What is narcolepsy?

Neurological disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness. Patients may experience drowsiness, fall asleep while sitting, or fall asleep without realizing it. Which they cannot control even while doing daily activities such as driving, working, or talking to others. This is the result of abnormal functioning of the brain ufabet https://ufabet999.app That controls the sleep-wake cycle. In addition, it has been found that some patients with also have Cataplexy, which is a symptom of muscle weakness.

What are the symptoms of narcolepsy?

Many people may be worried that they often feel sleepy during the day. Are we suffering from narcolepsy? In fact has many symptoms that may occur together as follows:

• Unusually excessive daytime sleepiness 

Even if they get enough sleep at night, people may unknowingly fall asleep or oversleep. While engaged in activities such as working, driving, or studying. This sleep may last from a few minutes to half an hour, but they may feel temporarily refreshed upon waking up and then feel sleepy again shortly after.

• Sudden muscle weakness (Cataplexy) 

Some people may experience muscle weakness along with narcolepsy. Muscle weakness is a temporary loss of muscle control that often occurs when there is a strong emotion, such as laughter, excitement or anger. It can cause muscle weakness to the point of falling or slowing down, but still maintaining awareness the entire time. The severity of the symptoms can vary from mild, such as drooping eyelids, to severe, such as falling to the ground.

• Sleep Paralysis 

Or what many people call “ghost sleep” is a symptom where the patient is conscious while sleeping or awake but cannot move the body. This symptom is usually temporary, but the patient may feel shocked or scared. 

• Hallucinations while sleeping 

People with narcolepsy may see or hear unreal images or voices, often during sleep (hypnagogic hallucinations) or upon awakening (hypnopompic hallucinations). This can be confusing and frightening, as the images may seem very real. 

Causes of Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is not just a common daytime drowsiness. Some people may think that patients seem to fall asleep easily. But in fact, patients with often fall asleep without realizing it, which sometimes causes accidents. The general causes are as follows:

• Autoimmune Disorders 

Medically is thought to be related to an immune system disorder that destroys hypocretin, a neurotransmitter that affects deep sleep and wakefulness. When hypocretin is destroyed and levels drop, symptoms occur.

• Brain injury or damage

Injury to the area of ​​the brain that controls sleep, such as surgery, an accident, or a brain infection, can cause the brain to not produce enough hypocretin.

• Viral infection

Narcolepsy can be caused by certain viral infections that cause the immune system to malfunction and destroy brain cells that produce hypocretin.