Myth: Narcoleptics just need more sleep.
If someone is sleepy they should get more sleep, right? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple with narcolepsy. Dr. Clark explained, “People just assume just getting more sleep can fix their problem but this disease is more than just daytime sleepiness. Narcolepsy causes a person’s sleep quality to be poor regardless of the amount of sleep that they obtain.”
Myth: People with narcolepsy sleep a lot.
As much time people with narcolepsy spend not sleeping, people wrongly assume they are sleeping – maybe even sleeping excessively. They may nap more than the average person, but research shows that narcoleptics don’t sleep any more or less. It’s the quality of sleep that is the major difference, with narcoleptics experiencing more fragmented and unrestful sleep.
Myth: Only adults experience narcolepsy.
Adults living with narcolepsy were once children living with narcolepsy (and my not have known it). According to Dr. Clark, symptoms typically begin to occur between the ages of 10 and 30 but can occur at any age. Nearly half of adult narcoleptics first noticed symptoms before 15 years of age. Narcolepsy may look different in children than in adults, such as being hyperactive instead of sleepy.
To learn more about narcolepsy, symptoms and treatment options, visit FeelingTheFog.com.