March 8–14, 2026

One week every year to highlight the connection between sleep and health, powered by the National Sleep Foundation. Join our community to raise awareness about Narcolepsy – from signs and symptoms, to research and resources.

Your Narcolepsy Journey Starts Here

Have you been tired for a long time? Not just sleepy — exhausted in a way that sleep doesn’t seem to fix. Maybe you’ve been told it’s stress. Maybe it’s been dismissed as environmental. Maybe you’ve wondered if something more is going on.

This Sleep Awareness Week®, we want you to know: your symptoms are real. Answers exist. And you don’t have to figure this out alone.

Let us guide you through everything — from knowing the signs of Narcolepsy, to getting a diagnosis, to what life may look like in the first year after you finally have one.

Before the Diagnosis — What You Might Be Feeling

“I thought everyone felt this way.”

Narcolepsy is a condition where your brain can’t control your sleep-wake cycle the way it should. It’s not about being lazy. It’s not in your head. And it’s far more than just feeling tired.

The most common signs include:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) — feeling overwhelmingly sleepy during the day, even after a full night of sleep
• Cataplexy — sudden muscle weakness triggered by strong emotions like laughter, surprise, or excitement. It can look like your knees buckling, your head dropping, or your face going slack
• Sleep paralysis — waking up and being unable to move or speak for a few seconds or minutes
• Hallucinations — seeing, hearing, or feeling things that aren’t there right as you fall asleep or wake up
• Disrupted nighttime sleep — waking up many times throughout the night

You might have Narcolepsy and not know it.

Up to 50% of people with Narcolepsy are currently undiagnosed. Most people wait an average of 10 years from when symptoms start to when they get a correct diagnosis. In that time, many are told they have depression, ADHD, anxiety or epilepsy instead.

If any of this sounds familiar, keep reading:

Getting a Diagnosis — Step by Step

“I finally decided to ask for help. Now what?”

Getting a Narcolepsy diagnosis takes time — but knowing what to expect makes it less overwhelming. Here’s how it usually works:

Step 1: Talk to Your Doctor

Start with your primary care doctor. Tell them exactly what you’ve been experiencing. Be specific. Don’t downplay your symptoms to seem “fine.”

Not sure what to say? Download a Narcolepsy Conversation Starter from our partners at More Than Tired™ — it gives you options to help guide an informed conversation at your next appointment.

• Adult Conversation Starter Guide
• Pediatric Conversation Starter Guide

Your doctor may also ask you to fill out a sleepiness questionnaire or ask you a series of questions to help screen for Narcolepsy before making a referral. These screeners measure how likely you are to fall asleep in everyday situations and evaluate for the possibility of cataplexy.

Learn more about the two most commonly used Narcolepsy screening tools for adults:

• Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)
• Swiss Narcolepsy Scale (SNS)

Step 2: Get a Referral to a Sleep Specialist

Your primary care doctor will likely refer you to a sleep specialist. Sleep specialists are doctors who focus on diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. Some are neurologists who specialize in sleep. Either type can help with Narcolepsy.

What to expect: The sleep specialist will review your full sleep history, ask about your symptoms in detail and likely order sleep studies.

Not sure what a sleep specialist does or how to find one? Learn more and search the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) directory to find an accredited sleep center near you.

• What specialists are on a sleep team?
• AASM Sleep Center Directory by State

Step 3: The Sleep Studies

This is how Narcolepsy gets confirmed. Sleep studies sound intimidating — but they’re not painful and the staff are there to help you.

There are two tests, usually done back to back:

• The Polysomnogram (PSG) — overnight: You’ll sleep in a sleep lab while sensors track your brain waves, eye movements, heart rate, breathing and muscle activity. You don’t have to do anything — just sleep.
• The Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) — the next day: After the overnight study, you’ll take four or five short naps spread throughout the day. The test measures how quickly you fall asleep and whether you enter REM sleep (dream sleep) during those naps. People with Narcolepsy often fall asleep very quickly and reach REM sleep in minutes.

Learn more about these two tests and how together, they give doctors the information they need to make a diagnosis.

Step 4: Getting Your Results

Your doctor will walk you through what the tests found. There are two types of Narcolepsy:

• Type 1 — includes cataplexy (muscle weakness triggered by emotion) and is linked to low levels of a brain chemical called hypocretin
• Type 2 — excessive daytime sleepiness without cataplexy

Both are real. Both are diagnosable. Both can be treated.

If you receive a diagnosis, ask your doctor:

• What type of Narcolepsy do I have?
• What treatment options are available to me?
• What should I expect in the next few months?
• Are there support groups or resources you recommend?

Your First Year After Diagnosis

“I finally have an answer. Now what do I do with it?”

Getting a diagnosis is a big moment. Some people feel relieved. Some feel overwhelmed. Many feel both at once. All of that is normal.

Here’s what the first year often looks like — and how to make it work for you.

The First Few Months: Finding What Works

Treatment for Narcolepsy is personal. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Most people rely on a combination of medication and lifestyle changes.

Medications can help manage excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, and disrupted night time sleep. It often takes time to find the right medication or the right dose. Be patient with this process and stay in close contact with your doctor.

Lifestyle strategies that can help include:

• Scheduled short naps during the day (even 10–20 minutes can help)
• Keeping a consistent sleep and wake time every day
• Avoiding alcohol and large meals close to bedtime
• Telling trusted people — a partner, a close friend, a family member — what’s going on

School and Work: You Have Rights

Narcolepsy is a recognized disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). That means you may be entitled to accommodations at work or at school — things like a flexible schedule, a private space for a short nap, extended deadlines, or modified duties.

You don’t have to disclose your full diagnosis to get accommodations. You can work with HR or a school counselor using general documentation from your doctor.

• Learn more about how you can request accommodations at school or in the workplace to support your diagnosis.

Finding Your Community

One of the most powerful things you can do in your first year is to connect with other people who have narcolepsy. Not because they have all the answers — but because they understand in a way that’s hard to explain to someone who hasn’t lived with it.

Wake Up Narcolepsy offers free online support groups where you can connect with others, ask questions, and share experiences in a safe, moderated space.

You can also listen to real peer voices on two podcasts:

• Narcolepsy 360 Podcast — conversations with patients, researchers, and clinicians
• Narcolepsy Nightcaps Podcast — shorter, community-focused episodes

Ongoing Care: Keep the Conversation Going

Narcolepsy is a lifelong condition — but it’s manageable. The key is staying connected to your care team and reassessing regularly. What works in year one may shift as your life changes.

Schedule regular check-ins with your sleep specialist, even when things feel stable. Keep a simple sleep log to track patterns and bring it to appointments. If your symptoms change, speak up — there are more treatment options now than ever before.

Explore resources to help keep you healthy, happy and on track: