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How Can Service Dogs Help?

Service dogs can truly make an impactful difference in a person’s life who suffers from narcolepsy. Dogs trained for the disorder can sense when a narcoleptic episode is about to occur and warn the owner to sit or lie down by barking, nudging, and licking. Service dogs can become an indispensable companion for those with narcolepsy.

Service dogs trained for Narcolepsy can help by:

• Warning if the afflicted is about to have an episode.
• Ending the episode with a face lick.
• Fetching help if the owner injures themselves while suddenly falling to sleep.
• Waking the owner up if they sleep through the alarm clock.

Also, some people with narcolepsy suffer from extreme fatigue and lack of sleep which can bring on bouts of depression and anxiety. A dog can be trained to apply pressure therapy and hugs. This is a simple act of pushing against a person during panic attacks and high stress. This simple act lowers the heart rate and blood pressure and allows for a quicker recovery.

Having a service dog can help motivate people to do small exercise such as walking, such low energy exercises can help battle the systems of narcolepsy. A person afflicted with narcolepsy will have a better chance battling fatigue just by owning such a delightful companion.

Some narcolepsy sufferers even credit service dogs with saving their lives, the support of having a friend by your side at all times can be immensely reassuring. Although dogs cannot predict when someone is about to fall asleep suddenly (like they can a seizure), it is possible that a dog may come to recognize triggers and hurry their owner’s side before they collapse.

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When facing hypnogogic hallucinations, just seeing your dog next to you can help a person rationalize that the hallucinations being seen are not real. Dogs can also help get narcolepsy sufferers get home safe if one becomes overcome from sleepiness, a service dog can take the lead and guide the owner home with the proper commands.

A service dog can even be trained to alert you in the morning to make sure that you wake up on time and get ready for work or do other daily activities if it’s the weekend. They can also remind their owners to take the medication needed to stay awake. Taking medication daily and on time is a key factor in fighting the symptoms of narcolepsy.

In short, service dogs are able to perform some pretty amazing tasks to help those with Narcolepsy live a healthy and safe life.

What is a Service Dog?

Service dogs can improve the lives of people afflicted a wide range of disabilities, whether physical, neurological, or psychiatric. Service dogs can be trained to mitigate symptoms of many disabilities such as:

• Autism
• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Hearing Impairment
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Narcolepsy
• Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS or PTSD)
• Severe Allergies
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).

Dogs can be custom trained based on a person’s unique needs. However, the following are common examples of the specific areas service dogs typically trained in.

Services dogs can provide alerts:

• To people approaching
• As a response to your name or someone trying to get your attention
• For specific sounds, such as alarms, ring tones, sirens, or vehicles backing up
• For specific smells, such as smoke or gas
• By seeking help from someone else when you are having a medical emergency
• By pressing a medical alert button for designated emergency contact

Services dogs can keep you calm by:

• Applying or receiving deep pressure therapeutically
• Cuddling on cue
• Interrupting repetitive movements or compulsive behaviors
• Leading to uncrowded area or place to sit down
• Responding to an anxiety or panic attack
• Interrupting nightmares or night terrors

Service dogs can help detect:

• Allergens, such as specific foods or triggering odors
• Low blood sugar levels
• The presence or absence of people in a designated area or location
• Change in cortisol levels

Service dogs can support in:

• Retrieving personal items and bring to you, such as keys or cell phones
• Carrying items for you
• Opening, holding and closing doors
• Bringing medication to you at a designated time
• Turning on and off lights
• Providing a foundation to stand up or steady yourself
• Tugging or holding clothing, socks and shoes to assist with dressing and undressing
• Pulling to assist manual wheelchair propulsion

What is Narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a chronic brain disorder that involves poor control of sleep-wake cycles. People with narcolepsy experience extreme daytime sleepiness which manifests itself in sudden and uncontrollable bouts of sleep that can last up to several minutes. Severe bouts of depression and anxiety are other known common consequences experienced from those who suffer with Narcolepsy.

There is no cure for narcolepsy. The only options right now are stimulants and drugs that induce a deep sleep. Service dogs have proven to be a unique solution and a great asset for people who suffer from the disorder who want to live a “normal life”.