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What's Keeping You Up?

Sleep Disorders Narcolepsy

What is Narcolepsy?

Summary & Participants

Narcolepsy keeps people from sleeping well at night, and it also keeps them from staying alert during the day. Listen as an expert describes this sleep disorder and how to treat it.

Medically Reviewed On: August 14, 2006

Webcast Transcript

ANNOUNCER: Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder that be debilitating.

JOSE S. LOREDO, MD, MPH: Oftentimes, patients who are severely affected cannot drive, cannot hold jobs that require them to stay alert during their working hours. Therefore, it can be quite disabling.

ANNOUNCER: Narcolepsy is characterized by abnormal sleep at night, followed by an overwhelming need to sleep during the day. Sufferers often nod off without warning in the middle of an activity

JOSE S. LOREDO, MD, MPH: Besides being sleepy and having these sleep attacks, the patients often complain that they feel that they are paralyzed when they're asleep, or often as soon as they fall asleep or as they're waking up, they complain of having such vivid dreams that we call them hallucinations.

ANNOUNCER: Perhaps the most disturbing symptom, one that affects about 70 percent of those with the disorder, is a sudden loss of muscle tone called cataplexy.

JOSE S. LOREDO, MD, MPH: It is a very dramatic situation in which the affected individual, when exposed to a very strong emotion, such as laughter, being very happy or being startled or suddenly being very angry for whatever reason, the patient suddenly loses motor strength, muscle tone, usually of the neck, the jaw, the back, and oftentimes they will fall or they will sit down or will drop objects.

ANNOUNCER: Narcolepsy affects about 135,000 Americans. The exact cause remains a mystery.

JOSE S. LOREDO, MD, MPH: The primary cause, is felt to be a genetic predisposition; that means that there is something wrong with the genetic makeup of the person. However, narcolepsy can also appear by itself without any previous genetic abnormalities, and it's felt to be due to trauma sometimes, trauma to the head, or problems with changes in the environment, such as a sudden change in the schedule.

ANNOUNCER: There is no cure for narcolepsy. But there are medications that can help. Stimulants, such as amphetamines, help patients stay awake during the day. But these drugs can be addictive. A newer drug called Provigil fights daytime sleepiness and is not addictive. Certain antidepressants help control the sudden loss of muscle tone known as cataplexy. Lifestyle changes are crucial too.

JOSE S. LOREDO, MD, MPH: We often recommend that these patients take timed naps throughout the day. The regularity of sleep and having a firm schedule is extremely important. Therefore, we recommend that the patient with narcolepsy go to bed at a specific time and get up at a specific time every night if at all possible. And this will develop good habits of sleep that will promote consolidation of sleep. And in the morning, hopefully the patient will feel better.

ANNOUNCER: Narcolepsy can be difficult to diagnose. Experts recommend a patient be evaluated by a specialist at a sleep clinic for diagnosis and the best possible treatment.