As I snapped back into consciousness, I found myself driving on the wrong side of a road that ran parallel to a beach, with traffic heading straight at me. Stunned, I yanked the steering wheel to get back into the right lane but somehow lined myself up perfectly with a telephone pole. My brain furiously … Read more
Gabrielle Manus’s son dealt with puzzling symptoms for about 7 years before his doctor diagnosed him with narcolepsy at age 15. Prior to this, he would fall asleep in class, doze off in the car, and take frequent naps despite getting enough rest at night. “We got him tested, and he went from academic probation … Read more
SOURCES: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: “Sleep Disorders: In Depth,” “Acupuncture: In Depth,” “Complementary, Alternative, or Integrative Health: What’s in a Name?” Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine: “Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Improves Multiple Physiological Markers of Health.” APA: “What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?” NHS: “Narcolepsy.” Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Natural Sleep Aids: … Read more
When you’re living with narcolepsy, you can take charge of daytime sleepiness by getting treatment from a doctor who specializes in sleep medicine. It also helps to practice healthy habits, like getting on a sleep schedule, planning short naps, and eating a balanced diet. There’s more you can do to stay fresh and alert, … Read more
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that affects your sleep-wake cycle. We still don’t know what causes the condition. But most people with type 1 narcolepsy — the kind with sudden muscle weakness, or cataplexy — have little to no orexin. Also called hypocretin, that’s a brain chemical that controls wakefulness. Now there’s growing evidence an … Read more
Narcolepsy disrupts nighttime sleep and causes attacks of sleepiness, and sometimes muscle weakness, during the day. With a condition that can interfere with your life in so many ways, you’ll want to do all you can to avoid anything that triggers your symptoms. Narcolepsy is chronic, which means it will be with you for a … Read more
Narcolepsy is a lifelong sleep condition that makes you very sleepy during the day. You might also have: Unexpected attacks of sleep Sleep paralysis, where you can’t move or speak when you wake up or start falling asleep Hypnagogic hallucinations, where you might see, hear, or feel something that’s not there Cataplexy, where you might … Read more
Eating well is a good choice for everyone, but it may be especially important for people with narcolepsy. If you have narcolepsy, you have a higher risk of obesity. People with narcolepsy “have a tendency to put on weight because of the pathophysiological changes in narcolepsy,” says Michael Thorpy, MD, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders … Read more