A mother-of-one suffering from a rare brain disorder is at risk of suddenly ‘falling asleep’ every time she laughs or has an orgasm.
Jessica Southall, from Nottingham, suffers from narcolepsy with cataplexy which means that whenever she experiences a strong emotion her muscles relax and she appears to nod off.
The 20-year-old was first diagnosed with the neurological condition as a teenager when she experienced extreme exhaustion and began falling asleep in the middle of school lessons.
And when she first began dating her partner, Junior Santiago, the combination of both conditions meant it would look like she had dozed off immediately after being intimate.
‘I just had to explain to [Junior] that it’s only going to happen when he makes me feel at my very best. But it’s not ideal,’ she told the Daily Star.
Jessica Southall suffers from narcolespy with cataplexy, which means she can fall asleep at any moment
The rare medical condition causes her muscles to relax when she experiences extreme pleasure – including laughter or orgasm
‘It might sound funny – and I do try to be lighthearted about it – but it’s horrible really.’
Jessica, who experienced her first cataplexy episode when she was 16, also sleeps for up to 13 hours a day.
It took several months for Jessica’s condition to be diagnosed, undergoing multiple tests and scans before doctor’s were able to tell her she had narcolepsy.
The crippling long-term disorder, which leaves Jessica exhausted, happens when the brain is unable to regulate sleeping and waking patterns normally.
This can result in excessive daytime sleeping, sleep attacks, sleep paralysis, hallucinations and cataplexy.
When Jessica has an attack of cataplexy she said that she is still ‘fully awake’.
‘I can’t respond or snap out of it until the emotion stops. To any other person it looks like I’ve fallen asleep.’
When Jessica first began dating her partner, Junior Santiago, she had to explain the reason she would fall asleep after being intimate
The cataplexy is a temporary loss of muscle control resulting in weakness and possible collapse, and she explains that experiencing any extreme emotion like laughing or pleasure can be a trigger.
Her disorder also affected her during the birth of her one-year-old daughter Briella.
‘At my worst I was collapsing every time I laughed,’ Jessica said.
‘I’ve learned – I know my body now so if I’m going to laugh I’ll grab something to hold on to so when my muscles get weak I’ll be okay.’