...ever felt the urge to fall asleep at an inappropriate time – while at work or school, or even while driving? More than just a late-afternoon slump, but an overpowering sleep attack that strikes anytime of day, and lasts anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes at a time?
Do you experience sudden loss of muscle tone? Do friends tell you that you fall asleep when you’re doing activities with them, like watching movies, playing a game or engaging in conversation? When you go to bed at night, do you feel like you’re already vividly dreaming as you’re falling asleep or as you are waking up? Do you get brief episodes of total paralysis at the beginning or end of sleep?
If you answered yes to any of the above, you may have narcolepsy, a chronic neurological disorder whereby the brain is unable to regulate sleeping and waking states normally.
Many people with narcolepsy go undiagnosed for years. People like Karine and Jonathan.