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Meditation as a non-pharmacological treatment for narcolepsy: A literature review
Fan Feng1, Hui Guo2, Grace A Ding3
1The Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Ningbo University, No.1 Zhuangyu South Rd, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
Abstract:
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations, and is often associated with other psychological and physiological disturbances. These symptoms lead to decreased social functioning and lower quality of life for individuals with narcolepsy. While current pharmacological treatment for narcolepsy can be effective in improving symptoms, there are also significant side effects (e.g., headaches, dizziness, insomnia). Meditation, a non-pharmacological intervention focusing on regulation of attention and emotion, could be a viable alternative. We introduce the conceptualization and applications of meditation, and review the potential mechanisms and existing evidence of meditation as an intervention for reducing narcolepsy symptoms (i.e., EDS, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and overweight).
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