Narcolepsy: More than just a catnap...

Most of us know what it's like to drift into sleep while sitting in a class or meeting after a sleepless night. Your head bobs and weaves, voices become distant drones, and you finally succumb to eyelids that seem to be weighed down by iron. Still, if you can catch up on lost sleep, you can usually count on being alert the next day. But what if, no matter how much sleep you get, you continue to fall asleep uncontrollably - while driving a car, giving a presentation or even during an intimate moment with a loved one?

Narcolepsy is derived from the Greek word 'narke', meaning 'stupor'. This sleep disorder is characterised by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sleep 'attacks' which affect a persons ability to stay awake, regardless of the circumstances.

Waking up is hard to do...

Although the cause of Narcolepsy still remains a bit of a mystery, it is known to be a neurological disorder that affects the 'sleep-wake' mechanisms in the brain.

The normal process of falling asleep begins with a phase called Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep. During this phase, the brain waves slow down considerably. After an hour or two of NREM sleep, the brain gets bored and decides to call for a bit of action to liven things up...

As a consequence, brain activity picks up again, and REM (no, not the well-known pop group!) 'bursts into song' and so begins the REM phase of sleep. Most dreams occur during REM sleep.

Narcolepsy is caused due to the brain signals getting their timing mixed up; a dysfunction in this region of the brain that normally controls these functions, just doesn't synchronise in the way that it's supposed to. People with this disorder may, at any time begin to feel drowsy then fall instantly into 'dream sleep'.

After a few minutes they may wake up feeling refreshed - only to have another sleep attack in as little as an hour.