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I'm a PatientThe 5 Main Symptoms of Narcolepsy
The burden of narcolepsy goes
beyond symptoms5-8
Cataplexy
Estimated to be present in 65%-75% of patients with narcolepsy9
This most specific symptom of narcolepsy type 1, is the sudden, generally brief (<2 minutes) loss of muscle tone with retained consciousness. It is usually triggered by strong emotions, such as laughter, surprise, or anger.2,3,10
Hallucinations (hypnagogic and/or hypnopompic)
May affect 33%-80% of patients with narcolepsy11
Hypnagogic hallucinations are vivid dreamlike experiences that occur while falling asleep. When they happen while waking up, they are called hypnopompic hallucinations.2,3 These events may occur with sleep paralysis.3
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Affects 100% of patients with narcolepsy9,11,12
Excessive daytime sleepiness is the inability to stay awake and alert during the day, resulting in periods of an irrepressible need for sleep or unintended lapses into drowsiness or sleep.2,3 Excessive daytime sleepiness is the cardinal symptom of narcolepsy and often the most disabling.2
Sleep paralysis
May affect 25%-50% of patients with narcolepsy11
Sleep paralysis is the disturbing, temporary inability to move voluntary muscles or speak during sleep-wake transitions. It is often accompanied by hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations.1-3,13
Sleep disruption
Estimated to affect 30%-95% of patients with narcolepsy11
Sleep disruption (also known as disrupted nighttime sleep) is due to frequent awakenings, resulting in poor quality sleep.2,3,11 Because narcolepsy is a disorder of sleep-wake state instability,14,15 many patients commonly report disruption of nighttime sleep.2,11
