A recent study found that exercise and a ketogenic diet improved excessive daytime sleepiness in patients with narcolepsy type 1.
The study was conducted by researchers from Witten-Herdecke University in Germany, and its results were presented at the European Academy of Neurology Congress 2024, which was held from June 29 to July 2, 2024.
narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a rare, long-term brain condition that can prevent a person from choosing when to wake up or sleep. The brain is unable to regulate sleep and wake patterns normally.
This condition is defined as a sleep disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness and recurrent, uncontrollable sleep attacks.
Narcolepsy is divided into two types:
- Narcolepsy type 1, which is narcolepsy with cataplexy, It is a condition that causes brief episodes of muscle weakness or paralysis.
- Narcolepsy is of the second type, which is narcolepsy without cataplexy.
Symptoms of narcolepsy
Narcolepsy causes several symptoms that hinder normal life, including the following:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness: Feeling very sleepy throughout the day and having difficulty concentrating and staying awake.
- Sleep attacks: falling asleep suddenly and without warning.
- Cataplexy: A temporary loss of muscle control leading to weakness and collapse, often in response to emotions such as laughter and anger.
- Sleep paralysis: The temporary inability to move or speak upon waking or falling asleep.
- Frequent dreams and waking up at night.
Narcolepsy does not cause serious or long-term physical health problems, but it can have a significant impact on daily life and may cause psychological problems for those affected, as it may make some people socially isolated in an attempt to avoid showing their sleep attacks to others.
the study
The study was conducted over a period of 10 weeks, and the study participants with type 1 narcolepsy were divided into three groups:
- One group started exercising three times a week.
- and a group that followed a high-fat, low-carb diet (the keto diet).
- The third group is a reference group.
The first group exercised three times a week for a training period ranging from 30 to 75 minutes. The first and second sessions were dedicated to brisk walking, moderate jogging, or cycling. As for the third session, the participant had the choice between cycling or swimming. The participants maintained a moderate level of stress during the exercises.
The test subjects in the second group followed the general recommendations of the ketogenic diet, eating a diet containing less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.
The results indicated a significant decrease in daytime sleepiness in both the exercise group and the ketogenic diet group, and no significant change in the control group.
The improvement in daytime sleep in both groups was “to the point where the results were similar to those seen with drug treatment,” said researcher Friederike Tippel, who works at the Center for Narcolepsy and Hypersomnia and also works at Witten-Herdecke University in Germany.
Both also improved the participants’ physical and mental quality of life, with the physical activity group experiencing a reduction in stress levels, while the ketogenic diet led to significant weight loss in participants.
“These interventions are available everywhere, they are very inexpensive, and we have not been able to document any harmful effects,” Tipple added.