![]() ![]() While a person is briefly unable to move or speak during an episode of cataplexy, they remain fully conscious.Īlthough cataplexy can be a frightening symptom of narcolepsy, episodes resolve on their own and are not dangerous as long as the person is able to collapse in a safe place. In more severe episodes, other areas of the body are involved, which can cause a person to collapse. A person may only have a few episodes during their lifetime, or they may have several episodes every day.Ĭataplexy typically begins in the face with drooping eyelids and an open or slack mouth. Episodes of cataplexy can last from several seconds to a few minutes and are triggered by intense emotions like excitement, laughter, anger, or grief.Īround 60% of people diagnosed with narcolepsy will experience cataplexy, and episodes typically begin within three to five years after the onset of excessive daytime sleepiness. CataplexyĬataplexy is the experience of sudden muscle weakness that temporarily causes a person to be unable to move or control their muscles. After waking, a person with narcolepsy may feel rested and refreshed for a short time.Įxcessive daytime sleepiness most often occurs during monotonous tasks like reading or watching television but can also occur at potentially dangerous times like when driving a vehicle. ![]() When they occur, sleep attacks can last from a few seconds to several hours. Some people experience a mild drowsiness that comes and goes throughout the day, while others have sudden and uncontrollable sleep attacks in which they cannot resist the urge to sleep. The timing and severity of excessive daytime sleepiness varies. People with narcolepsy often begin experiencing excessive tiredness in their 20s or 30s with symptoms often getting worse over time. Excessive Daytime SleepinessĮxcessive daytime sleepiness is the primary symptom of narcolepsy. Up to 25% of people with narcolepsy experience other symptoms, including cataplexy, hallucinations, sleep paralysis, insomnia, and automatic behaviors. Everyone with narcolepsy experiences an irrepressible need to sleep. Symptoms of narcolepsy can begin at any time in a person’s life but most often develop in a person’s teens or early adulthood. ![]()
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