Narcolepsy

An overwhelming desire for sleep comes over a person during the sleep disorder known as narcolepsy-a person affected by this condition may suddenly fall asleep at any time and without warning. This condition interferes with all types of activity as the person falls asleep quite suddenly during the most unfortunate moments-for example, while talking with another person. All attempts to stay awake fails and this overwhelming desire for sleep is unstoppable, it comes at any time and affects the day to day activity of the person concerned. While these sleep periods rejuvenate the individual, they are unfortunate in timing even though they are mercifully short in duration and last several minutes at any given time-they come on as sudden and short attacks of sleepiness. The individual suffering from the condition can be wakened as in normal sleep and he or she looks as if they are sleeping normally.

The condition is often mistaken for catalepsy, another disorder where muscle strength is suddenly lost in all or in some parts of the body due to a sudden emotional pike, such as feelings of anger, sudden attacks of fear or even euphoria-these conditions are not similar. As narcolepsy makes the person sleep, while an individual affected by catalepsy remains conscious even though the entire body is paralyzed and this wakefulness is there even if the person collapses on the floor-during narcolepsy all consciousness is lost. Catalepsy may suddenly affect a person anywhere and without warning similar to narcolepsy, thus it can strike at night when the person is in bed where the person is unable to move even though he or she is widely awake.

Similar to other types of nervous system disorders the condition known as narcolepsy is very likely to have a neurological cause and can be considered to be a neurological disorder somehow affects the sleep-wake center within the human brain. Narcolepsy is still a mysterious condition as the underlying causes for the condition remain unknown and research is still to shed much light on the condition, however, the number of individuals affected in both sexes is roughly equal and it does not seem to affect any particular demographic group-in addition the condition can be diagnosed in the individual at a fairly early stage and appears in the early years itself. Individuals affected by all types of head injuries, those suffering from a very high fever, those affected by severe dehydration or even the development of an infection that directly affects the brain can all lead to overwhelming sleepiness similar to narcolepsy. Emergency medical treatment must be availed at once if the individual is suspected of suffering from any of these conditions. Extreme sleepiness can also affect a person who has suffered from an overdose of certain over the counter medications. Additionally the presence of a chronic fatigue syndrome or the presence of other disorders such as anemia, mental or emotional depression or even the presence of cancer can be signaled by sudden episodes of uncontrollable sleepiness. Some types of insect bites transmit sleeping sickness so prevalent in Africa-though the condition is not necessarily related to narcolepsy.

Supplements and herbs

The overwhelming desire to sleep can be suppressed by the use of natural stimulant such as choline, which is considered as one of the B complex vitamins, this natural stimulant compound will not induce the adverse side-effects which affect a person when using artificial stimulants like caffeine in coffee or those compounds contained in other medications used as stimulants. Te sleep wake cycle in the brain is controlled by nervous stimuli and the compound choline is necessary for the transmission and regulation of nerve impulses, it regulates the brain mechanism which controls the sleep wake cycle in people. Brain functioning is also impaired by the development of a choline deficiency in a person. The health of the nervous system is boosted by the B complex vitamins; these essential nutrients also boost the energy levels within the body and lead to a reduction in the levels of stress felt by the person.

Nervous system functioning is also improved by supplements of the essential minerals calcium and magnesium which are very important for effective functioning of the neurotransmitters within the brain. Adequate sleep is also aided by the mineral calcium especially when taken during the night-this mineral boosts the energy levels in the body during the day time. By disrupting the muscular and nervous transmission of messages, deficiency in the mineral magnesium will induce some nervousness and weakness in the affected individual.

Additional things you may do

The person must undertake an elimination diet and must be checked for any food allergy by appropriately testing for allergies as these might be the cause of the sleep disorder in many cases. The disorder can in many cases be prevented or resolved by simply avoiding certain types in the diet. For example, simply eating potatoes induced great sleepiness in one individual, such cases are not common but sleep disorders may arise due to some dietary factor and these cannot be discounted. In the case of this person, the sleep disorder resolved itself when the potatoes were removed from the diet.

Usual dosage

• Vitamin B complex, 50 mg thrice a day.
• Magnesium, 600 mg.
• Calcium 1,200 mg.
• Choline, 100 mg thrice a day.

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