My Life and Sleep Apnea

Besides sleep apnea, there are other sleep disorders. Like sleep apnea, they can be dangerous if left untreated. Insomnia is a pervasive sleep disorder that affects millions of people. The inability to fall asleep even when you are tired is emotionally draining as well as hazardous to your health. Narcolepsy can cause immense daytime drowsiness to the point of falling asleep at any point of the day and anywhere. Besides being embarrassing, it could be life-threatening if the narcolepsy patient is driving or operating heavy machinery. Night terror, unlike nightmares, usually can’t be recalled after waking up. Nightmares are dreams of frightening events, whereas night terror is the feeling of fear. Restless legs syndrome is the need to move your legs to stop uncomfortable feelings from happening while trying to sleep. Sleepwalking is walking or engaging in wake-time activities while one is still asleep. Stress, fever, and alcoholism are known triggers of sleepwalking.

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that causes excessive daytime drowsiness EDS and falling asleep without warning. Cataplexy is also a symptom which causes the loss of muscle tone and possibly brief periods of paralysis. This can be a serious illness if the narcolepsy sufferer falls asleep while driving or other activities that requires full attention. The actual cause of narcolepsy is unknown but it is considered to be a neurological and sleep disorder problem. Although there is no cure for narcolepsy a drug called modafinil has been approved by the FDA. Antidepressants are also prescribed along with behavioral modifications. Regular sleep habits and scheduled naps are suggested for narcolepsy patients. Medication and behavioral changes help patients with the most severe symptoms such as EDS and cataplexy but they don’t cure the narcolepsy. Some patients over sixty see a decrease in the narcolepsy as they get older. Feel free to comment and please subscribe to my RSS Feed ...