What is narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a rare neurological disorder that impacts the brain’s ability to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. It is caused by the destruction of hypocretin, a cell in the brain that helps stabilise the sleep-wake cycle. The loss of hypocretin results in excessive daytime sleepiness and disturbed night-time sleep.
Hypocretin is a chemical in the brain that plays a vital role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. The destruction of hypocretin causes the sleep-wake cycle to become unstable resulting in excessive daytime sleepiness and disturbed night-time sleep.
People with narcolepsy do not sleep more within a 24 hour period, contrary to common misinterpretations. On a daily basis, people with narcolepsy suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness – an uncontrollable urge to sleep throughout the day.
These sleep attacks lead to irregular sleep patterns and disturbed night time sleep.
What causes narcolepsy?
Researchers are still seeking the root cause of narcolepsy but currently it is believed that genetics, accompanied by an environmental trigger (like a virus) may affect the chemicals in the brain such as hypocretin, causing narcolepsy.
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