What is the difference between insomnia and narcolepsy

Hot weather can make it difficult to sleep during a Florida summer! The best way to determine if you have a sleep disorder is to speak with your primary care physician, who will determine a plan of action for you. Sleep helps us recover from injuries or illness, and keeps us at the top of our game for work and school! Occasional bad nights of sleep happen. When your sleep is regularly interrupted — or you have difficulty falling asleep at all — the Pulmonary and Sleep Disorder doctors at Florida Medical Clinic can help you get back those restful nights of shut-eye you deserve.

Make an appointment online today. Blog Home. Author Florida Medical Clinic. Insomnia : When a person is unable to fall asleep, or has difficulty staying asleep, they are experiencing insomnia. Just about everyone will experience symptoms of insomnia at some point during their lives. Insomnia becomes problematic when it is a chronic issue.

Sleep Apnea : The nightly sleep cycle is disturbed when breathing is interrupted, preventing the individual from getting crucial REM sleep.

Though not enough to diagnose NT2, the presence of short, refreshing naps and interrupted nighttime sleep help distinguish narcolepsy from other hypersomnias.

There is no cure for narcolepsy type 1 or type 2. The goals of treatment for narcolepsy are improving patient safety, reducing symptoms, and enhancing quality of life.

For many people with narcolepsy, the disease remains generally stable over time. In some cases, certain symptoms may improve as the patient ages , and rarely, remission of symptoms may happen spontaneously. So far, experts do not know why the disease unfolds differently in different people. Treatments for NT1 and NT2 are similar except that NT2 does not involve potentially taking any medications for cataplexy.

A combination of medical and behavioral approaches can significantly decrease but not eliminate symptoms. Some level of EDS normally persists despite treatment. Behavioral approaches are non-medical forms of therapy, and there are multiple ways that they can be incorporated into the daily habits of people with narcolepsy.

Although behavioral approaches are frequently helpful, most people with narcolepsy also receive treatment with medications to help control one or more symptoms. Medications for narcolepsy often provide symptom improvement, but they can also cause side effects. These drugs require a prescription and should be used carefully and according to the instructions provided by a doctor and pharmacist. Not all medications work for all patients, and some patients may experience more bothersome side effects or interactions with other drugs.

Working closely with the doctor can help identify the medication and dosage with the best balance of benefits and downsides. Treatment for children with narcolepsy is similar to treatment in adults, but additional precautions may be taken when choosing medications and their dosages.

A cardiovascular evaluation is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics before children start taking stimulant medications. There is limited data about the safety of most drugs used to treat narcolepsy in women who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding.

A survey found that the majority of experts recommend stopping narcolepsy medications when trying to conceive as well as when pregnant and breastfeeding. Discontinuing medication may require changes to behavioral approaches and other accommodations to safely cope with symptoms without medication. Eric Suni has over a decade of experience as a science writer and was previously an information specialist for the National Cancer Institute.

DeBanto is a medical doctor and gastroenterologist with 20 years of experience in obesity management and related issues such as sleep apnea. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder marked by excessive daytime sleepiness EDS , which can cause significant health consequences for children, teens,….

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that affects one in 2, Americans. Although people may begin experiencing symptoms at any age,…. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies.

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Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias. Narcolepsy What it is, its causes, and the steps that can help manage it. Updated February 17, Written by Eric Suni.

Medically Reviewed by John DeBanto. What Are the Types of Narcolepsy? How Common Is Narcolepsy? What Are the Symptoms of Narcolepsy? What Are the Effects of Narcolepsy? What Causes Narcolepsy? How Is Narcolepsy Diagnosed? What Are the Treatments for Narcolepsy? What Is Narcolepsy? Related Reading. Sign up below for your free gift. Your privacy is important to us. Was this article helpful? Yes No. Narcolepsy fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Register now for access to doctors 24 hours a day. What is the difference between narcolepsy and insomnia? Share this page:. Other questions related to Narcolepsy What are the sleep stages for people with narcolepsy? Symptoms can partially improve over time, but they will never disappear completely.

The most typical symptoms are excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations. Though all have excessive daytime sleepiness, only 10 to 25 percent of affected individuals will experience all of the other symptoms during the course of their illness. A condition known as secondary narcolepsy can result from an injury to the hypothalamus, a region deep in the brain that helps regulate sleep. In addition to experiencing the typical symptoms of narcolepsy, individuals may also have severe neurological problems and sleep for long periods more than 10 hours each night.

Narcolepsy may have several causes. Nearly all people with narcolepsy who have cataplexy have extremely low levels of the naturally occurring chemical hypocretin, which promotes wakefulness and regulates REM sleep. Hypocretin levels are usually normal in people who have narcolepsy without cataplexy.

Although the cause of narcolepsy is not completely understood, current research suggests that narcolepsy may be the result of a combination of factors working together to cause a lack of hypocretin. These factors include:. A clinical examination and detailed medical history are essential for diagnosis and treatment of narcolepsy.

Individuals may be asked by their doctor to keep a sleep journal noting the times of sleep and symptoms over a one- to two-week period. Although none of the major symptoms are exclusive to narcolepsy, cataplexy is the most specific symptom and occurs in almost no other diseases. A physical exam can rule out or identify other neurological conditions that may be causing the symptoms. Two specialized tests, which can be performed in a sleep disorders clinic, are required to establish a diagnosis of narcolepsy:.

Occasionally, it may be helpful to measure the level of hypocretin in the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. To perform this test, a doctor will withdraw a sample of the cerebrospinal fluid using a lumbar puncture also called a spinal tap and measure the level of hypocretin In the absence of other serious medical conditions, low hypocretin-1 levels almost certainly indicate type 1 narcolepsy.

Although there is no cure for narcolepsy, some of the symptoms can be treated with medicines and lifestyle changes. When cataplexy is present, the loss of hypocretin is believed to be irreversible and lifelong. Excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy can be controlled in most individuals with medications. Not everyone with narcolepsy can consistently maintain a fully normal state of alertness using currently available medications. Drug therapy should accompany various lifestyle changes.

The following strategies may be helpful:.