Monsieur Kermit asked:


I’ll be arriving in Paris around 8:30 am, which I think will be about 1am in Minneapolis (where i’m from). I would assume getting to my hotel will be an adventure and I’ll get there around 10:30ish? Maybe. I’m probably better off ******* it up and trying to stay active until around 7 or 8pm Paris time, then crash?

Am I wrong on this assumption? I really have a strong lack of faith in my ability to sleep on a plane. I’ll give it the old college try, but I doubt it.

moondrop000 asked:


My CPAP is not making the severe sleepiness go away. I get so sleepy I trip over things and am like being drunk. Yes-the sleep apnea was severe.

What is Narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a chronic Neurological Disorder which is caused by the brains inability to regulate sleep cycles. At various times during the day, the patient can fall asleep at any time for anything from a few seconds up to a few minutes. The patient has little or no control over falling asleep and it can happen at the most inconvenient and embarrassing times for example, whilst driving, during a meeting or conversation or even during sex.

While Narcolepsy isn’t very common, it still affects a lot of people. In the USA for example, Narcolepsy affects 25 in every 100,000 people in the population. Narcolepsy normally manifests itself in the patient’s teens to early twenties. However, Narcolepsy can start in both the very young and the old. There is a body of opinion that Narcolepsy is a life-time condition however, that opinion is quite controversial at this time.

There are three main ways that Narcolepsy manifests itself. They are as follows

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

This is where the patient feels incredibly sleepy during the day. This is the most common narcoleptic condition by far and the one which most people associate with Narcolepsy.

Cataplexy

Here there is a sudden loss of muscle tone with little or no warning. It is commonly a secondary symptom of Narcolepsy although it can occur albeit very rarely with other conditions. In severe cases, all the voluntary muscles can collapse with little or no warning. In mild cases, it is just a small set of the voluntary muscles. The episodes can last for anything up to 30 minutes with the patient being fully aware of what is happening, but unable to do anything about it. In some cases, especially when the cataplexy carries on for a long time, the patient can start to hallucinate.

Cataplexy is thought to be brought on during times of extra emotional states. These states can be either good states, brought on by the patient being very happy, or from a bad state where the patient is either stressed or upset.

Wild hallucinations

Can occur during the onset of sleep and during waking.

Sleep Paralysis

This can occur at the beginning and end of sleep. It was first described in the 19th Century. The patient feels very afraid and can’t move. The feeling is described commonly as if some person or creature is sitting on them holding them down.

What causes Narcolepsy?

There is a great deal of debate with regards to what causes Narcolepsy. At this time, there isn’t a definitive answer.

What is generally believed though is that the brains normal pattern during sleep is that during the first hour, the brains electrical activity reduces. After this hour, the electrical activity starts to increase again. This is accompanied by rapid eye movements (REM) and deep relaxation of your muscles. After a while, the brain electrical activity starts to slow down again. This cycle repeats itself a number of times throughout sleep.

Some investigation has shown that a person suffering from Narcolepsy doesn’t follow this same pattern, or rather; the initial slowing of the brains electrical activity is a lot quicker than in a non-narcoleptic.

This sleep cycle is controlled by neurones within the brain. For narcoleptics, it has been noted that the hormone Hypocretin is a lot lower than in people who don’t suffer from Narcolepsy. Hypocretin it is believed controls the neurones which in turn control the brains activity during sleep.

As mentioned earlier, this is widely accepted however, there are still many questions which haven’t been answered as to the cause of Narcolepsy.

What is the treatment for Narcolepsy?

As we’re not exactly sure what causes Narcolepsy, there are a few treatments which have proven to be effective.

Clinical trials have shown that short day time naps can help to reduce the excessive daytime sleepiness. What is also important is that the sufferer of Narcolepsy, has a strict bedtime regime. This is so that the patient gets the recommended daily amount of sleep that is required.

With regards to the drugs which may help, Excessive Daytime Sleepiness is helped by taking Amphetamine Stimulants. However, it must be remembered that these types of drugs do have some quite severe side effects which may in some cases cause more suffering and possibly damage than the Narcolepsy itself.

For the patients who suffer from Cataplexy, it has been found that a number of anti-depressant drugs can help to relieve the sufferer. Again, there can be side effects to these drugs.

Narcolepsy can be quite a problem for a number of people, for others, it is merely inconvenient and a bit embarrassing at times. Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly what causes Narcolepsy and we don’t have a cure for it either. Hopefully one day, we will be able know what causes Narcolepsy and possibly we will be able to administer a cure. Until then, there are ways of minimising the problem that Narcolepsy can bring to a sufferer either from self – help or from various drugs which have shown to be effective.



By: Mike Mansell

About the Author:

emandkevsmom asked:


I think my son may have sleep apnea. He stops breathing sometime, just for a few seconds, and he gasps for air. My husband has sleep apnea and I know what it is like. I asked my son’s doctor about it and he said it might just be reflux and switched his formula. I would just like to know it anyone else has a child this small with sleep apnea and it this sounds like what might baby might be experiencing.

Everyday, or evening, millions of people all over the world look for a treatment for their restless leg syndrome. It is a painful and frustrating condition that robs these people and their partners of a good nights sleep. The exact cause of RLS is not known, although most research points to a problem with brain chemistry. Fortunately there are treatments that can help alleviate the symptoms but it can take some trial and error to find what will work best for each individual.

There are two trains of thought when it comes to treating RLS; natural treatments and over-the-counter or prescription drugs. Both have been shown to be effective in relieving the symptoms associated with RLS.

Natural Treatment – For many people with restless leg syndrome simply getting up and walking around alleviates the symptoms. The only problem is that its effects are most often felt in the evening or just after going to bed causing them to lose sleep.

For other taking warm baths, using a heating pad, rubbing a liniment such as Ben *** on the are and even massage have all proven effective at symptomatic relief. The idea is to promote blood flow to the legs which has the benefit of soothing and relieving the symptoms.

Another area where many people can find relief is limiting or stopping the drinking of caffeinated drinks. A stimulant such as caffeine may be a cause of the signals sent by the brain through the nervous system to the legs that cause the creepy-crawly sensations that are a sign of RLS. It has been found that stopping the consumption of caffeine can have a positive effect when treating RLS.

Because it is believed that RLS may also be caused by vitamin and mineral deficiencies taking vitamin and mineral supplements may be encouraged. For people with restless leg syndrome iron, along with a B12 or folate supplement, is an important part of any treatment regimen. Increasing iron in many cases can decrease or eliminate the symptoms all together.

Drug Therapy – Prescription drugs are used only for those who suffer the more severe symptoms of RLS and are used to treat the symptoms only; there is no known cure for this disease. There are four classes of drugs that are used to treat restless leg syndrome.

1. Dopaminergics – Used primarily to treat Parkinson’s disease, they increase the level of dopamine in the brain.

2. Benzodiazepines – Works as a sedative on the central nervous system. Prescribed primarily to help RLS sufferers sleep through the night.

3. Opiates – These drugs are used primarily to relieve pain and have been found to be effective in the treatment of restless leg syndrome.

4. Anticonvulsants – A class of drugs that work by suppressing sensory disturbances and severe muscle spasms.

As with any medical condition it is best to consult with your doctor before undertaking any type of treatment. If your restless leg syndrome symptoms continue or worsen when trying a new treatment it is in your best interest to talk to your doctor.



By: Andrew Bicknell

About the Author:

Gonzalez007 asked:

OUT NOW ON ITUNES ax.itunes.apple.com ‘Insomnia’ is Craig’s first single to be taken from his new Greatest Hits album. The single was produced by Jim Beanz from Timbaland Team and will be released on November 17th a week ahead of the Greatest Hits album on November 24th.

r b asked:


What things should I do before during and after my
plane ride to China from the US?

Dj Conquest asked:


I have researched and found that there are conflicting reports. I read that half the sources say High levels of cortisol are to blame for anxiety, insomnia , panic and stress and the other half say low cortisol levels are to blame. So which one is it ? Low or High?

Jordan K asked:


On their site it says it is in the Insomnia Gallery, but I can’t find it. Please help

sambomcl asked:

Dog just has to sleep