Narcolepsy
Alternate Names : Daytime sleep disorder, Cataplexy
Definition
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes excessive sleepiness and frequent daytime sleep attacks.
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Narcolepsy is a nervous system disorder, not a mental illness. Anxiety does not cause narcolepsy. Experts believe that narcolepsy is caused by reduced amounts of a protein called hypocretin, which is made in the brain. What causes the brain to produce less of this protein is unclear. Narcolepsy tends to run in families.
Conditions that cause insomnia, such as disrupted work schedules, can make narcolepsy worse.
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