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Narcolepsy: There’s a Nap for That

Narcolepsy: There’s a Nap for That. By Stacey Riddick, Cat Morgan, Kathy Hill, and Caroline Krumm. Regular Circadian Rhythm. Our bodies have an internal circadian biological clock which causes us to be sleepy

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Narcolepsy: There’s a Nap for That

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  1. Narcolepsy:There’s a Nap for That By Stacey Riddick, Cat Morgan, Kathy Hill, and Caroline Krumm

  2. Regular Circadian Rhythm • Our bodies have an internal circadian biological clock which causes us to be sleepy • Normal Night sleep: 8 hours, 4-6 sleep cycles (Non REM sleep—NREM) followed by REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement: when dreams occur)

  3. What is Narcolepsy? • REM sleep Disturbance • Classified as a brain disease • Chronic brain disorder that involved poor control of sleep-wake cycles • Most go straight into REM sleep after falling asleep instead of going through the 4 sleep stages • Most experience poor sleep at night and extreme sleepiness during the day

  4. An example of Narcolepsy in animals: Rusty the Narcoleptic dog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zVCYdrw-1o

  5. What Causes Narcolepsy? • Caused by missing neurotransmitter orexin • Scientists have found gene that is strongly associated with it • May be due to a deficiency in hypocretin (a chemical in the brain that regulates REM sleep) • Most likely a neurological dysfunction

  6. Symptoms • Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) • Cataplexy (loss of muscle tone-including drooping of eyelids) • Sleep paralysis (loss of muscle tension) • Hallucination • Sleep Attacks

  7. Diagnosis • Physical exam • Keeping a sleep diary • What time you fell asleep and woke up • How well you slept • What you ate/drank before falling asleep • Stress • Medications

  8. Specialized Tests • Specialized tests that are administered for sleep disorders by a sleep lab • Polysomnogram (PSG) • Multiple sleep latency test (MSLT)

  9. Polysomnogram • Measures in a sleep study: • Air flow in and out of the lungs during breathing • Blood oxygen levels • Body position • Brain waves (EEG) • Breathing effort and rate • Electrical activity of muscles • Eye movement • Heart rate • Multiple Sleep Latency test: • A polysomnogram administered specifically for narcolepsy because it measures tiredness during the day • Administered for about 7 hours during day

  10. Treatment • Cognitive-behavioral therapy: eases sleep anxiety • Treated by drugs to relieve narcolepsy’s sleepiness • Most physicians recommend: • Exercise in the afternoon • Avoid caffeine, spicy foods, and alcohol • Eat complex carbohydrates and protein in the evening • Warm milk and chamomile tea raises body temperature and helps induce sleepiness • Cut out electronics at least an hour before bed • Bedtime rituals such as a bath, reading a book, meditation, etc.

  11. Sources: • http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/narcolepsy/detail_narcolepsy.htm • http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/narcolepsy • http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/ss/slideshow-sleep-disorders-overview • http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003932.htm • Psychology Textbook 9thedition • David G. Myers

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