When you first hear about the condition of narcolepsy a person may think that it means that an individual is getting too much sleep. However, this condition really indicates a sleep disorder that can have the same issues as someone who suffers from chronic lack of sleep.

Narcolepsy is one of the most unusual and least common of all sleep disorders. Narcolepsy is a medical condition and sleep disorder that causes chronic and uncontrollable instances of daytime sleepiness. A person with narcolepsy can experience the sudden onset of sleepiness and fall asleep at a moment’s notice. They may drop whatever they happen to be holding, become limp, and fall to the floor in sleep. Narcolepsy is classified as a chronic neurological disorder. It is thought that narcolepsy is caused by the brain’s inability to adjust normal sleep-wake cycles. The cause for this irregularity remains unknown.

In addition to the sudden onset of uncontrollable sleepiness, individuals who suffer from narcolepsy may also experience three distinct symptoms. The first is cataplexy, which refers to bouts of irregular muscle weakness or paralysis that occurs without loss of consciousness. The second symptoms are hypnopompic and hypnogogic hallucinations, which refer to hallucinations experienced while waking up or falling asleep. The third symptom related to narcolepsy is sleep paralysis. With the frequent disruptions of sleep patterns, narcolepsy can wreak havoc on an individual’s quality of life. Narcolepsy patients complain of feeling consistently fatigued and irritable.

Narcoleptic “sleep attacks” can occur several times a day, with each attack lasting anywhere from a few seconds to almost an hour. Most bouts of sudden sleepiness occur during long meetings and lectures. Most individuals that suffer from narcolepsy report feeling refreshed and revived upon reawakening. Some narcolepsy patients also report that the narcoleptic attacks can be strongly hallucinogenic, or simply slightly irritating.

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