![]() This latter episode is termed “ sleep paralysis.” The symptom can be brief, usually lasting only a few seconds or minutes, but it can make you feel helpless and be extremely frightening. But in people with narcolepsy, the paralysis happens at the wrong time, when they’re awake (which is cataplexy) or while they’re falling asleep or just waking up. When we enter the REM phase of sleep, we dream, and our bodies naturally paralyze the muscles so that we don’t act out our dreams and potentially injure ourselves while we sleep. (That’s why cataplexy is sometimes mistaken for a symptom of a seizure disorder.) Some people may experience only one or two cataplexy attacks in their entire lives, while others may have as many as several episodes a day. During episodes, people are typically awake and aware of what’s happening, even if they cannot control their affected muscles. Cataplexy attacks may be mild, such as a slight drooping of the eyelids, or can involve losing muscle control in the hands, knees, or in some cases, the entire body.ĭepending on what part of your body is affected, cataplexy may cause your head to nod, your hand to drop something, your speech to become slurred, or your facial muscles to go slack - or you may fall down or collapse as a result.Ī cataplexy attack may last for a few seconds or a few minutes, and it may go away on its own (meaning the person regains control of their muscles). It happens when an individual experiences a strong emotion, such as excitement, happiness, stress, surprise, anger, or fear. While it’s common for people with narcolepsy to experience one or more of these symptoms, fewer than one-third experience all of them.Ĭataplexy is the sudden, temporary, and uncontrollable loss of muscle tone and control. “Someone may present with cataplexy and then develop other symptoms,” says Eric Olson, MD, a professor of medicine and sleep medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic and member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Obesity and depression can contribute to daytime drowsiness, too.
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