“I Had Narcolepsy For Over 10 Years And Didn’t Know”

Jana has narcolepsy but for over a decade she didn't know. When she would laugh, her body would collapse briefly. She'd fall asleep at her desk and hallucinate at night. At age 31, she was finally diagnosed and it changed her life. Subscribe to ABC Science YouTube 👉 https://ab.co/2YFO4Go

Sincere thanks to Jana for sharing her story ❤️

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder where the brain is unable to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. People with narcolepsy often face excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden sleep attacks, sleep paralysis and hallucinations. Jana has type one narcolepsy which is typically more severe and involves cataplexy – sudden muscle weakness during moments of high emotion.

The exact cause is unclear, but in some people with narcolepsy there’s a lack of the brain chemical, hypocretin (or orexin). It’s thought their immune systems mistakenly attack the cells that produce hypocretin or the receptors that help it work.

Narcolepsy is rare, affecting around 1 in 3,000 people globally. Diagnosis is made by a sleep doctor after running a sleep study. There is currently no cure for narcolepsy. Treatment involves scheduled napping, medication (which can be costly) and lifestyle changes. For more information, see the below:
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/h...
https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org...
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/program...
https://www.hypersomnolenceaustralia....

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