Narcolepsy is a rare but serious chronic sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness. It is discussed on the show “La Grande Forme” with Dr. Mairesse, a professor of behavioral neuroscience and sleep specialist.
Symptoms of narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is characterized by several symptoms, one of the most important of which is excessive daytime sleepiness. Overall, it is an instability of sleep and wakefulness. It is a sleep disorder that falls into the class of central hypersomnia disorders.
Imagine a switch (a device used to modify an electrical circuit) and a part of our brain plays the role of favoring one state or the other; as if we had our thumb on the switch that decides when we are on and when we are off. This is due to the loss of a population of neurons called orexinergic neurons, which help to stabilize the state of wakefulness. As a result, in people with narcolepsy, we constantly switch from a state of wakefulness to a state of sleep, and we cannot control it.
This rare disease develops in young people, with a prevalence among boys.
Several specific symptoms
- Excessive daytime sleepiness: An irresistible urge to sleep
- Hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations: These are usually visual hallucinations, they can be images, colors, a veil above you. But it can also be more anxiety-provoking, such as feeling like someone is watching you, feeling someone’s presence in the room, or feeling like someone is lying on you/pulling your duvet. This makes the disease taboo because people affected often feel like they are on drugs and are afraid to talk about it.
- Cataplexy attack: After a strong emotion during the day, the muscles relax and the person collapses, loses muscle tone and enters a dream sleep phase while awake. It can be triggered by making them laugh or jump, or even during an orgasm!
- Nocturnal paralysis: You wake up at night and although you are awake, you are unable to move, except for your eyes. This can be very anxiety-provoking, it happens frequently to them, so you have to try to control your breathing and move your eyes to reduce this paralysis.
Treating narcolepsy
As soon as daytime sleepiness does not resolve despite getting more sleep, it is important to talk to your doctor, emphasizes Dr. Mairesse: “Even if it’s scary, if it can seem taboo because of the hallucinations and you’re afraid of being mistaken for a schizophrenic, you need to talk to your doctor! They will be able to detect your sleep disorder and refer you to a sleep lab for specific tests.”
Management
Once the diagnosis is made, the main treatment for narcolepsy is primarily to manage sleep, including naps during the day, explains our expert: “We try to support wakefulness by giving stimulant treatments (stimulants during the day play the role of the thumb on the switch), by planning naps at a certain time of day. The most commonly used treatment is the use of Ritalin (note: prescribed to people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, with or without hyperactivity) or other specific medications prescribed by a neurologist or neuropsychiatrist,” concludes Dr. Mairesse.
Additional points:
- Narcolepsy is a lifelong condition, but with treatment, most people can manage their symptoms and live normal lives.
- There is no cure for narcolepsy, but treatment can help to control the symptoms.
- Treatment for narcolepsy typically includes a combination of medications and lifestyle changes.
I hope this is helpful! Let me know if you have any other questions.
