What is narcolepsy with cataplexy?
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that causes persistent sleepiness and additional symptoms such as brief episodes of muscle weakness known as cataplexy, vivid, dreamlike hallucinations, brief episodes of paralysis when falling asleep or upon awakening (sleep paralysis), and fragmented nighttime sleep.
What triggers cataplexy?
Cataplexy. This sudden loss of muscle tone while a person is awake leads to weakness and a loss of voluntary muscle control. It is often triggered by sudden, strong emotions such as laughter, fear, anger, stress, or excitement. The symptoms of cataplexy may appear weeks or even years after the onset of EDS.
What are the main symptoms of the narcolepsy cataplexy syndrome?
Symptoms
- Excessive daytime sleepiness. People with narcolepsy fall asleep without warning, anywhere, anytime.
- Sudden loss of muscle tone.
- Sleep paralysis.
- Changes in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
- Hallucinations.
Do narcoleptics dream?
Hallucinations and vivid dreams Many people with narcolepsy have dream-like hallucinations just as they are falling asleep or waking up. (Hallucinations when falling asleep are known as hypnagogic; when waking up, hypnopompic.)
What is it like dating someone with narcolepsy?
Sometimes, when you’re sleepy all the time, that can affect your sex life. You might not feel like having sex as often, and when you do have sex, you might have a hard time climaxing. Cataplexy could also be a potential factor, but not everyone who has narcolepsy has cataplexy as well.
Do naps help narcolepsy?
Most people with narcolepsy find a brief nap refreshing, with improved alertness for one to three hours afterwards. Naps should be limited to 15–20 minutes, as it can be difficult to wake from the deep sleep of a long nap, and an extended nap in the afternoon may make it harder to fall asleep at night.