How to Diagnose Sleep Disorders : Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a malfunction of the sleep center part of the brain and can cause fatigue. Learn more about narcolepsy and what it does from our medical expert in this free video clip.

Expert: Taylor Smith
Bio: Taylor Smith, CMA, is a multifaceted Certified Medical Assistant.
Filmmaker: Doug Craig

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• sleep
• sleeping
• disorders
• diagnose
• diagnosing
• label
• labeling
• finding
• free
• how
• to
• Expert
• Village
• obstructive
• apnea
• obs
• narcolepsy
• restless
• leg
• syndrome
• rls
• parasomnia
• insomnia

[ausauspatpat]

I think I might have it... like, I can sleep for 10-13 hours sometimes and then later in the day (2 or 3 hours after I wake up) I feel extremely tired and even fall asleep again sometimes.

[focus471]

Pretty lady!

[Nat5184]

@wildy774 Yes I haven't heard about that very diagnosis name before, but yes if he/she is falling asleep all throughout the daytime, yet chronically prone to feel more alert and awake during the evening/night, it could be DSPS, or some sleep phase disturbance. I myself have been diagnosed with narcolepsy/hypersomnia and I'm also a real night owl. The only few hours I feel somewhat alert are during the late evening/early night :(

Highly impractical!!

[wildy774]

@Nat5184 or it could just be DSPS.

[Nat5184]

@aroundy20

It could be that you're developing narcolepsy... Sometimes it is possible that cataplexy presents itself BEFORE the sleepyness part of narcolepsy. And then the excessive sleepyness/sleep attacks can present itself some time later (even years :( ) You should definately go see your doctor! Cataplexy can be horrible!

[Nat5184]

@xbeautylovex Yes it's absolutely sound like classical narcolepsy with cataplexy. You shoud really go to your GP, and get a referral to a neurologist who specialises in narcolepsy! And they can give you medicine which really makes a big difference. Because narcolepsy and sleeping disorders eat up your life!

Best of luck, and *hugs*

/Natasha with narcolepsy

[Nat5184]

@wildy774 YES it could highly possibly be!!! It's atleast related to narcolepsy, in the way it's a malfunction of the sleep center of the brain. Generally just called Idiopathic Hypersomnia. I have it excactly the same way, and a Polysomnograph clearly showed it as narcolepsy (the short REM sleep latency etc.) It's a rare form of narcolepsy, but it's possible, and narcolepsy medicine helps on the illness!

[wildy774]

@Laurisa718 thats not nacrolepsy

[Laurisa718]

@xbeautylovex You need to talk to your doctor. I felt that way when I was in school too. Narcolepsy doesn't get better the older you get. Believe me. I can not be awake everyday and feel good. At this time I sleep 24 hours and get and feel okay for awhile, but I can sleep another 24 without a problem. I've finally decided to do something about it. Don't wait. You can miss out on so much.

[1NX9]

I think I might have narcolepsy??? I even fall asleep sitting up sometimes.