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Do you know? Why do you feel like you're sleep deprived during the day even if you sleep for a long time at night?
Sleeping is a vital daily activity for many people, however, some people still feel tired and groggy during the day even if they get a decent amount of sleep each day. This phenomenon is clinically called "excessive daytime sleepiness" (EDS). According to statistics, this is especially true for those affected by narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that disrupts the sleep and wake cycles, particularly rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
The main symptoms of narcolepsy include excessive daytime sleepiness, dreamlike sleep hallucinations, sleep paralysis, nighttime sleep disturbances, and muscle weakness (also called cataplexy). Even though patients sleep the same number of hours a day as healthy people, the quality of their sleep is often greatly compromised.
First, let’s look at how these symptoms affect patients’ daily lives. Many people with narcolepsy feel tired during the day even if they get enough sleep each night because they are unable to enjoy normal deep sleep. This is because the density of REM sleep is abnormally high in people with narcolepsy, and they may experience muscle weakness during wakefulness similar to that seen in REM sleep.
Research shows that there are two main types of narcolepsy: narcolepsy type 1 and narcolepsy type 2. People with narcolepsy type 1 generally experience muscle weakness and low levels of orexin, which is essential for regulating wakefulness and REM sleep. People with narcolepsy type 2 generally experience no muscle weakness and low levels of orexin. The level is normal.
In some cases, low acquisition of influenza may be related to an autoimmune response, especially after infection with H1N1 influenza. This condition requires an individual to have a genetic susceptibility for such a disease to occur.
The cause of this state is not fully understood, but may involve the interaction of multiple factors, including genetic inheritance, environmental effects, and abnormal responses of the immune system. For many people with narcolepsy, the diagnosis process can be quite lengthy because the symptoms are very similar to other sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea or major depression.
In addition to medical intervention, the help of lifestyle changes to patients cannot be underestimated. Moderate daily exercise, a regular sleep schedule, and avoiding excess caffeine and alcohol can all play a positive role. Patients sometimes also need external social support to better face various challenges in life.
The drugs used are usually stimulants, aiming to increase the patient's alertness and improve their wakefulness during the day. Drugs include modafinil, amphetamines, etc. In some cases, antidepressants are also used as adjunctive therapy to treat muscle weakness.
According to some studies, the incidence of narcolepsy may be as high as 600 per 100,000 people. The disease can occur at any age, but most people are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 36. Over time, narcolepsy will not only affect the patient's work and study efficiency, but may also lead to serious consequences such as traffic accidents.
For unaffected people, the normal sleep process consists of several stages, including light sleep and deep sleep. In people with narcolepsy, this process is disrupted, causing them to sleep too quickly. Entering REM sleep lacks the necessary deep sleep.
This phenomenon puts narcolepsy patients in a state of "sleep deprivation", which in turn affects their quality of life.
So, in our lives, what methods can effectively improve the quality of sleep and avoid fatigue during the day?
