Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a disorder that causes daytime sleepiness and affects more than 200,000 Americans, but can be helped with scheduled naps and drugs such as Provigil and Yohimbine. Those with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness as one of many symptoms. Narcoleptics may fall asleep while watching television, driving, eating, or even walking (Dement, 1995, pg. 45). Research on narcolepsy shows that the disorder seems to be a chemical imbalance of the sleep/wake cycle in the brain (Narcolepsy Information, 2000, pg. 4). Sleep in mammals is divided into two stages: REM and NREM sleep. REM (Rapid Eye Movement) is the stage in which people dream. REM usually occurs sixty to ninety minutes after sleep onset, but with Narcoleptics, this process is reversed and REM occurs right away, sometimes causing hallucinations. NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) is where the sleeper don't dream (Dement, 1995, pg. 82). Although narcolepsy does not kill, it is worst in middle-aged persons and seems to run in families, primary family members run a risk sixty times greater than the rest of the population. Albeit doctors can easily distinguish sleepiness. Polysomnograms are helpful. Polysomnograms are machines that reco
Although medication is the best way to treat the symptoms of narcolepsy, there are other ways to help. Setting times for and short ten to fifteen-minute naps is very helpful. Narcoleptics are usually refreshed by these naps and can keep going for two or three hours before another nap is needed. People with narcolepsy have a tendency to lose their jobs because they cannot stay awake during their shifts. Tasks that require extreme concentration seem to help some people as well. Narcolepsy is a crippling disease that affects many people, but is not clearly well known. Despite this fact there are still ways to help the EDS, the cataplexy, the blackouts, and the hallucinations by scheduling naps and taking medicine (Causes, Incidence, Risk Factors, 2000, pg. 3). Hypnogogic hallucinations are hallucinations that occur when the person is between asleep and awake. These false sightings of things that are not they are vivid; it is like dreaming while awake. Hallucinations are so vivid because the person is awake; but they are only dreaming. Since one of the symptoms of narcolepsy is reversed REM sleep these hallucinations usually occur directly upon awakening. Hypnogogic hallucinations are not associated with narcolepsy alone, they occur with other disorders as well. Hallucinations are not the only symptom of narcolepsy that can occur alone, sleep paralysis as well. Sleep paralysis occurs during REM sleep and no matter how hard the awake differently that any other drug around. Modifinil does not cause aggression like the amphetamines do. Narcolepsy 3 animal that can be studi
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