Avoid caffeine, tobacco and alcohol to treat narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder in which patients experience excessive blinking and sleepiness during the daytime. This is a neurological disorder which comes with sudden sleep attacks in the daytime. This patient can experience uncontrollable sleep even when they are at work or they do any usual everyday activity. This neurological disorder is generally found in teenagers and adults. People who suffer from it feel very tired and disorder sleepy. Also, these patients experience a sudden loss of muscle tone, sleep paralysis, delusion, and excessive sleep in the daytime. The cause of narcolepsy is not known but there are many studies in which is said that this disorder can be genetic. This is an incurable disease but there are some home remedies which you can use to treat it. Talk with your doctor which is the best home remedy for you.

18 Home remedies for narcolepsy

Practice for a healthy lifestyle

When you have a healthy lifestyle combined with supplements and diet, then this can improve the Narcolepsy treatment. Patients should control their intake of alcohol, caffeine, and chocolate. You should take your meals two to three hours before you go to sleep because there are some Narcolepsy patients who experience sleep problems at night as well. Patients who have control of their diet, a good amount of exercise, and a healthy lifestyle can beat the problems of Narcolepsy.

Consume high protein food and avoid high carbohydrate foods

Nuts, soy products, cheese, and poultry are foods that are recommended. Also, people who suffer from Narcolepsy should avoid fat content foods. Whole grain, pasta, or fruits can be served as the evening meal. Patients who suffer from this chronic disorder should avoid excess intake of carbohydrates because it gives them a soothing effect whereas protein makes you alert. Also, you can take small meals with the least amount of carbohydrates such as sugar and potatoes during the daytime. Patients who suffer from narcolepsy should have a low – carbohydrate diet which leads to humble improvements in daytime sleepiness. Also, these patients should increase their magnesium and calcium intake because they increase the energy and the function of the brain hormones respectively. If you follow this home remedy in a combination with your medical treatment, then you can control the cause of this sleep disorder. [1,2]

Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables, cereals, nuts, seeds, olive oil, tomatoes, and carrots are full of many vitamins which are needed for patients who suffer from narcolepsy. [2]

Vitamins for the narcolepsy treatment

Patients who suffer from narcolepsy should add Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E to their diets. These patients should take Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, and Vitamin C because in this way they will enhance their immune system [3]. The Vitamin B complex plays a vital role in the sleep cycle of human beings. People who suffer from narcolepsy should take low-fat dairy, brewer’s yeast, brown rice, fish whole grains and lean meats which are rich in Vitamin B and they will help you to control your sleep.

Country mallow

This herb is known in Ayurvedic medicine because it stimulates the body and also it is very helpful home remedy for people who suffer from narcolepsy because it will help them to stay awake. But you need to talk with your doctor before you start using it as your home remedy for narcolepsy because it can elevate blood pressure levels.

Rosemary

You can take rosemary tea as a form of liquid for the treatment if you have wake and sleep disorders [4].

Gingko Biloba

This is one of the most used home remedies for different types of diseases. In Ayurvedic medicine, this has been used as a natural treatment for narcolepsy. This home remedy can increase the blood circulation in your brain and this can help cure Narcolepsy. Also, it is targeting its antioxidant effects to protect the cells of the nervous system. [5]

Cayenne pepper

There are some cases when cayenne can help patients who suffer from narcolepsy. Cayenne pepper can be used as a natural treatment for people who suffer from narcolepsy. It can help in curing sleepiness and weakness. You can take this home remedy with juice in your diet. This will help you to reduce narcolepsy.

Guarana

This is one of the best home remedies which is available all around the world. It is 100% safe and it is easily available all around the world. It can boost your body. This is also a natural stimulant which means it can help in curing Narcolepsy.

Gotu kola

This is also a very effective home remedy for narcolepsy. It has antioxidant properties which can help people who suffer from this sleep disorder fight against it. It rouses the nervous system and reduces fatigue. In Ayurvedic medicine, the Gotu kola nuts, roots, and seeds are used as natural treatments for narcolepsy.

Take short naps during the day

Also, there are some cases when you take scheduled naps during the day and this has shown relief in narcolepsy. There are many studies in which is said that you need to have adequate short naps during the day and also have a regular sleep schedule because they can help in the treatment of narcolepsy. If you can sleep at 11 pm at night and wake up late at 7.30 am in the morning and have short naps during the day, then this will be one of the best natural treatments for you. Also, you can take two fifteen minutes naps anytime during the day.

Ephedra

This is also one of the best home remedies which you can use as your natural treatment for narcolepsy. It is increasing the energy levels in patients and also it is helping in curing in the best possible manner.

Maintain a regular sleep schedule

If you can manage a regular sleep schedule, then narcolepsy can be helped. You must follow a definite sleep routine so in this way your body will get adjusted to it. You should sleep seven to eight hours at night. You should not only wake up at the same time but you must go to sleep at the same time of the day because in this way this sleeping disorder can be relieved.

Stop taking caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol

You should try to avoid caffeine even if it is part of your everyday routine but without it you will feel better. If you suffer from this chronic sleep disorder, then you should avoid alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. All of the mentioned things lead to sleepiness and also they are affecting narcolepsy adversely. These products have the quality of cutting back your sleep and you should always stay away from them if you are undergoing narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a complex health problem that can often lead to diabetes and high blood pressure. It is very important for this condition to be properly treated because in this way it will help you to avoid all the mentioned complications. If you suffer from this condition, then you can use some of the above-mentioned home remedies because they can help you to alleviate the sleep disorder and they will help you to maintain proper health. But you should always talk with your doctor before you start using some of the mentioned home remedies. [6]

St John’s Wort

There are many studies in which is said that this is one of the best home remedies we can use for the treatment of narcolepsy. It can improve the quality of the sleep of the person who suffers from narcolepsy because it is stimulating the immune system to work better and also it is calming its nerves.

Calcium

People who suffer from narcolepsy should consume calcium because this is also one of the best home remedies that they can intake. Talk with your doctor about how much calcium you should add to your daily diet.

Magnesium

The intake of magnesium can also help you to cure this problem. It is recommended that your daily diet should contain a total of 1000 milligrams of magnesium. If it is possible, you should take magnesium two times per day but if you take it two times per day, then the dose per meal should be 500 milligrams.

Avoid driving and operating excessive machinery

People who suffer from narcolepsy should keep away from driving because this can be very risky for their lives. Apart from it, driving is requiring heavy concentration which is making these people feel much sleepier. Also, it is not advised for people suffering from narcolepsy to use excessive machinery because it causes fatigue and also is making them feel more drowsy and sleepy.

References:

[1] van Holst RJ, Janssen LK, van Mierlo P, et al. Enhanced food-related responses in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex in narcolepsy type 1. Scientific Reports. 2018;8.

[2] Gatti DM. Eating behaviours and attitudes in narcolepsy and their association with sleepiness and mood. Eating, Sleepiness, and Mood in Narcolepsy. 2012. Retrieved from http://vuir.vu.edu.au/21313/1/Danielle_Marie_Gatti.pdf

[3] Gao Q, Kou T, Zhuang B, et al. The association between Vitamin D deficiency and sleep disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1395.

[4] Habtemariam S. The therapeutic potential of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) diterpenes for Alzheimer’s disease. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2016;2016:2680409.

[5] Murray BJ, Cowen PJ, Sharpley AL. The effect of Li 1370, extract of Ginkgo biloba, on REM sleep in humans. Pharmacopsychiatry. 2001;34(4):155-7.

[6] Barateau L, Jaussent I, Lopez R, et al. Smoking, alcohol, drug use, abuse and dependence in narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia: A case-control study. Sleep. 2016;39(3):573-80.