What is Narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy, comes from the Greek "narké", dream, torpor and "lepsis" possession, possessed by sleep.
During the day we are in a waking state, in which the brain waves have a regular pattern and we are attentive to what is happening around us. When we have drowsiness they begin to become irregular and during light sleep less intense; this period is called Non-REM sleep. In deeper sleep phases the waves become more intense and regular, and the eyes begin to move quickly, this phase of sleep is called REM or REM (Rapid Eye Movement in Spanish, Rapid Eye Movement in English); During this period, voluntary movement centers are disconnected, and muscle tone relaxes. In an average person, the cycle between day and night: wakefulness-drowsiness-sleep NoMOR-sleep REM¬-sleep NoMOR-sleep REM-sleep NoMOR-awakening-wakefulness, are sequential and clearly delimited.
People with narcolepsy suddenly go from the waking state to the REM phase, bypassing the previous phases, several times during the waking periods; have hallucinations when entering these periods, and although in some cases they fall asleep in the position in which they are find, the most common is that the REM sleep muscle relaxation system is activated, they lose muscle tone and fall down.

It has been found that there is a higher incidence among members of the same family, indicating a hereditary factor, apparently an anomaly genetics, which have been found to affect several related genes, the more genes affected, the more likely to develop the disease.
Its general treatment is focused on expanding waking states using stimulant drugs, such as methylphenidate or amphetamines; However, given the ease of causing addiction, its administration should be prescribed and closely monitored by the doctor.