SLEEP DISORDER
Have you ever, upon
waking or falling asleep, tried to move your body but could not? Perhaps upon
waking, the only part of your body you could move are your eyes (which you may
not be able to open but can feel). You feel conscious of your environment and
perhaps conscious of the presence of someone else in the room (when there may
be no one else really). This other presence moves from one part of the room to
another, says somethings which you do not recall when you finally gain control
over your voluntary muscles and tries to suffocate you at some point. El.o.el.
Calm down. Ok! Perhaps this is not exactly what you experienced, or you
experienced worse. Either ways what you may have experienced is medically
termed ‘sleep paralysis’, not ‘your village members are at work’.
This article is titled ‘Sleep
Paralysis’ and will be, ephemerally, discussing the definition and types of
sleep paralysis. It is important to note that sleep paralysis is a sleep
disorder and is sometimes a symptom of narcolepsy (and not tse-tse fly bite you)
which It will be treated too. Kindly read up.
WHAT
IS SLEEP PARALYSIS?
Sleep paralysis
is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person
passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you
may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Some
people may also feel pressure or a sense of choking. Sleep paralysis may
accompany other sleep disorders such as narcolepsy. Narcolepsy
is an overpowering need to sleep caused by a problem with the brain's ability
to regulate sleep.
When Does Sleep
Paralysis Usually Occur?
Sleep paralysis
usually occurs at one of two times. If it occurs while you are falling asleep,
it's called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis. If it happens as you are
waking up, it's called hypnopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis.
What Happens With
Hypnagogic Sleep Paralysis?
As you fall
asleep, your body slowly relaxes. Usually you become less aware, so you do not
notice the change. However, if you remain or become aware while falling asleep,
you may notice that you cannot move or speak.
What Happens With
Hypnopompic Sleep Paralysis?
During sleep, your body alternates between REM (rapid eye
movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. One cycle of REM and NREM
sleep lasts about 90 minutes. NREM sleep occurs first and takes up to 75% of
your overall sleep time. During NREM sleep, your body relaxes and restores
itself. At the end of NREM, your sleep shifts to REM. Your eyes move
quickly and dreams occur, but the rest of your body remains very relaxed.
Your muscles are "turned off" during REM sleep. If you become aware
before the REM cycle has finished, you may notice that you cannot move or
speak.
SOURCE: WEBMD
NARCOLEPSY:
The symptoms of
narcolepsy most commonly begin between the ages of 10 and 25. They may worsen
for the first few years, and then continue for life. They include:
·
Excessive
daytime sleepiness. People with
narcolepsy fall asleep without warning, anywhere, anytime. For example, you may
suddenly nod off while working or talking with friends. You may sleep for a few
minutes or up to a half-hour before awakening and feeling refreshed, but
eventually you fall asleep again.
You also may experience decreased alertness
throughout the day. Excessive daytime sleepiness usually is the first symptom
to appear and is often the most troublesome, making it difficult for you to
concentrate and fully function.
·
Sudden
loss of muscle tone. This condition,
called cataplexy (KAT-uh-plek-see), can cause a number of physical changes,
from slurred speech to complete weakness of most muscles, and may last for a
few seconds to a few minutes.
Cataplexy is uncontrollable and is triggered
by intense emotions, usually positive ones such as laughter or excitement, but
sometimes fear, surprise or anger. For example, your head may droop
uncontrollably or your knees may suddenly buckle when you laugh.
Some people with narcolepsy experience only
one or two episodes of cataplexy a year, while others have numerous episodes
daily. Not everyone with narcolepsy experiences cataplexy.
·
Sleep
paralysis. People with
narcolepsy often experience a temporary inability to move or speak while falling
asleep or upon waking. These episodes are usually brief — lasting a few seconds
or minutes — but can be frightening. You may be aware of the condition and have
no difficulty recalling it afterward, even if you had no control over what was
happening to you.
This sleep paralysis mimics the type of
temporary paralysis that normally occurs during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep,
the period of sleep during which most dreaming occurs. This temporary
immobility during REM sleep may prevent your body from acting out dream
activity.
Not everyone with sleep paralysis has
narcolepsy, however. Many people without narcolepsy experience some episodes of
sleep paralysis, especially in young adulthood.
·
Hallucinations. These hallucinations are called
hypnagogic hallucinations if they happen as you fall asleep and hypnopompic
hallucinations if they occur upon waking. They may be particularly vivid and
frightening because you may be semi-awake when you begin dreaming and you
experience your dreams as reality.
Other characteristics
People with narcolepsy
may have other sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in
which breathing starts and stops throughout the night, restless legs syndrome
and even insomnia. People with narcolepsy may also act out their dreams at
night by flailing their arms or kicking and screaming.
Some episodes of sleep
attacks are brief, lasting seconds. Some people with narcolepsy experience
automatic behavior during these brief episodes. For example, you may fall
asleep while performing a task you normally perform, such as writing, typing or
driving, and you continue to function while asleep. When you awaken, you can't
remember what you did, and you probably didn't do it well.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you
experience excessive daytime sleepiness that disrupts your personal or
professional life.
Normal sleep pattern
vs. narcolepsy
The normal process of
falling asleep begins with a phase called non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.
During this phase, your brain waves slow considerably. After an hour or so of
NREM sleep, your brain activity changes, and REM sleep begins. Most dreaming occurs
during REM sleep.
In narcolepsy,
however, you may suddenly enter into REM sleep without first experiencing NREM
sleep, both at night and during the day. Some of the characteristics of REM
sleep, such as cataplexy, sleep paralysis and hallucinations, occur during
wakefulness or drowsiness in people with narcolepsy.
SOURCE: MAYO CLINIC.
I hope this
article has been helpful. It is not every time you will call your pastor,
however if you keep experiencing sleep paralysis, without being narcoleptic, it
may be ‘your village people at work’. In other words, pray.
Nice piece
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteThanks for this
ReplyDeleteWonderful
ReplyDelete