Do you find yourself consistently nodding off throughout the day? If so, you may have narcolepsy.
Sure, we all get a bad night’s sleep every once in a while and find ourselves nodding off at our desks. While it is embarrassing, it will generally pass after a better night’s rest—however, if you are someone who has narcolepsy, your brain will have chronic trouble controlling sleep and wakefulness. As a result, you may find yourself wide-awake when you should be sleeping and you may fall asleep throughout the day. From the office of our Columbia, SC, sleep doctor, Dr. Richard Bogan, find out more about narcolepsy and whether your sleep issues may warrant undergoing a sleep study.
What are the warning signs of narcolepsy?
The most obvious symptom is a sudden sleep attack that comes about during the daytime. You may feel so extremely exhausted that you end up falling asleep multiple times throughout the day. These sleep fits can occur for a couple of minutes or even up to a half hour. You may feel great when you first wake up but it won’t soon be long before you start to feel tired again.
Another issue that may coincide with your extreme sleepiness is the loss of muscle control, also known as cataplexy. This can present itself in many different ways, from slurred speech to muscle weakness. It is often triggered by an extreme emotion like laughing or anxiety.
Sleep paralysis is another symptom that those with narcolepsy may experience. This is when someone is unable to move or talk while first falling asleep or immediately upon waking. It lasts only a few seconds or minutes but it can be very scary. While some people may experience sleep paralysis, not all narcoleptics will.
When should I see a sleep specialist?
It is most certainly time to talk with our Columbia, SC, sleep specialist if you are fighting with any kind of sleep problems that are affecting the quality of your sleep as well as your daily routine and quality of life. Experiencing poor sleep day after day can affect both your personal and professional life, so it’s important to find out if your daytime fatigue could be the result of narcolepsy.
Concerned? Give us a call today!
If you are dealing with some of the signs of narcolepsy or are having trouble getting quality sleep, it’s time to call Bogan Sleep Consultants in Columbia, SC, to schedule a consultation with us. Make good sleep a priority by calling (803) 251-3093.
