Health project on narcolepsy?
Monday, May 25th, 2009 at
2:22 am
TeaPea asked:
Can someone help me find 10 interesting facts about narcolepsy? I found some ok ones but I’m trying to go above and beyond so I can get the extra points lol. Also, could you post some links about narcolepsy also? Easy 10 points. Thanks in advance!
Can someone help me find 10 interesting facts about narcolepsy? I found some ok ones but I’m trying to go above and beyond so I can get the extra points lol. Also, could you post some links about narcolepsy also? Easy 10 points. Thanks in advance!
Tagged with: Extra Points • Interesting Facts • Thanks In Advance
Filed under: Narcolepsy
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Narcolepsy is a disorder that causes a person to have difficulty staying awake. Narcolepsy can cause a person to suddenly fall asleep during the day. These “sleep attacks” occur even after getting enough sleep at night. The unusual sleep pattern that people with narcolepsy have can affect their schooling, work, and social life.
People with narcolepsy often fall asleep without warning at inappropriate times. Sleep attacks don’t just happen during quiet times, such as when reading or watching TV. These attacks can occur during driving, eating, or other activities and can cause:
There is no cure yet for narcolepsy. This lifelong condition can be disabling if left untreated. But medicines and lifestyle changes can improve the symptoms of narcolepsy so that it is easier to live with.
Some of the symptoms are:
Suddenly losing muscle tone and control when awake (cataplexy). This can appear to be muscle weakness and sometimes can trigger the body to collapse.
May not be able to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up (sleep paralysis).
May have vivid dreams while falling asleep or waking up (hallucinations).
Hope this helped!
I’m 32, I have Narcolepsy/Cataplexy here are some interesting daily occurrences:
1. Narcoleptics can continue taking notes in a meeting while they are sleeping and when they wake up, although their writing is very “chicken Scratch” like, they are at the same place in the note taking as the the rest of room! Same goes for speaking, I used to train people and be sleeping but still holding a conversation, although it didn’t make much sense.
2. We often misplace things in very strange places, keys in the refrigerator, shoes in the oven, etc…..
3. We are prescribed the “Date Rape Drug” Sodium Oxybate to sleep deep at night but then are given stimulants to keep us up all day!
4. Sleeping through a red light is not uncommon.
5. If someone says “Boo!”, more than likely you will fall to the ground.
6. There is a gene called HLA that can now be tested in blood work to use as a diagnosis, especially if they are checking to see if it’s hereditary.
7. Narcoleptics usually skip stages 2,3,4 of sleep patterns 1 through 5. Which means they go from feeling a little sleepy to intense dreaming in minutes (REM). There is no time for actual rest.
Hope I gave you something you didn’t already have.