Narcolepsy

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of narcolepsy are related to transitioning quickly from wakefulness into REM (rapid eye movement or dream) sleep. Symptoms usually first appear between ages 10 and 25 and may include:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS): overwhelming drowsiness and an uncontrollable need to sleep during the day, including involuntary "sleep attacks," wherein a person falls alseep with little or no warning. Sleep attacks usually range from a few minutes to a half-hour. EDS also decreases alertness and the ability to pay attention.
  
• Cataplexy: a sudden loss of muscle tone in the leg, arm or face, usually triggered by intense, positive emotions such as laughter or surprise. The frequency of episodes varies greatly among patients and not all people with narcolepsy experience it.
  
• Sleep paralysis: a temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking
  
• Hypnogogic hallucinations: "waking dreams" that occur when a patient falls quickly into REM sleep during the day
  
• Memory problems
  
• Restless nighttime sleep
  
• Automatic behavior: when a patient continues to function during a sleep episode, continuing to talk or put things away, for example

Additional signs of narcolepsy in children and adolescents may include:

• Learning difficulties
• Mood swings
• Behavioral problems

Many symptoms of narcolepsy can be experienced by people who don't have it, but only as rare occurrences.