Causes
of Narcolepsy - A Chronic Sleep Disorder
One
of the categories of chronic sleep disorders which can also strongly impair
patients is narcolepsy. This is a neurological disorder that is characterized
by unusual or unexpected sleeping and awaking time that occurs during the day.
Among the medical community it's referred to as EDS or excessive daytime
sleepiness.
Different
from many other sleep disorders, narcolepsy may well appear abruptly, in the
course of almost any endeavor as well as anytime of the day. The majority of
people requires around 90 minutes to begin REM sleep, the rapid eye movement
stage. People battling with EDS can at once fall into the REM level of the
sleep cycle, even throughout his or her waking periods. Currently, experts have
not uncovered the contributing factor of narcolepsy. Specific tests known as
polysomnogram or PSG and the multiple sleep latency test or MSLT, have been
created to detect narcolepsy and therefore are generally carried out at sleep
disorder clinics.
Medical
professionals for the people troubled with chronic sleep disorders propose that
in advance of prescribing a pharmaceutical, or in addition to medication, the
affected person make some changes in their habits. Such things as eliminating
coffee or other caffeinated drinks, alcohol, smoking, eating heavy meals,
forming regular sleep times and limiting naps to ten or fifteen minutes at
most, might make a big difference in this sleep disorder.
Causes of Narcolepsy
When a
person is suffering from narcolepsy they are living with a chronic sleep
disorder. Since the brain is unable to regulate sleeping patterns, people with
this disorder find that their urges to sleep can strike at any time of the day.
For some people with narcolepsy, this brief sleep period might last for an
hour.
Eating
disorders commonly accompany narcolepsy, with people experiencing intense
cravings for certain foods. While there are some known genetic factors for
narcolepsy, the primary cause of narcolepsy remains unknown. Hypocretin is the
primary chemical that helps to regulate sleeping patterns, allowing people to
stay awake when they need to, and enter REM stage sleep as needed also. But
hypocretin levels are very low in people who are suffering from narcolepsy.
Behavioral
modification is, at this time, the primary treatment available for narcolepsy.
The methods taught include taking short and regular naps, focusing heavily on a
regular and consistent sleep schedule and being sure that they are not
consuming alcohol or caffeine too close to their regular bedtime.
People
with Narcolepsy disorder always tend to have difficulty to stay awake. It's
like a sleep attacks to them. This unusual sleeping problem is really affecting
their social life, work and everyday life.
There
are two kind of sleep that is non rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement.
For normal people, they will go through the non-rapid eye movement sleep first
before rapid eye movement period. But it's different for people with
narcolepsy. What are the causes of narcolepsy?
The reason for the lack of this hypocretin
chemical in people with narcolepsy is still unknown. If there's a brain injury,
there will be some loss of certain brain cells. Meaning, some people inherited
the tendency of having narcolepsy disorder from their relatives.
Regarding
the inheritance of narcolepsy, research has been made and it was been
identified that gene also causes narcolepsy. Hypothalamus is a part of the
brain that stimulates sleep behavior and the gene will gives way to the cells
in hypothalamus to get messages from other cells in the brain.
