Narcolepsy is a serious medical condition that causes sleep attacks and a variety of symptoms. Weight gain can also occur in some patients with this disease. Understanding what happens to the body when you have narcolepsy can help you and your doctor develop a safe and effective weight loss program. For some patients, medication may be necessary, while for others, lifestyle changes are enough.
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder in which the brain is unable to control your wake and sleep cycles. This condition can cause you to suddenly fall asleep for seconds or minutes at various times of the day. Other symptoms include loss of voluntary muscle tone, vivid dream-like images or hallucinations and brief episodes of total paralysis. In many cases there is also sudden weight gain after being diagnosed, however the right treatment program can prevent this complication, says the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Causes
While the exact link between narcolepsy and weight gain is not well understood, it may occur in part due to a more sedentary lifestyle caused by the daytime sleepiness. Weight gain may also be the result of a deficiency of the brain peptide hypocretin, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. Hypocretin is one of the chemicals the brain needs to regulate wakefulness and REM sleep. Hypocretin is also responsible for hunger signals and regulating eating behaviors. The level of this chemical tends to be low in those with narcolepsy, which can contribute to overeating. In addition, having any type of sleep disorder or condition that affects the quality of your sleep can affect additional chemicals in the brain that control appetite, notes the National Sleep Foundation.
Treatment
Since there is no cure for narcolepsy, treatment is aimed at managing symptoms and regulating sleep cycles as best as possible. You may need a combination of stimulants to keep you awake, selective serotonin or norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors which suppress REM sleep, antidepressants and medications to help you sleep through the night, according to MayoClinic.com. Once the level of chemicals returns back to normal, you may find that you stop gaining weight and may have an easier time trying to shed those extra pounds.
Lifestyle Changes
Along with medication, you and your doctor can develop a plan for lifestyle changes to help take off the extra pounds. This can include setting up a sleep schedule for nighttime, or you may need to schedule naps during the day. Eating several small meals throughout the day instead of fewer larger meals can help to prevent fatigue and curb hunger. Limiting alcohol and caffeine intake may also be necessary in order to restore sleep. Moderate exercise during the day can help to keep you alert, and exercising a few hours before bedtime may help to improve the quality of your sleep. Since a sleep disorder can be accompanied by other serious medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, your doctor can recommend the best mode of exercise based on your health history.
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