The cause of Type 2 narcolepsy is not known. The immune system may mistakenly attack the neurons in the brain responsible for making hypocretin. There is also evidence that Type 1 narcolepsy may be due to an autoimmune disorder. In people with Type 1 narcolepsy, hypocretin levels are low. These nerve cells usually make a neurotransmitter (hypocretin) that helps control sleep-wake cycles. In Type 1 narcolepsy, nerve cells in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus die off. This is based largely on symptoms and an underlying cause if known. Narcolepsy can be divided into two main types: Type 1 (narcolepsy with cataplexy) and Type 2 (narcolepsy without cataplexy). But experts have some theories as to the cause depending on which type you have. The cause of narcolepsy is still largely unknown. Your provider can provide tests to check for narcolepsy and other sleep or neurological disorders. If you’ve had any of these experiences, let your healthcare provider know. That’s a natural response and occurs because you may not know how you've gotten where you are, where you’ve put something, or what you’ve done. And you could be engaged in behaviors such as driving or typing, and might wake up feeling frightened. If you have narcolepsy, you may fall asleep for some time and not be aware of what you are doing. But hallucinations can happen with the other senses, as well. Hallucinations can happen as you fall asleep or wake up. For example, this means you may see, hear, or smell things that don’t actually exist. This is where you may sense things that aren’t real. Vivid hallucinations are common with narcolepsy. It can be scary, but you still are completely aware of what’s going on around you. As you fall asleep or wake up, you may be unable to move or speak for usually a few seconds. Similar to cataplexy, sleep paralysis can cause you to lose control of voluntary muscle movement. In fact, up to 70% of people with narcolepsy also have cataplexy. Cataplexy can be dangerous and may result in falls and injury.Ĭataplexy is a strong sign of narcolepsy. Symptoms can range from drooping eyelids in mild cases to complete collapse in severe cases. It’s usually linked to positive emotions over negative emotions. CataplexyĬataplexy is the sudden loss of muscle tone and strength, especially in emotional situations. At night, they may even have trouble falling asleep ( insomnia) or wake up frequently despite being very tired. This is often regardless of how much sleep from the night before.īetween episodes, people with narcolepsy may have normal attention and wakefulness. People with narcolepsy may feel sudden, overwhelming sleepiness that happens several times a day. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)ĮDS is more than just feeling a little tired after a long night. Let’s review the five most common signs and symptoms of narcolepsy. But there are many other symptoms as well. The most common symptom of narcolepsy is sleepiness. What are the signs and symptoms of narcolepsy? Here’s more about the signs, causes, and treatments of this rare sleep disorder. Although no cure is available for narcolepsy, there are treatments and lifestyle changes that can help you lead a more normal life. And it lasts throughout a person’s entire life. Narcolepsy usually starts sometime in late childhood to early adulthood. And it can cause people to fall asleep at irregular times. Narcolepsy is a rare sleep disorder that breaks up the body’s sleep-wake cycles. This is often what happens to people with narcolepsy. It can be a scary feeling to suddenly have a strong urge to fall asleep when you know you’re supposed to be awake.
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