Delta Waves

What is Narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness. Narcolepsy afflicts 1 in 2,000 Americans and is triggered by a physical problem or a fault in the part of the brain that controls sleep and wakefulness.

Symptoms of Narcolepsy include:

Excessive daytime sleepiness often resulting in an irresistible urge to fall asleep at inappropriate times.

Brief and unexpected loss of muscle strength (also known as cataplexy). This is often brought on by a change in emotion such as a joy or anger.

Sleep paralysis, which is the inability to move your body at all while falling asleep or awakening.

Vivid dream like visions (hallucination) that occur while you are falling asleep or awakening

How is Narcolepsy diagnosed?

A diagnosies of narcolepsy is reached after an evaluation of your medical history and a thorough sleep evaluation. The sleep evaluation is made up of two tests in a sleep center. The first is an overnight sleep study, which is then followed by a daytime study starting the next morning known as a Multiple Sleep Latency Test or MSLT.

For more information please click here.

Last Updated: November 29, 2011 7:17 PM MST

Delta Waves Sleep Disorders and Research Center - PHONE: (719) 262 - 9283 FAX: (719) 262 - 9285