Frequently Asked Questions

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder. The principal symptoms are excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), cataplexy (loss of muscle tone), hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, disrupted night-time sleep and automatic behaviour (being unaware of what you are doing). A person suffering from narcolepsy may have some or all of these symptoms.

For more information, see our Narcolepsy and Cataplexy page.

No, not at this time, but with appropriate medication and correct eating habits, a person with narcolepsy can live a good life.

No. People with narcolepsy live a normal life-span.

Cataplexy is an abrupt loss of voluntary muscle tone, usually triggered by emotional arousal. Attacks can range in severity from a brief sensation of weakness to total physical collapse lasting several minutes.

Hypnagogic hallucinations are intense, vivid dreams, sometimes ccompanied by frightening auditory, visual and tactile sensations, and usually occur just on wakening or falling asleep, but may occur at other times. They are often extremely difficult to distinguish from reality.

Sleep paralysis is the inability to move when waking up or falling asleep. This may be momentary, or longer, or multiple attacks may occur. This condition can be terrifying, especially if it occurs with a frightening hypnagogic hallucination.

No , although it can be very frightening at the time if you don't know what is happening, it is not harmful.

Automatic Behaviour is when you are 'asleep on your feet' so to speak and are not aware of what you are doing.

Please contact the NODSS Nurse-Counsellor for more information (see 'contacts' page).

When taken correctly, in the prescribed dosage, narcoleptics do not become addicted to their medication.

No. Although some herbal compounds, such as guarana, can be used to aid a narcoleptic's normal medications, when needed.

Although we know of no current research on this matter, we do have many members who have taken there medication with no side affects to them or their children. In fact we have members who are now grandmothers, with no problems noted in their children or grandchildren.

Although it may not happen, in some cases people with Idiopathic Hypersomnia develop Narcolepsy.

The treatment used is the same.

No, although they can be of some use in the short term.

No, although it can be somewhat uncomfortable, you can not be electrocuted or come to any other harm.

You will be in a private room, but there will be a nurse and/or sleep technician in the next room - just a ring of your bell away!

Yes, just ring, and the nurse will come and assist you.

Yes, it is a very well established method of analysing sleep conditions, and some disorders and conditions would not be diabnosed without a sleep study.

No, it sometimes needs more than one sleep study for a full diagnosis. Sleep studies are also used for patients with sleep apnoeas to callibrate their CPAP machines to the correct settings for optimum sleep. Sleep studies are also often used in research, for many different sleep disorders.

See the 'Sleep Apnoeas' page.

Yes. Sleep apnoea is a very dangerous condition, potentially causing heart failure and death. It is a serious condition which should not be ignored.

Yes, it can, although it takes a fairly long time and it requires the sufferer to follow the treatment assiduously.

Yes, they can, although it can take time to find the treatment most suited to the individual patient.

Yes! Untreated, sleep disorders potentially cause more accidents at the home, on the road and in the workplace than any other single causes except alcohol or illicit drugs. They should never be ignored.