All About Narcolepsy – Drugs, Side Effects, and Other Concerns

Sleep is an essential part of almost any living thing’s existence. You can think of it as our reset button. After a long day of work and responsibilities, we need to sleep to offset all of that. It is the best form of rest and nothing will ever change that.

Even though some people might say that they do not need it, there will come a time that they would just collapse. We are not robots, and normal humans can survive only up to three days without any sleep. That does not include any kind of major or physically-exhausting tasks. However, what happens if this becomes too much?

Narcolepsy is a condition wherein you cannot control your sleeping pattern. It is a rather pervasive disorder, and many doctors are still not sure of its origin. However, it is something that should be taken seriously. There are a lot of reasons why this can affect other people. It may lead to other complications as well.

However, how will you ever know if you have this certain condition? Aside from going to the doctor, there are some signs that you might need to take note of while you are living your everyday life.

Sleeping Too Much Is Unhealthy Too, You Know

One of the worst symptoms that you might experience is excessive sleepiness. Now, this might not be something that would worry you. After all, anyone likes to sleep aside from children. If you have narcolepsy though, it is quite different.

You will experience this every time you are supposed to be awake. This becomes a potential danger if you are in a public place or manning dangerous equipment. It can even happen while you are driving, and there are documented cases about this. Sometimes, it even becomes fatal and could lead to life-threatening injuries and financial ruin as this page shows.

On the other hand, it is not just during the day that you can experience issues. At night, most people who have this disorder can experience night terrors. You might have a bad quality of sleep.

Even though you have exceeded the normal 6 to 8 hours, you still feel tired and worn after waking up. This is because you are in the middle of being awake and asleep. Your body can never get the proper rest that it needs to recover. Couple that with whatever is happening during the day and you would have a recipe for a horrible waking and sleeping experience.

You need to take note though that this is different from being too sleepy every morning. It can be due to another issue, like apnea or stress. Believe or not, the latter contributes to more sleep-related problems than any other disorder.

Fortunately, that is rather easy to fix. With just a few good nights, you can easily go back to a normal routine and restore your circadian rhythm. Meanwhile, having narcolepsy can complicate a lot of things. After going to a doctor for a proper diagnosis, you may need to take medications. There are many kinds of medicines available in the market but not all of them are effective.

Unfortunately, there is no cure yet for narcolepsy. Many scientists and experts have been trying to find a solution to this particular disorder. From surgeries to traditional medicine, most of them have already been tested. Not all of them succeeded, while others only have therapeutic claims and still left unproven.

Understandably, some people who have this condition are becoming desperate. Even worse, they might not even know they have this illness. However, there has been some development in this field. For example, modafinil has been becoming more popular these days.

What Medications Are Available

Despite supposed modafinil’s adverse effects, this particular drug has been used for a long time. Think of this compound as a more powerful version of caffeine: it can keep you awake for longer periods. Some studies have also claimed that it can improve your focus, something that people with narcolepsy might lack. This is also the reason why others have been using this as a substitute for their nootropic needs.

However, many doctors have suggested that it might do more harm than good if a healthier person will use this. Unfortunately, this has not stopped the buying and selling on smaller scales across the country.

As mentioned before, taking modafinil may have some side effects. Frequent headaches seem to be the most common complaints of those who use this often. Another side effect is also experiencing hallucinations as this link: https://www.healthline.com/health/hallucinations says and hearing voices in their heads.

You also need to be careful as some might be allergic to the substance. It also increases your chances of having hypertension and heart problems. This just usually manifests after a long period of use. This still does not change the fact that it can still be potentially dangerous.

When dealing with medicines, you must have a physician's advice regarding your health. Listening to them would be for your own good since they have the expertise to do so. If you are going for a doctor’s appointment, make sure that you have everything with you.

Narcolepsy is not something that you can easily track and diagnose quickly. There is a process that needs to be done before you can even understand the start of the sessions. Most of the checkups can be done overnight as well.

Modafinil might seem like a wonder drug, and a part of that statement is true. There have been peaks of performance for those who took it and the others who just gave up. Whether you want a nice boost for the day or just enough energy to sustain yourself, there is always something for you.

However, you would not want to depend on it as it can still make or break your conditions. Modafinil has lower chances of becoming an addictive substance, but your body might get used to it. Stay safe, and always ask a doctor if you have this condition.