Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder affecting 1 in 2,000 individuals. It is characterized by the tendency to fall asleep inappropriately and unexpectedly when eating, driving or going through their daily routine.  In addition to excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), three other major symptoms frequently characterize narcolepsy: cataplexy, or the sudden loss of voluntary muscle tone; vivid hallucinations during sleep onset or upon awakening; and brief episodes of total paralysis at the beginning or end of sleep.