Symptoms of Narcolepsy

Symptoms of Narcolepsy

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Narcolepsy includes the 31 symptoms listed below:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness - the most common and usually the earliest symptom; can occur even after adequate nightly sleep
• Daytime sleep attacks
• Napping
• Drowsiness
• Falling asleep during laughter
• Falling asleep during routine work
• Frequent nightly waking
• Cataplexy attacks - Sudden episodes triggered by emotion. May be brief (a few seconds) to severe minutes. These have various related symptoms
  • Sudden episodic loss of muscle control
  • Temporary muscle weakness
  • Slight weakness
  • Limp neck
  • Limp knees
  • Sagging facial muscles
  • Slurred speech
  • Complete body collapse
• Sleep paralysis - temporary paralysis when falling asleep or when waking.
• Hypnagogic hallucinations - dream-like images or sounds occurring when drowsy
• Vivid sounds at sleep onset
• Vivid images at sleep onset
• Disturbed nighttime sleep
• Tossing and turning
• Leg jerks during sleep
• Nightmares
• Frequent awakenings
• EDS is the primary symptom of narcolepsyand must be present for at least 3 months in all patients.
• Cataplexy is a brief and sudden loss of muscle tone and represents REM intrusion during wakefulness.
• Sleep paralysis is the inability to move upon awakening or less commonly upon falling asleep with consciousness intact.
• Sleep-related hallucinations may occur at sleep onset (ie, hypnagogic) or awakening (ie, hypnopompic) and are usually vivid (dreamlike) visual, auditory, or tactile in nature.
• Disrupted nocturnal sleep is also a common feature of narcolepsy. Consequently, total sleep time in 24 hours in narcoleptic patients is essentially unchanged due to daytime naps.
• Obesity is another common feature of narcolepsy
• more information...»

Research symptoms & diagnosis of Narcolepsy:

• Overview -- Narcolepsy
• Diagnostic Tests for Narcolepsy
• Home Diagnostic Testing
• Complications -- Narcolepsy
• Doctors & Specialists
• Misdiagnosis and Alternative Diagnoses
• Hidden Causes of Narcolepsy
• Other Causes -- causes of these or similar symptoms

Narcolepsy: Complications

Review medical complications possibly associated with Narcolepsy:

• Social problems - daytime attacks and cataplexy can interfere with home life or work.
• Car accidents
• more complications...»

Diagnostic Testing

Diagnostic testing of medical conditions related to Narcolepsy:

• Polysomnogram
• Multiple sleep latency test
• more tests...»

Research More About Narcolepsy

Do I have Narcolepsy?

• Narcolepsy: Introduction
• Narcolepsy: Diagnostic Testing to confirm diagnosis
• Home Diagnostic Testing
• Alternative diagnoses and misdiagnosis for Narcolepsy
• Failure to Diagnose Narcolepsy
• Hidden Causes of Narcolepsy
• How serious is it?
• Treatments for Narcolepsy
• More about Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy: Medical Mistakes

• Insomnia -- Health Mistakes
• Sleep Disorders -- Health Mistakes
• more mistakes...»

Narcolepsy: Undiagnosed Conditions

Diseases that may be commonly undiagnosed in related medical areas:

• Brain & Neurological Disorders: Undiagnosed:
  • Adult ADHD -- Undiagnosed - ADHD can be undiagnosed in adults.
  • ADHD -- Undiagnosed
  • Alzheimer Disease -- Undiagnosed
  • Migraine -- Undiagnosed
  • Concentration Disorders -- Undiagnosed
  • Stroke -- Undiagnosed
  • Bipolar Disorder -- Undiagnosed
  • Schizophrenia -- Undiagnosed
  • Epilepsy -- Undiagnosed
• more undiagnosed conditions...»

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical tests related to Narcolepsy:

• Sleep Disorders: Home Testing
  • Home Sleep Tests
  • Sleep Apnea Diagnostic Tests
• Brain & Neurological Disorders: Related Home Testing:
  • ADHD -- Home Tests
  • Drug Screening Kits
• more home tests...»

Wrongly Diagnosed with Narcolepsy?

The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Narcolepsy includes:

• Depression
• Epilepsy
• Medication side effects
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Convulsions
• more diagnoses...»

See the full list of 10 alternative diagnoses for Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy: Research Doctors & Specialists

• Neurology (Brain/CNS Specialists):
  • Neurology (Brain/CNS Specialists)
  • Pediatric Neurology (Child Brain Specialist)
  • Pediatric Neurosurgery (Child Neurosurgeon)
  • Clinical Neurophysiology
  • Neurodevelopment Disabilities
  • Neurosurgery (Brain Surgery)
  • Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine (Nerve/Muscle/Bone Specialists)
  • Neuroradiology
  • Vascular Neurology
  • Neuropathology
  • Otology / Neurotology (Ear/Hearing Specialists)
• Stroke & Vascular Specialists:
  • Vascular Neurology (Brain Blood Vessels)
  • Vascular & Interventional Radiology
  • Vascular Surgery (Blood Vessel Surgeon)
  • Neuropathology (Brain Diagnostics)
• Sleep/Insomnia Health Specialists:
  • Sleep Medicine (Insomnia & Sleep Disorder Specialists)
• Senior Health Specialists (Geriatrics):
• more specialists...»

Research all specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

More about symptoms of Narcolepsy:

More information about symptoms of Narcolepsy and related conditions:

• Other diseases with similar symptoms and common misdiagnoses
• Tests to determine if these are the symptoms of Narcolepsy
• Symptoms that may be caused by complications of Narcolepsy
• Underlying causes of Narcolepsy
• Associated conditions for Narcolepsy
• Risk factors for Narcolepsy

Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms

Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.

• Complete body collapse - see all causes of Paralysis symptoms
• Daytime sleep attacks - see all causes of Drowsiness
• Disturbed nighttime sleep - see all causes of Insomnia
• Drowsiness - see all causes of Drowsiness
• Excessive daytime sleepiness - see all causes of Drowsiness
• Falling asleep during laughter - see all causes of Drowsiness
• Falling asleep during routine work - see all causes of Drowsiness
• Frequent awakenings - see all causes of Insomnia
• Frequent nightly waking - see all causes of Insomnia
• Hypnagogic hallucinations - see all causes of Hallucinations
• Leg jerks during sleep - see all causes of Sleep symptoms
• Limp knees - see all causes of Knee symptoms
• Limp neck - see all causes of Neck symptoms
• Napping - see all causes of Drowsiness
• Nightmares - see all causes of Nightmares
• Sagging facial muscles - see all causes of Facial paralysis
• Sleep paralysis - see all causes of Sleep paralysis
• Slight weakness - see all causes of Weakness
• Slurred speech - see all causes of Slurred speech
• Sudden episodic loss of muscle control - see all causes of Muscle symptoms
• Temporary muscle weakness - see all causes of Muscle weakness
• Tossing and turning - see all causes of Insomnia

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Article Excerpts About Symptoms of Narcolepsy:

Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology (Excerpt)

Affected individuals are extremely drowsy during the daytime and may fall into a deep sleep at any time. After a short nap, the patient may feel refreshed, but it is only a short period of time before drowsiness returns.

The second major symptom of narcolepsy is called cataplexy. Cataplexy refers to a sudden weakness of the muscles that leads to collapse. This is often triggered by an emotional response such as laughter, surprise, or anger. (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)

NINDS Narcolepsy Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

The four classic symptoms of the disorder are excessive daytime sleepiness; cataplexy (sudden, brief episodes of muscle weakness or paralysis brought on by strong emotions such as laughter, anger, surprise or anticipation); sleep paralysis (paralysis upon falling asleep or waking up); and hypnagogic hallucinations (vivid dream-like images that occur at sleep onset). Disturbed nighttime sleep, including tossing and turning in bed, leg jerks, nightmares, and frequent awakenings, may also occur. The development, number and severity of symptoms vary widely among individuals with the disorder. It is probable that there is an important genetic component to the disorder as well. Unrelenting excessive sleepiness is usually the first and most prominent symptom of narcolepsy. Patients with the disorder experience irresistible sleep attacks, throughout the day, which can last for 30 seconds to more than 30 minutes, regardless of the amount or quality of prior nighttime sleep. These attacks result in episodes of sleep at work and social events, while eating, talking and driving, and in other similarly inappropriate occasions. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Narcolepsy Information Page: NINDS)

Narcolepsy: NWHIC (Excerpt)

The main characteristic of narcolepsy is excessive and overwhelming daytime sleepiness, even after adequate nighttime sleep. A person with narcolepsy is likely to become drowsy or to fall asleep, often at inappropriate times and places. Daytime sleep attacks may occur with or without warning and may be irresistible. These attacks can occur repeatedly in a single day. Drowsiness may persist for prolonged periods of time. In addition, nighttime sleep may be fragmented with frequent wakenings. (Source: excerpt from Narcolepsy: NWHIC)

Narcolepsy: NWHIC (Excerpt)

In addition to overwhelming irresistible sleepiness, there are three other classic symptoms of narcolepsy, which may not occur in all patients:

• Cataplexy: sudden episodes of loss of muscle function, ranging from slight weakness (such as limpness at the neck or knees, sagging facial muscles, or inability to speak clearly) to complete body collapse.

• Sleep paralysis: temporary inability to talk or move when falling asleep or waking up. It may last a few seconds to minutes.

• Hypnagogic hallucinations: vivid, often frightening, dream-like experiences that occur while dozing or falling asleep.

Only about 20 to 25 percent of people with narcolepsy experience all symptoms. The symptoms of narcolepsy, especially the excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy, often become severe enough to cause serious disruptions in a person's social, personal, and professional life and can severely limit activities. 

In most cases, the first symptom of narcolepsy to appear is excessive and overwhelming daytime sleepiness. The other symptoms may begin alone or in combination months or years after the onset of the daytime sleep attacks. (Source: excerpt from Narcolepsy: NWHIC)

Narcolepsy: NWHIC (Excerpt)

You should be checked for narcolepsy if:

• you often feel excessively and overwhelmingly sleepy during the day, even after having had a full night's sleep;

• you fall asleep when you do not intend to, such as while having dinner, talking, driving, or working;

• you collapse suddenly or your neck muscles feel too weak to hold up your head when you laugh or become angry, surprised, or shocked; or

• you find yourself briefly unable to talk or move while falling asleep or waking up.

Narcolepsy as a Cause of Symptoms or Medical Conditions

When considering symptoms of Narcolepsy, it is also important to consider Narcolepsy as a possible cause of other medical conditions. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Narcolepsy may cause:

• Cataplexy
• Hallucinations
• Reduced level of consciousness
• Sleep disturbance

Narcolepsy: Onset and Incubation

Onset of Narcolepsy: The age-of-onset distribution is bimodal. The highest peak occurs at 15 years, while a less pronounced peak occurs at 36 years.

Medical articles and books on symptoms:

These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

• Diagnostic Testing for a Diagnosis of Narcolepsy
• Research Alternative Diagnoses for Narcolepsy
• How serious is Narcolepsy?
• More about Narcolepsy
• Online Diagnosis
• Self Diagnosis Pitfalls
• Pitfalls of Online Diagnosis
• Symptoms of the Silent Killer Diseases
• Lesser known silent killer diseases
• Books on signs and symptoms

Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

About signs and symptoms of Narcolepsy:

The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Narcolepsy. This signs and symptoms information for Narcolepsy has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Narcolepsy signs or Narcolepsy symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Narcolepsy may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Narcolepsy symptoms.