What is narcolepsy and how is it treated?
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder affecting the brain's control of sleep and wakefulness. Symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy and sleep paralysis. Many medications are available to treat narcolepsy.
How do psychologists treat narcolepsy?
The treatment of choice for narcolepsy consists of prescribing stimulants to control EDS and antidepressants to treat parasomnias and associated cataplexy. Drug therapy has been highly recommended and supported by well-designed research that shows its effectiveness.
Which treatment has been found to be an effective cure for narcolepsy?
Sodium oxybate It is the only medication proven effective, and is recommended by the FDA, for treating both EDS and cataplexy4.
How many hours sleep do you need for narcolepsy?
In addition to any of the typical narcolepsy symptoms, people with secondary narcolepsy also have severe neurological problems and require large amounts (>10 hours) of sleep. To understand the symptoms of narcolepsy, it helps to first understand how sleep happens normally.
Should someone with narcolepsy see a therapist?
Psychotherapy can also help people with narcolepsy. People with narcolepsy are more likely to develop sleep issues, depression, and eating disorders. These and other mental health issues can make narcoleptic symptoms worse. A trained therapist can help individuals improve their psychological and emotional health.
Is narcolepsy considered a mental illness?
However, narcolepsy is frequently misdiagnosed initially as a psychiatric condition, contributing to the protracted time to accurate diagnosis and treatment. Narcolepsy is a disabling neurodegenerative condition that carries a high risk for development of social and occupational dysfunction.
What is the most common treatment for narcolepsy?
Stimulants. Drugs that stimulate the central nervous system are the primary treatment to help people with narcolepsy stay awake during the day. Doctors often try modafinil (Provigil) or armodafinil (Nuvigil) first for narcolepsy.
What diet is best for narcolepsy?
Research is limited, but some people with narcolepsy say their symptoms improve when they follow a ketogenic (or keto) diet, which is a restrictive, low-carbohydrate, high-fat, moderate-protein diet. “There's some clinical data from small studies of low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet in people with narcolepsy,” Li says.
What is the main cause of narcolepsy?
What causes narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is often caused by a lack of the brain chemical hypocretin (also known as orexin), which regulates wakefulness. The lack of hypocretin is thought to be caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the cells that produce it or the receptors that allow it to work.
How many naps do narcoleptics take?
Most people with narcolepsy find a brief nap refreshing, with improved alertness for one to three hours afterwards. Naps should be limited to 15–20 minutes, as it can be difficult to wake from the deep sleep of a long nap, and an extended nap in the afternoon may make it harder to fall asleep at night.
What are the five signs of narcolepsy?
There are 5 main symptoms of narcolepsy, referred to by the acronym CHESS (Cataplexy, Hallucinations, Excessive daytime sleepiness, Sleep paralysis, Sleep disruption). While all patients with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness, they may not experience all 5 symptoms.
What is Type 2 narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy type 2 (narcolepsy without cataplexy) is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and abnormal manifestations of REM sleep on polysomnography and multiple sleep latency testing. Cataplexy is absent.