Narcolepsy
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Narcolepsy is a neurological condition. Those who suffer from it tend to fall asleep during the daytime, even if they do not want to.
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[change] Symptoms
Things that people with narcolepsy may experience:
- Cataplexy: Suddenly having a muscle fail them. This can range from a slight weakness, and problems speaking clearly, to completely collapsing.
- Sleep paralysis: When waking up, people are paralysed (unable to move) for a certain time. The paralysis eventually goes away.
- Hallucinations, while falling asleep or waking up.
- Automatic behaviour: People continue doing things while they are asleep. Later on they do not remember.
Hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and automatic behaviour can also occur in people who are not narcoleptics. This usually happens when people are very tired, and have not slept for a long time.
[change] Causes
It is not yet known what causes narcolepsy. However, quite a few sufferers also have another family member with the disease. This may point to the fact that some of the things that cause the disease may be passed from the parents to the children through genes.
[change] Treatments
There are certain drugs that can treat the effects of narcolepsy. They can not treat the cause, since it is unknown. In general those drugs are special kinds of stimulants. General stimulants, like coffee, usually do not help.
Insomnia could be considered the opposite of narcolepsy.
