What Is Narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurologic condition, which means that it involves nerve cells and chemicals in the brain. With narcolepsy, the brain is not able to control sleep-wake cycles normally. The symptoms can make it hard to do everyday tasks and may impact home, school, or work.

What Is Narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is also considered a sleep disorder. So if you think you or someone you love may have narcolepsy, a sleep specialist can make an accurate diagnosis using overnight testing in a sleep laboratory.

Misdiagnosis is common, so assessment by a healthcare professional with narcolepsy expertise is important.

People with narcolepsy may be at
risk for other conditions.Learn more now

These are the 5 major symptoms of narcolepsy.
Someone doesn’t have to have them all to have narcolepsy.

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) icon
An uncontrollable urge to sleep, often at inappropriate times
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
cataplexy icon
Weakening of muscles (knee buckle, jaw sag, eye droop, etc) with strong emotions like laughter
Cataplexy
disrupted nighttime sleep icon
Poor-quality sleep at night (you fall asleep easily but have trouble staying asleep)
Disrupted Nighttime Sleep
sleep paralysis icon
Feeling unable to move or speak when falling asleep or waking up
Sleep Paralysis
vivid dreamlike experiences icon
Vivid (often frightening) dreamlike experiences when falling asleep or waking up
Hypnagogic/ Hypnopompic Hallucinations

2 types of narcolepsy

There are 2 types of narcolepsy.

  • Narcolepsy type 1 includes both EDS and cataplexy
  • Narcolepsy type 2 does not include cataplexy

Suspect narcolepsy symptoms?

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