"Are you one of those people who can drop off to sleep anywhere?
Do you find that you are going to sleep at inappropriate time?
Are you constantly fighting to stay awake during the day despite having a good night's sleep?
If so, you are suffering from a condition called:
Narcolepsy"
Narcolepsy is a condition in which sufferer has episodes in which he/she suddenly falls asleep.
These episodes are uncontrollable and can last for anything from a few minutes to hours after which the person will wake up feeling refreshed and fully alert. There are usually several episodes in a day.
Often, these attacks occur following a meal but they can happen at any time during the person's waking hour.
The condition does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity or socio-economy background. It does normally become evident between the ages of 15 - 25 but can affect young children as well as the elderly.
Imagine the effect this condition can have on the lifestyle and the quality of life of the person. The person may be in class or in a meeting with colleagues when he suddenly just drops off to sleep. He may be at a party, crossing a street, worst still driving a vehicle when one of these episodes occurs. As you can see, the results of this illness could be catastrophic for both the sufferer and for the people around him.
The cause of Narcolepsy is unknown but it is agreed that it involves a malfunction of the neurotransmitters, the part of the brain that controls sleep and awake states. It is also possible that hormones such as melatonin may be maladjusted, thus failing to do their job which is to control nomal sleep patterns.
There are also three auxiliary conditions associated with Narcolepsy. These are called cataplexy, hallucinations and sleep paralysis.
