Narcolepsy is a condition that negatively impacts a person's ability to stay awake. Those with this condition will often feel incredibly tired throughout the day, even if they have gotten enough rest at night. Unfortunately, this neurological disorder is still a bit of a mystery to medical professionals. While there is not that much information on the exact causes of narcolepsy, researchers continue to perform studies to gather more information on the condition. Anyone who feels tired and is always falling asleep at random should speak with their primary doctor and ask for a referral to visit a sleep center.
What Happens at Sleep Center?
A sleep center is a place where you will go to have a sleep study performed on you. Medical professionals will monitor patterns throughout the night while you are resting. You get to bring items from the home to increase your comfort, such as your favorite blanket, pillow, and pajamas.
It is vital for you to feel as good as you usually would when sleeping to help the medical professionals get accurate results while examining you. While you are sleeping, the professionals perform polysomnography to monitor how your brain operates while you sleep. Along with monitoring the brain, the professionals will keep an eye on breathing patterns and different movements you might make throughout the night.
What Is the Reason for the Visit?
Once an individual visits the sleep center and gets monitored for their sleeping patterns, it is easier for medical professionals to diagnose the patient's condition accurately. A medical professional will review the information from the polysomnography and ask you a few important questions about sleep behaviors that you might have, such as falling asleep at random while trying to do different things. You might fall asleep when watching a movie, completing an assignment, or working in an office. Getting a diagnosis for a sleep disorder could help you take the next steps to undergo treatment that might improve the problem. If you do have a sleep disorder, a physician may need to prescribe medication for you to take to ease the symptoms of it.
Narcolepsy is a serious sleep condition that can cause you to feel tired all the time, even after getting a full night's sleep. If you feel like you can never get enough sleep and fall asleep at random times and in unexpected places, talk to your physician about visiting a sleep center for monitoring. If you do have the condition, you need a proper diagnosis to receive the right treatment.
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