Narcolepsy is a condition wherein an individual falls asleep at random, without any particular reason due to excessive daytime sleepiness. Doctors make an initial diagnosis of narcolepsy by gauging your tendency of daytime sleepiness and cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle tone). After the initial prognosis, your doctor will refer to a sleep specialist for further evaluation of the disorder.

Your sleep specialist would conduct an in-depth analysis of your sleep by requiring you to stay at a sleep center overnight. There are several methods used for diagnosing narcolepsy and gauging its severity, they include:

• Sleep history– The consulting doctor might ask for a detailed analysis of your sleep. One part of your detailed analysis is filling out the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. This scale comprises a questionnaire gauging your tendency to sleep.
• Sleep records– Your doctor might ask you to keep a detailed analysis of your sleep pattern for a couple of weeks. They utilize these sleep records to understand your sleep pattern and alertness.
• Polysomnography– This test uses electrodes, which are placed on your scalp, to gauge a wide variety of signals. This test can only be conducted at a medical facility equipped to do such tests. The test measures various kind of electrical activity of the heart (electrocardiogram) and brain (electroencephalogram). It also measures the movement of the eyes (electro-oculogram) and muscles (electromyogram). This test also measures the breathing pattern too.
• Multiple sleep latency tests– This test helps in measuring the time duration that it takes for a person to fall asleep during the daytime. During this test, you will be required to take naps several times in a day and the sleep specialists will monitor your sleep. People suffering from narcolepsy fall asleep rapidly and enter into REM (rapid eye movement) sleep quickly.

All of these tests help your doctor to reach out to a reasonable conclusion about your condition. Other sleep-related disorder like chronic sleep deprivation, sleep apnea and use of sedatives can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness.

Treatment options for Narcolepsy–
To put it simply, there is no cure for narcolepsy. However, with the help of various lifestyle changes and certain medications, it can be managed well.

Medications–
The various medications for narcolepsy include–

• Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) or Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) – Many doctors often recommend these medications to help manage the symptoms of hypnagogic hallucinations, cataplexy and sleep paralysis. The medications include venlafaxine and fluoxetine. Side effects for such medicine can include weight gain, digestive problem, and insomnia.
• Stimulants– Doctors also recommend medicines like armodafinil and modafinil for treating symptoms of narcolepsy. These medications stimulate the central nervous system so that people stay awake during the day.
• Tricyclic antidepressants– These older antidepressants are useful in treating cataplexy. However, they do have side effects like lightheadedness and dry mouth.
• Sodium oxybate (Xyrem)– This medicine helps in treating cataplexy as it improves nighttime sleep. When used in high does it also controls daytime sleepiness.

If you have other disorders apart from narcolepsy, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, you should always inform your doctor about the same. This is because there are various medicines which may interact with those given for treating narcolepsy.