I found out that I have narcolepsy, but what are the treatments for it besides medication?
I did both the multiple latency test and the polysmnogram test and they didnt find narcolepsy but they also did a narcolepsy panel and found that I tested positive. I noticed the symptoms I had were excessive daytime sleepiness, sometimes I hallucinate, sometimes I get sleep paralysis and during school I feel very sleep at the wrong times. I know the doctor will give me medication for it, but I am wondering is there any treatment for it besides medication? Like what can I do to cope with narcolepsy?
Tags: found, excessive daytime sleepiness, latency test, besides, medication, Treatments, NarcolepsyRelated posts:
Lot’s of tea and coffee!
Home Care Tips for Narcolepsy:
There are several things you can do at home to help improve the symptoms of narcolepsy and include the following:
Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Many people have an improvement in their symptoms if they maintain a regular sleep schedule, usually 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
Schedule naps during the day. One study suggested that the optimal sleep pattern is a combination of scheduled nighttime sleep (such as from 11:00 pm to 7:30 am) and two 15-minute naps throughout the day.
Avoid heavy meals and alcohol. Both can interfere with sleep.
Do not drive or operate machinery when you feel sleepy.
Exercise regularly.
Unfortunately, Narcolepsy is very difficult to control, even with medications. The truth is that most of us learned to cope naturally for YEARS and only get diagnosed when those tips and tricks begin to fail.
Always consult with your doctor, but the same things that are recommended for general health and general sleep health hold true for narcolepsy sufferers:
-maintain good sleep hygiene; go to bed and get up at the same time everyday, even weekends
-devote at least 8 hours to sleep, (even though you probably won’t actually get that full 8 hours)
-avoid eating, exercising, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulation at least 2 hours before bed.
-maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine, try to stay at a healthy weight
-keeping a routine in other areas can help with memory and cognitive function
-planning for naps of 15-20 minutes a couple of times a day during your worst times can help you be more alert the rest of the day, since you are not fighting episodes
-ask to record lectures and classes in case you fall asleep so you can review them later
-be aware of the signs of sleep deprivation: weight gain, eating disorders (especially carbohydrate cravings), depression, anxiety, irritability, short term memory loss, problems with cognitive function and speaking. Seek treatment and/or counseling if they become bothersome or get worse.
-utilize support systems. Family, friends, physicians, counselors, support groups. People who don’t have narcolepsy have a hard time understanding it, but hopefully they will still listen to and support you when you need to vent.
Best of luck!
-Jessica Stanton
Founder, PlanetNarcolepsy.com
jess@planetnarcolepsy.com