Being a chronic sleep disorder, Narcolepsy can cause drowsiness during the daytime and have lasting impacts on a person. Characterized by uncontrollable sleepiness, people with narcolepsy tend to fall asleep at any time at any place.
While the cause of the disease is still under research, researchers say genetics and lack of proper neuronal signaling can be the triggers.
Treatments can vary depending on the individual’s health and the intensity of the disorder. Physicians prescribe medication that can help improve sleep quality and reduce daytime drowsiness.
Prescription medicines designed to treat this condition do not come without harmful side effects. So, is there a natural way to help cope with narcolepsy? Is delta-9 the one? Let’s see how delta-9 can help ease the effects of the disease.
What is Narcolepsy?
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Before we head off to find how delta 9 can affect narcolepsy, let’s understand what it is.
So, in a typical night sleep cycle, a person tends to enter the early stages of sleep and slowly into the deeper stages. After this, they enter the REM stage of sleep.
In people with narcolepsy, the REM stage hits before the other stages. Meaning there are no early or deep stages along the way. It can sometimes happen even when they are awake. It is why narcoleptic individuals fall asleep at unexpected times.
How Do You Spot Narcolepsy?
You can look out for a few symptoms that are common among many suffering from this disease.
- Excessive sleepiness during the daytime
EDS or excessive daytime sleepiness can disrupt everyday activities of a person. You know it’s EDS when you feel tired after getting ample sleep at night. Memory lapses, exhaustion, and even depression can set in with time.
- Hallucinations
People can experience delusional thoughts that are often scary and vivid.
- Sleep paralysis
Characterized by the body’s inability to move while waking up or falling asleep, it can last anywhere between a few seconds to minutes.
Apart from these, disruptions in the sleep cycle are also common.
Delta-9 to Manage Narcolepsy
Adapting to lifestyle changes and taking medication can help control the disorder. Physicians employ antidepressants and stimulants to improve the symptoms of this disorder.
We know that delta-9 possesses many of these properties. So, can delta-9 help manage narcolepsy? Yes, indeed.
Reports by NCBI state that Delta-9 is a well-established remedy for sleep cycle problems.
How does THC affect Narcolepsy?
See how the stimulant and sedative properties of THC can help.
- Relieves mental stress and anxiety
Caused by improper hypocretin signaling, regulation of stress and anxiety can be a problem in narcoleptic individuals. Over one-third of the people report changes in mood and delusional thoughts. In the long term, this can even lead to depression.
Delta-9 possesses anxiolytic and antidepressant properties. At lower doses, it can help anxiety by improving mood. People using THC generally report an increased sense of calm and relaxation.
Pharmaceuticals can help treat mental illness. What scares people is the number of side effects associated with pharma drugs. With THC, one can reduce the number of pharmaceutical medicines.
Taking THC can even help with anxiety disorders and phobia that can impact sleep. People with PTSD and SAD take THC to help assist the treatment.
- Delta-9 at regulated dosages can improve energy levels and alertness during the daytime.
There have been several studies about the wake-promoting effects of THC. The psychoactive effects of THC are not just limited to making the user high. It can reduce daytime sleepiness by improving energy levels and sharpening focus.
By interacting with cannabinoid receptors in the body, THC can control pain, mood, and emotions.
Improved productivity can also help cope with depression associated with sleep cycle problems.
- Delta-9 can improve sleep quality.
For some, marijuana can be a sleep-aid. THC can make you feel drowsy and help you fall asleep at night. REM sleep disorder in narcoleptic individuals can make the sleep-wake regulation unstable. Also, THC improves the release of melatonin that is responsible for maintaining the biological clock.
By relaxing the mind and altering specific signals in the brain, delta-9 can relieve REM sleep disorders.
A study in 2008 found that consuming cannabis with higher levels of THC can reduce the time duration of REM sleep. It can help reduce nightmares and motor movements at night.
By putting you in the ‘deep sleep mode, THC improves the sleep quality by a significant percentage.
- Delta-9 for cataplexy
Loss of muscle tone can make a person lose control over their voluntary actions while awake. It is what happens with cataplexy. Cataplexy can set in immediately or days after one starts experiencing EDS.
With cataplexy, narcolepsy could be even worse. Narcoleptics tend to experience muscle weakness along with daytime sleepiness.
Research suggests that marijuana can block excessive sleepiness by improving hypocretin signaling. By altering motor signals, THC helps establish control over voluntary muscles.
Why Delta-9?
With so many prescription medicines around, why go for delta-9?
- Stimulants
There are stimulants in the market that are not as addictive as the older ones. But stimulant usage still can have associated side effects. Headache and anxiety can be the ill effects of consuming stimulants.
- Serotonin reuptake inhibitors
Medically designed to suppress or reduce REM sleep, SRIs can improve the symptoms of cataplexy and sleep disruptions. But, they come with side effects like weight gain and irregular metabolism. THC can effectively replace medicines like Prozac and Sarafem due to its ability to help treat these conditions.
- Antidepressants
We know how depression can impact sleep. Antidepressants are indeed efficient for relieving depressive emotions in people. But still, people using antidepressants in the long term experience dry mouth and lightheadedness.
Now, it must be clear why delta-9 can help people with Narcolepsy. THC can help you achieve your requirements with minimal or no side effects.
The Bottom Line
There are a few things that you should know before using delta-9.
- Smoking of any kind is not advisable
- Being aware of the legality status of marijuana in your state is essential
- Long-term overdosing on marijuana can have severe health impacts.
- Consuming without proper knowledge about the product can be hazardous.
Seeking a professional’s help can ensure a better experience with delta-9.
