Sporadic Fatal Insomnia: How the Worst-Case Scenario Can Kill You
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Also, don't forget to sign up for your free, 14-part "Sleep Haven" eCourse to the right! Thanks for visiting, and have a wonderful day...
Insomnia is basically the inability to sleep properly on a regular basis. While there are two main types of insomnia (secondary and primary), there is another subset that is actually fatal. It is known as Sporadic Fatal Insomnia, and while it is very rare, its affects are horrible.
This aggressive and dangerous form of insomnia is not caused by stress, diet, lifestyle, medications of other external factors. Sporadic fatal insomnia is caused by a protein in the body known as “prion”. Prion can become malformed and affect one particular area of the brain known as the Thalamus. The Thalamus is the central hub for sleep regulations in the brain, so when Prion attacks it, sleep becomes near impossible.
The Nightmare of Sporadic Fatal Insomnia
The nightmare of Sporadic Fatal Insomnia is demonstrated as the condition of the condition progresses in severity. Sporadic Fatal Insomnia is an extremely rare disease that usually occurs in adults from the ages of 40 to 60 years. The disease is also typically hereditary, passed on through generations in families.
Sufferers of Sporadic Fatal Insomnia have extreme trouble getting sleep and even with muscle movement. As the disease worsens, the individual begins to get no sleep at all. This can get as severe as less than one hour of sleep per night!
Some symptoms include involuntary muscle movements and spasms, elevated pulse and even dementia. The individual can lose control of their tear ducts, causing uncontrollable crying.
Short-term memory is affected in the later stages of Sporadic Fatal Insomnia, which ultimately results in the patient being unable to separate reality from fantasy. Finally, the individual becomes completely deluded, and all diagnosed cases have resulted in death within 1 to 3 years from onset.
Some cases of dementia are thought to have been mis-reported, suggesting possible Sporadic Fatal Insomnia due to other similar symptoms. There is no known cure at this time. Fortunately, there are very few diagnosed cases of sporadic fatal insomnia. In fact, there have been only 24 families that have been determined to be at risk for sporadic fatal insomnia throughout history!
