If you have noticed that you have had unusual sleep patterns recently, or that you are rather tired, perhaps it is time to take notice in identifying narcolepsy symptoms that you might be suffering from. While not all individuals will have each of the signs that are related to the disorder, you still may have it. For that reason, if you are suffering from any of the noted narcoleptic symptoms you should make a note of when you feel them and schedule an appointment with your doctor for further assistance.
In identifying narcolepsy symptoms, one of the most common signs is that you have excessive sleepiness in the middle of the day. Even if you were able to obtain a full night’s sleep, a sluggish, depressed and exhausted feeling that overcomes you in the daytime, forcing you to have to nap to feel better can be a sign of the disorder. Disturbed sleep, is an additional symptom that most might not consider to be associated with it, however waking up often and struggling to fall back asleep are vital signs too. For those that find themselves awake in the middle of the night, falling back asleep will take time, further harming your daytime sleepy feeling.
If you are noticing signs of cataplexy in the daytime, this is just another form of identifying narcolepsy symptoms you may be suffering from. In this symptom the muscles of your body will essentially go dead, which can ultimately cause you to fall to the ground in a lifeless fashion. Because the muscles in the body cease, this can last just less than a minute or up to thirty minutes, the severity for each sufferer will be different. Luckily, cataplexy does not affect the respiratory system, so even though you are unable to move you will still be able to breathe.
Individuals that are suffering from hypnagogic hallucinations is another means of identifying narcolepsy symptoms, outside of erratic sleep ways this symptom can affect 60% of individuals with the disorder. These hallucinations can be tactile, auditory and even visual and are similar to what would be a real-life dream, but they happen at a time when the individual is in between the state of awake and asleep.
Even if you just have one of the indicators of this disorder, you should still get the advice of a doctor for an official diagnosis, or verification of having this sleep disorder. If you find that you are paining from this disorder, all hope is not lost, you can still find a treatment that will help you to overcome the tired urge to sleep, so that you can lead a normal life.