Hypnagogic hallucinations – vivid, dream-like perceptions that happen when the person isn’t quite asleep and may involve hallucinations of sight, sound or feeling (seeing or hearing things).It is thought to be related to the muscle paralysis that occurs to everyone during REM sleep. This can cause a collapse without loss of consciousness and can last from a few seconds to minutes. Cataplexy – a sudden, brief reversible episode of muscle weakness brought on by a powerful emotional trigger such as laughing or anger.Symptoms of narcolepsyĪs well as extreme sleepiness and a tendency to fall asleep during the day, other symptoms of narcolepsy all reflect the intrusion of REM sleep outside of established sleep, including: This test may also show if there is very early interruption of REM (rapid eye movement or dreaming) sleep. Since symptoms vary so much between people, a laboratory test called the Multiple Sleep Latency Test can be used to measure daytime sleepiness during four to five naps of 20 minutes.

Others with this condition have more control over their naps and can choose when and where they will sleep, such as during lunch breaks. For instance, some people with narcolepsy might fall asleep for 10 to 20 minutes several times every day, whether they want to or not. A person with narcolepsy usually has the condition for life.Īll people with narcolepsy have extreme levels of sleepiness during the day, but how this shows itself can differ. Narcolepsy can develop at any age, but it commonly starts either during the teenage years or in middle age. A person with narcolepsy has excessive daytime sleepiness, with repeated episodes of sleep attacks, falling asleep involuntarily at inappropriate times, often several times every day. The term narcolepsy is generally used for this group of disorders. A primary problem with keeping awake and vigilant during the daytime.Inadequate quality of sleep due to a problem that fragments sleep such as sleep-disordered breathing, excessive limb movement, chronic pain or chronic illness.Inadequate quantity of sleep from sleep restriction, sleep deprivation or timing disorders such as jet lag and shift work.Excessive daytime sleepiness that is not due to a mood disorder or medication is a common health problem that has three broad causes:

Narcolepsy without cataplexy definition