Natural Herbal Medicine Options for Narcolepsy

Excessive sleepiness during the day could be a sign that you have a sleep disorder called narcolepsy. More than excessive sleepiness, people fall asleep anywhere at any time. Narcolepsy affects one in every 2,000 people, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Many people will suffer with it for years before being diagnosed, mainly because they don't consider it a disease and don't consult their doctor about it.

Symptoms

• A person with narcolepsy may fall into a deep sleep with little warning. It can happen at any time and anywhere and last for a few minutes to more than an hour. For people with severe narcolepsy, this might happen as many as 10 times a day. Other symptoms include loss of voluntary muscle tone, hallucinations upon falling asleep or upon awakening, and brief total paralysis at the beginning or end of sleep.

Effects

• Narcolepsy can lead a person to feel socially isolated from other people at work or at home. It can also lead to serious accidents. If a person falls asleep while standing up and collapses, it can cause injury to herself.

Treatment

• Typical treatment for narcolepsy includes medications, maintaining a sleep schedule that includes naps and avoiding caffeine before bed. Herbal remedies are also available. A doctor determines your treatment by first determining the severity of your narcolepsy. This involves conducting a sleep test at a hospital or sleep center. The patient checks in near bed time and is connected to devices that monitor eye activity, heart rate, airflow from the mouth and nose, chest and abdomen movement, oxygen levels in the blood, body position, and muscle movements. The patient is then monitored overnight while he sleeps and can leave the next morning.

Herbal Remedies

• Herbal supplements that have proven useful with narcoleptic patients are those that stimulate the body and provide energy. For example, cayenne is a strong stimulant. It increases blood flow by increasing and strengthening the pulse. Lecithin, which helps in the digestion of cholesterol, and flaxseed oil, which protects cell membranes, have also been known to aid people with narcolepsy.

Vitamins and Minerals

• You can also supplement your diet with additional vitamins and minerals that can help improve your energy levels and help head off narcoleptic attacks. Chromium boosts your energy by regulating your sugar metabolism. Free-form amino acids help brain function. Vitamins B, C, D and E all help increase energy levels in different ways.