Introduction to Sleep Disorders

A serious sleep issue is predicted to afflict one out of every five Australians. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), circadian rhythm problems, and central hypersomnolence disorders are among them.

What is narcolepsy?

Excessive daytime sleepiness is referred to as narcolepsy. During the day, most of us experience fatigue and sleepiness. Even when we are feeling this way, we normally manage to overcome our feelings and go about our daily routines, albeit a little less efficiently than usual.

Narcolepsy affects people in different ways. They will frequently feel overly fatigued and drowsy, with a strong desire to snooze at any time of day. Naps can last anything from a few minutes to an hour or more, and the person may remain awake for several hours thereafter. This can happen multiple times each day and has nothing to do with how much (or how little) sleep a person receives each night.

Many persons who have narcolepsy also have other symptoms including cataplexy (a sudden loss of muscle function while awake) or sleep paralysis (the inability to move any part of the body upon waking).

What causes narcolepsy?

The specific etiology of narcolepsy is uncertain, however, it is considered to be caused by low levels of hypocretin, a brain neurotransmitter. Because hypocretin promotes wakefulness, a person can fall asleep if there isn't enough. Narcolepsy can run in families in some situations.

There appears to be a decrease of brain cells that make hypocretin when a person also has cataplexy. The cause is unknown, however, it is assumed to be an auto-immune reaction, in which the body's immune system attacks its cells by mistake.

A genetic abnormality, a traumatic brain injury, or a brain tumor can all produce narcolepsy in rare situations. Buy Modalert 200 Australia to treat narcolepsy.

What are the signs and symptoms of narcolepsy?

The following are some of the signs and symptoms of narcolepsy:

• Drowsiness and tiredness during the day.
• 'Sleep attacks' during the day, regardless of how much sleep a person gets at night.
• Staying up for long periods is difficult.
• Cataplexy is a condition in which a person experiences a sudden loss of muscle function while still conscious.
• When a person wakes up or falls asleep, they are temporarily unable to move any portion of their body.
• Hearing, seeing, or feeling things that aren't there; occurs frequently when sleeping or waking up.
• Sleep disturbances at night (particularly difficulty staying asleep) and other sleep disorders such as sleep apnea.
• Automatic behavior is when a person keeps working on an activity (typically one that they perform frequently) when they are sleeping.

Narcolepsy comes in a variety of forms.

Narcolepsy is divided into two types:

1. The most frequent is Type 1. Cataplexy, or sudden loss of muscle tone, is one of the symptoms. Due to low amounts of a protein called hypocretin, people with this kind endure episodes of excessive drowsiness and cataplexy during the day. (Orexin is another name for hypocretin.)
2. Type 2 narcolepsy is characterized by the absence of cataplexy. Hypocretin levels in persons with type 2 narcolepsy are usually normal.