{"id":19925,"date":"2020-02-04T06:43:53","date_gmt":"2020-02-04T06:43:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/?p=19925"},"modified":"2021-10-15T03:14:16","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T03:14:16","slug":"14-overlooked-signs-of-narcolepsy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/14-overlooked-signs-of-narcolepsy\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Overlooked Signs of Narcolepsy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Narcolepsy is a disease that affects the way a person sleeps. While many people think the main symptom of narcolepsy is sudden and severe sleepiness, there are actually many symptoms that are overlooked. Many people feel tired during the day so it can take a long time for someone to feel like their tiredness is severe enough to warrant going to a doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctors can usually diagnose narcolepsy pretty quickly and recommend a treatment that is effective. If you are feeling more tired or sleepier than normal and are worried you may have narcolepsy or another disease, you should seek medical attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the most overlooked signs of narcolepsy. If you are experiencing any of them, make an appointment with your doctor. Narcolepsy can be a stressful and frustrating illness, but it is treatable and with proper treatment, you can live a normal life with healthy sleeping patterns. 
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1. Sleepiness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While sleepiness is the most common symptom of narcolepsy, you may be surprised by how many people overlook it as an early sign of the disease. Most people live busy lives and assume it\u2019s normal to feel sleepy or tired every day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard to tell if it\u2019s something more. If you are feeling extremely tied every day, regardless of how much sleep you get each day, you may be experiencing the symptoms of narcolepsy. If you find yourself falling asleep during the day, napping often, or dosing off during times you should be alert, you may be more than just tired. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This symptom is the most obvious but also the most overlooked. If you are feeling overly tired, see a doctor to rule out a more serious condition or infection and to determine if narcolepsy may be the cause of your sleepiness and lethargy<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Cloudy Thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard to focus and have clear thoughts when you are always feeling tired and sleeping. Narcolepsy can make you feel exhausted, tired, and overworked even when you are well-rested. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may have trouble remembering what you are working on, struggle to complete tasks, skip out on important details in a project, or fall asleep while you are working, in the middle of a thought, or even in mid-conversation. Your thoughts may not make sense and you may even be embarrassed because you can\u2019t gather yourself to think properly or process information correctly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sleeping <\/a>or napping won\u2019t help and you may even feel like you are suffering from mental problems as a result of your cloudy thoughts. The brain needs to rest to process information properly but when you suffer from narcolepsy it feels as if it never gets to rest or recover from the day before. Treatment can help improve the thought process and help you feel normal again.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Poor Sleep<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since narcolepsy makes you feel tired and sleepy you might think that you would have no problems going to sleep at night. This isn\u2019t the case and many people who suffer from narcolepsy actually struggle to sleep well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Narcolepsy messes with the body\u2019s internal clock that tells a person when to be awake and when to be asleep. It doesn\u2019t just cause sleepiness at inappropriate times, it also causes the body to stay awake when it should be going to sleep. Most people assume that their lack of a normal sleep routine is the cause of their daytime sleepiness, but the disease makes it impossible to establish any type of sleep routine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice you are feeling extremely tired, don\u2019t assume it is only from a lack of sleep. Narcolepsy could be the cause of your tiredness and lack of sleep. Medications <\/a>can help get you back on a normal sleep schedule and routine.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Lack of Muscle Tone<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who suffer from narcolepsy often have a loss of muscle tone or poor muscle definition. It normally comes on suddenly and many people don\u2019t even notice it at first. It can become severe quickly and even lead to a person collapsing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When this happens, the patient or the people who witness the collapse may assume it was caused by the patient falling asleep suddenly. In reality, the person who falls is very much awake and alert, they just aren\u2019t able to control their own body and do not have the muscle strength to prevent themselves from falling. It can be a scary thing to experience and witness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A collapse like this is usually what triggers a person to go to a doctor and get a proper diagnosis<\/a>. Once narcolepsy is treated, muscle tone may return to normal and sudden collapses are less likely to occur. Some people may continue to experience sudden collapse even with treatment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Sleep Paralysis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sleep paralysis<\/a> is one of the most terrifying symptoms of narcolepsy. When a person is sleeping, the brain prevents the body from moving around. This helps keep a sleeping person safe and prevents them from acting out their dreams and sleepwalking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a person suffers from narcolepsy, they often experience sleep paralysis while they are awake. The person wakes up before the brain has time to release the body. A person I awake and alert, but unable to move. During this time, they may also hallucinate or have trouble telling the difference between what is real and what isn\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people experience nightmares with sleep paralysis which can make hallucinations more severe and seem all the more real. Since people with narcolepsy can fall asleep anytime, sleep paralysis can occur at any point. This can be exhausting, stressful, and scary for a person to deal with, especially on a regular basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Excessive Dreaming<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People with narcolepsy have random phases of sleep and then they do fall asleep, that sleep tends to be very deep. They also dream more than normal and that dreaming can be excessive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may struggle to know when they are dreaming or when they are asleep. Some people confuse their dreams with reality or don\u2019t realize real events are not dreams. Some people also have hallucinations when they are awake and confuse them with dreams. Narcolepsy <\/a>can confuse the sufferer and cause a variety of issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people are not safe to be left alone because they can\u2019t distinguish between dreams and reality and may attempt to act out their dreams or events in real life that could harm them, thinking there are no consequences.  This symptom can be dangerous and terrifying for the sufferer and their loved ones. Narcolepsy treatments help prevent excessive dreaming and lead to improved sleep. 
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7. Anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who suffer from narcolepsy usually know that something is wrong, but don\u2019t know what it is. They may be aware of their symptoms but not understand why they are suffering or how to fix it. Many people try to get more sleep to treat the symptoms, only to find that it makes things worse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can be frustrating and lead to anxiety. Many people who suffer from narcolepsy choose to withdraw from social situations. Many miss work and school and avoid spending time with family members and friends. The fear of falling asleep in public, at work, at school, or in other social situations make it easier to avoid being around people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people develop severe depression as a result of narcolepsy symptoms. Once people are treated for narcolepsy and symptoms start to reside, anxiety <\/a>may subside as well. Many people are able to live normal lives with proper treatment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Sleep Attacks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most people think of sleep attacks as a common symptom of narcolepsy. They occur when a person is awake and even doing normal things, then suddenly falls asleep. In reality, sleep attacks are a lot less common with narcolepsy than people realize. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The act of falling asleep requires many different processes and with narcolepsy, those processes are often interrupted. While a person may experience sleep attacks while suffering from narcolepsy, they may not happen often enough for a person to realize they have a problem. Some people may just assume they were tired or dozed off because of exhaustion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people who have narcolepsy will not experience this symptom <\/a>at all. If you realize you are experiencing sleep attacks talk to your doctor to confirm or rule out narcolepsy as a cause. These episodes can be dangerous, especially while driving or if home alone. Medications can help treat the symptom and the underlying cause.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. REM Sleep Problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you fall into a deep sleep, you experience REM or rapid eye movement. This determines how well you sleep and if you dream or not. REM occurs in the deepest levels of sleep and means you are sleeping well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have narcolepsy, you may not be able to reach this level of sleep. You never get the sleep you need and you won\u2019t feel rested. This can lead to brain fog<\/a> and confusion. Without proper sleep, a person can\u2019t think right or process information properly. On the other hand, some people find that they enter REM sleep immediately and stay asleep longer than they should or plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may have trouble waking up even though they know they need to or set an alarm. They may also fall into REM sleep while taking short naps and find themselves oversleeping. Narcolepsy can confuse the brain and the away a person sleeps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Headaches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many people who have narcolepsy suffer from headaches. The headaches can be a symptom of narcolepsy or the result of the condition. When a person isn\u2019t sleeping, the body has to work harder to function. This can lead to stress and more headaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who goes without sleep is likely to experience headaches<\/a>, but people with narcolepsy can also experience them from sleeping too much. Anytime the body\u2019s sleep pattern is messed up or altered, headaches can occur. Over the counter medications can treat headaches but they will continue until the cause of the problem is found. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who are successfully treated for narcolepsy and are able to maintain normal sleep patterns find that their headaches reside fairly quickly. Because headaches are common with other illnesses, diseases, and just stress and exhaustion in general, many people overlook this symptom or brush it off as something less serious. When it occurs with other symptoms, a diagnosis is more likely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Dizziness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you aren\u2019t sleeping properly it\u2019s normal to feel dizzy or off-balance. Narcolepsy makes it hard to sleep as you should or establish a good sleeping pattern. You may sleep well one night and not sleep at all the next. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may find yourself falling asleep at work or in the middle of the day when you need to be awake. You may also fall asleep for short periods of time. When you do awake, you may feel dizzy or see things as fuzzy. The dizziness may subside within a few minutes of waking or it may last throughout the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people feel dizzy before falling asleep as well. Being dizzy can make it difficult to function and could interfere with your daily life. Dizziness <\/a>can be a sign of many other things including a sinus infection, cold, flu, and even eye problems. Dizziness alone is not enough to lead to a narcolepsy diagnosis.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Microsleep<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is a symptom that can be dangerous and scary for the sufferer. It is also one that is common among people who suffer narcolepsy, but not often reported. In microsleep, a person functions while half asleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may go about their daily routine and not even realize they are doing anything. They may also suddenly fall asleep deeper or suddenly wake up in the middle of the routine and not know where they are or how they go there. A sufferer may also have no memory <\/a>of their actions or experiences while they were in a state of microsleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a dangerous symptom but because some people drive, walk through traffic, and even care for their children without being fully awake. Some people don\u2019t even realize they are suffering from this symptom until other people around them notice it and inform them. Once treated, narcolepsy patients are less likely to experience microsleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Daytime Sleepiness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most people are able to go to sleep at night without any problems and stay awake during the day to go about their jobs, or life at home. People who suffer from narcolepsy are unable to do that. They may sleep at night but still feel excessively tired or sleepy during the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people with narcolepsy do not sleep at night and have the urge to sleep during the day instead. No matter how much sleep a person with narcolepsy gets, they still feel tired during the day. This can be confusing and frustrating <\/a>for them. This is one of the more common symptoms of narcolepsy, but many people don\u2019t realize it\u2019s a problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may just think they are tired during the day because they aren\u2019t sleeping well at night. It\u2019s only when the problem persists for a long period of time that people seek medical attention or realize there is a serious problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Mood Swings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People with narcolepsy often have severe mood swings. They can feel depressed one minute and happy another minute. This has a lot to do with the fact that they are simply not getting enough sleep or feeling rested and are agitated all the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can also be due to other factors. Sleeping during the day and staying awake at night can cause depression. They may also be upset because they know something is wrong but aren\u2019t able to determine the problems. Mood swings can be common with other problems as well including bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and depression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While mood swings <\/a>are often an overlooked symptom of narcolepsy, they can be worrisome enough to cause someone to seek medical treatment. Narcolepsy treatment may not put a stop to al mood swings, but it can help treat some of the problems that may be causing them or lessen their severity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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