This wide gap increases the complications associated with the condition largely. It is common in both men and women. This article tries to gain further insight on this topic.

What is Narcolepsy?

It is a chronic neurological disorder associated with sleeping. A person suffering from it experiences fatigue and falls asleep at inappropriate times. Rapid eye movements are natural to happen when we fall asleep. It takes 90 minutes to experience this in normal people. But in people suffering from this disorder, it commences within 10 minutes of falling asleep.

These people also experience a condition known as cataplexy. It involves weakness in the muscles caused suddenly by strong emotions. The origin of the disease is related to genetic abnormalities.

Symptoms:

• Napping
• Drowsiness
• Falling asleep at work
• Frequent night walking
• Tossing and turning
• Nightmares
• Disturbed nighttime sleep
• Sleep paralysis
• Hallucinations when drowsy
• Frequent awakenings
• Obesity
• Leg jerks during sleep
• Slurred speech

Diagnosis:

It is easy to find this disorder when the patient is found to have the above mentioned signs. But if cataplexy is mild or absent, the diagnosis is difficult. Sleep specialists use techniques like polysomnogram and multiple sleep latency test to detect the signs of the disorder.

Treatment:

Intake of oral medicines combined with certain life style changes can treat this condition. The symptoms can be kept under check by the methods. However, complete immunity from them cannot be assured.

Drugs which stimulate the central nervous system are the main treatment options for excessive daytime sleepiness. Some of these drugs are racemic-amphetamine, methamphetamine, methylphenidate, modafinil , dextroamphetamine.

Cataplexy is treated with antidepressants like protriptyline, imipramine and clomipramine. Xyrum is the only approved drug for treating both the signs of narcolepsy.

Taking frequent naps for two to three times, each lasting for 10-15 minutes can be beneficial in treating excessive daytime sleepiness. Communication on the daily-basis between doctor, patient and the family members is essential for managing this disorder.

Nicotine is the Culprit
Cigarettes contain the stimulant nicotine, which can keep you awake and alert, interrupting sleep. Smoking can give you a ‘high’, but the body adjusts to nicotine quickly, so you need to smoke more and more to get the ‘high’. If you don’t smoke enough, nicotine withdrawal symptoms can make you edgy and bad-tempered.

One’s nicotine craving can happen any time during the day or night. If it occurs at night, it affects sleep, which can have an undesirable effect the following day. Lack of sleep makes you tired, irritable and also impacts concentration. This can turn into a vicious circle. You smoke at night, thinking it will put you to sleep. But, the nicotine only stimulates you and interrupts your sleep, resulting in tiredness during the next day.

Smoking does not Relax
Many smokers think cigarettes help them to relax, besides making them look cool in a social milieu. However, instead of relaxing, cigarettes energize them. When combined with alcohol, nicotine increases the blood pressure and heart rate, which elates the smoker.

Smoking also leads to ‘smoker’s cough’, which affects sleep at night. When combined with coffee before bedtime, smoking can have a debilitating effect on sleep, as caffeine and nicotine can both act in combination to give you a sleepless night. Try to replace nicotine with something healthy such as a massage or herbal tea.

Withdrawal Symptoms are Temporary
There are many causes for sleep problems such as work patterns, stress, snoring and caffeine. But, if you are a regular smoker, nicotine is surely a cause for your insomnia. If you try to stop smoking, the withdrawal symptoms may affect your sleep. But, this is a temporary phenomenon which usually disappears in a few weeks. So, do not be disheartened.

Ways to Quit Smoking
We list a few tried and tested methods to quit smoking:

• Exercises such as swimming or walking help to minimize nicotine cravings.
• Deal with withdrawal symptoms by chewing gum or using nicotine patches.
• Call a helpline or support group, and take encouragement from family and friends.
• Try acupuncture for help.
• Get professional help from established practitioners.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services claims that in 2007 approximately 64 million Americans suffer from insomnia every year on a regular basis. Insomnia happens to be 1.4 times more common among women, rather than men.
Symptoms of insomnia

• Poor focus and concentration.
• Impaired coordination of the motor.
• Memory difficulty.
• Possibilities of motor accidents due to lack of sleep.
• Impairment in social interactions and irritability.

Causes of Insomnia

• Psychoactive drugs or rather stimulants, which include medications, herbs  cocaine, caffeine, ephedrine, amphetamines, modafinil etc.
• Fluoroquinolone antibiotic drugs.
• Injury or condition that causes pain.
• Restless Legs Syndrome.
• Mental disorder such as bipolar disorder, anxiety, clinical depression,hormonal shifts that precede menstruation and  those that occur during menopause.
  Shift duties.
• Jet lag.
• Neurological disorders.
• Brain lesions.
• Improper sleep hygiene.
• Parasites can be a cause for intestinal disturbances which can affect sleep.
• Estrogen influences.

Treatment of Insomnia

• Non-pharmacologic(non-medical).
• Pharmacologic (medical)

It is advisable to make use of both forms of treatment to deal with insomnia. One has to identify the underlying cause whether it is physical in nature or psychological and treat it accordingly. Treating insomnia without ascertaining the cause may not be very successful. When insomnia becomes chronic many seek medical advice.

Prevention of Insomnia
For Jet lag:

• Behavioral therapy and short term drug therapy.
• In case of a trip adjust your sleeping time to coincide with your destination schedule.
• Tranquilizers of short acting duration.

For Shift Changes:

• Behavioral therapy.
• Shift schedules clockwise, from days to evening time to night time
• Proper sleep habits.
• Supplement naps. The use of naps can be sorted out with  the help of a doctor..

For Stress

• Reassurance and support.
• Knowing about proper sleep habits.
• Short term treatment with medication.

Insomnia can make you feel tired and fatigued. One may not wake up feeling fresh. Proper sleep habits helps to lessen its effects.