Sleeping Disorders

Millions of Americans of all ages are affected by sleeping disorder, many with severe, chronic sleep deprivation. Sleeping disorders are among the most common disorders in the world, considering over 40 million people are suffering from all types of them, including Narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a common sleeping disorder that affects about one in every 1000 people. Narcolepsy is a perplexing neurological disorder that causes cataplexy, the loss of skeletal muscle tone without loss of consciousness, and persistent daytime sleepiness. These cataplectic attacks of narcolepsy can be triggered by exceedingly strong emotions such as laughter, embarrassment, anger, and athletic or sexual exertion. Many people have witnessed a peer or relative suffer from a narcoleptic attack, which is seemingly funny, seeing someone spontaneously fall asleep, but in reality is a serious disorder. The problem with Narcolepsy is that there is no known cause of it, and scientists have yet to find a cure. Some people are symptomatic of the disorder around age 10, but the majority of the people affected are diagnosed around ages 20-25. Narcolepsy is not a very rare disease, considering about 200,000 Americans are suffering from it, but the puzzling matter is where exactly did it come from. We do know that Narcolepsy was first described in Germany in the year 1877 by a man named Westphal. Gelineau first labeled the disorder "Narcolepsy" in the year 1880, but he was unsure of the real symptoms of it. Scientists have sat for numerous hours observing brain neurons and genes to find out how these cataplectic attacks occur and why it happens. Scientists have found out thought that Narcolepsy can affect humans and animals, and also men and women. Researchers have also discovered abnormalities in various parts of the brain involved in regulating REM sleep that appear to contribute to symptom development. Experts now believe it is likely that-similar to many other complex, chronic neurological diseases-narcolepsies involves multiple factors interacting to cause neurological dysfunction and REM sleep disturbances. These discoveries are all very helpful to the disorder, yet treatment is still very ineffective, and Narcolepsy can lead to early death.