Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by the brain's impaired capacity to regulate sleep-wake cycles, a phenomenon substantiated by neuroscientific research from institutions such as Harvard Medical School and the World Health Organization (Journal of Sleep Research). Clinically, narcolepsy manifests in two distinct types: Type 1, which involves cataplexy or sudden muscle tone loss, and Type 2, which lacks this symptom. Etiologically, the disorder is influenced by a confluence of factors, including hormonal fluctuations, psychological stress, and injuries to the hypothalamus, as corroborated by studies in Sleep Medicine Reviews and the National Institutes of Health. Traditional Chinese Medicine offers an alternative etiological framework, associating narcolepsy with patterns of disharmony such as Spleen Qi Deficiency, Kidney Essence Deficiency, and Liver Heat Stagnation (Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine).