If you find yourself constantly feeling drowsy or having trouble staying awake throughout the day, it may be time to get your fatigue checked out. It could be a sign of narcolepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), or another cause.
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that affects the way your body regulates your sleep-wake cycle. It causes excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep attacks, and sudden instances of muscle weakness called cataplexy.
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that affects the way the brain regulates sleep-wake cycles. Individuals with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), which makes it difficult to stay alert during the day.
EDS can cause problems in many areas of life, including work, school, and social relationships. In addition, it can heighten the risk of accidents and injuries.
Excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, and other symptoms can make it difficult to perform everyday activities. Narcolepsy is also associated with a higher risk of depression and other mental health issues.
Narcolepsy can be diagnosed with a medical history and physical exam by a healthcare provider. Additional tests are sometimes needed to confirm the diagnosis. Narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and shift work-related sleep disturbances are among the sleep disorders for which Modalert 200 Australia is used as a treatment in medicine.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex, long-term illness that affects many body systems. People with this illness are not able to do their normal activities and may be confined to bed.
The symptoms of CFS often worsen after physical or mental effort and don’t get better with rest. It is also called systemic exceptional intolerance disease (SEID).
Treatment for CFS is aimed at alleviating symptoms and improving your quality of life. Your doctor will help you decide what kind of treatment is best for you and how to manage your symptoms.
Other causes of fatigue
If you’re tired and groggy during the day, it could be a sign of narcolepsy or another sleep disorder. Your healthcare provider can help you find out if your fatigue is related to narcolepsy by asking about your sleep habits and carrying out tests. The wakefulness-promoting medication Waklert Tablet is used as part of the treatment for daytime sleepiness brought on by conditions like sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and shift work sleep disorder.
Fatigue caused by heart disease: A person with heart disease may feel physically weak and experience a rapid, irregular heartbeat (palpitations). Treatment for heart disease can restore your energy.
Lifestyle causes of fatigue: Getting enough sleep and eating a healthy diet can improve your energy levels. However, poor diets or quick-fix foods, and sugary or caffeinated drinks that don’t provide your body with the fuel and nutrients it needs to function at its best can contribute to fatigue.
Shift work can also lead to fatigue, as the human body is designed to sleep during the night. The brain’s circadian clock is disrupted when you work night shifts. Changing your schedule and working at a different time of day can help alleviate fatigue.
Treatment
Narcolepsy can be treated with a combination of medications and lifestyle changes. These include setting a regular sleep schedule, taking short naps during the day, and exercising regularly.
Symptoms vary from person to person, but common ones are excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep attacks, and sudden instances of muscle weakness called cataplexy. People with narcolepsy often have vivid, frightening sensory hallucinations as they fall asleep or while they are still awake, called hypnagogic hallucinations.
Some patients also experience automatic behavior when they are half asleep or wake up, like continuing to talk or work while they are still in bed. This can lead to accidents.
Symptoms can have a significant impact on a person’s ability to function and engage in social situations and take a heavy toll on their quality of life. It is important that patients seek help and understand their condition. Support from family, friends and employers can be helpful.