you wake up. Routine is everything when you’re concerned with narcolepsy. Since your sleep schedule is already hanging by a thread, you don’t want to make it even worse by having drastic sleep schedules that are out of routine.
• Try to avoid caffeine and alcohol a few hours before falling asleep. These things can stimulate your brain and will it to stay awake, which you don’t want to do, when you’re already having a hard time falling asleep.
• Try light stretching before sleep. Stretching is known to get rid of the unwanted tension in the body and it also helps you get loose and limber for sleep. This is going to help you a lot.
• If you want, you can also go for medication to help with sleep. But you want to go forward with this route with your doctor. It’s not recommended to self-medicate.

Does narcolepsy affect the brain?

Of course, it does! Narcolepsy might not be a neurological disorder but that doesn’t mean that it won’t mess with your brain. You need to know that lack of sleep can throw your brain in for a loop. That is not good at all, especially if you’re working or are a student who needs a fresh and alert brain at all times.

This is why sleep is important. You need to freshen up and rest your brain for a couple of hours before you can go at it again.

Which Celebrities have or had narcolepsy?

Celebrities are humans. They might also suffer from things like sleep disorders. These famous people have or had narcolepsy: Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, Kurt Cobain, Kimmy Kimmel, Franck Bouyer, and Harriet Tubman.

Does narcolepsy affect daily life?

To some extent, yes it can. If the narcolepsy is still in the preliminary stages, you might not be able to feel a lot of change, but as your body gets more and more tired and it’s not able to rest, because of this disorder, well, then that can be problematic to deal with.

Simple things like driving, doing some math in your brain and being alert will become a problem for you, especially when it’s been a long time and you haven’t been able to control or manage the symptoms.

Is narcolepsy dangerous?

With a disorder that can alter your brain’s functionality and your general life, it seems to be a pretty dangerous disorder, right? Well, while narcolepsy is generally not a life-threatening disease, it doesn’t mean that it can’t cause any problems.

These small things over time can transform into bigger problems and they can pose a great deal of threat to your body and well-being. This is why you need to consult a sleep doctor as soon as possible because this is still a disorder regardless of its dangers and you need consultation.

Conclusion

Narcolepsy seems like a dangerous sleep disorder, but it is manageable. However, you need the guidance of a sleep specialist Bethesda to keep this sleep disorder from taking control of your life.