{
“title”: “Narcolepsy and Hypersomnia in Seniors: Managing Excessive Daytime Sleepiness”,
“slug”: “narcolepsy”,
“content”: “
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Key Takeaways
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- What Are the Common Causes and Risk Factors?
- What Are the Symptoms and Warning Signs?
- What Are Exams and Tests?
- How Is It Treated?
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\nWhat Are the Common Causes and Risk Factors?\n
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Understanding hypersomnia narcolepsy seniors excessive daytime sleepiness wellness is important for seniors and their caregivers. experts aren’t sure of the exact cause of narcolepsy. It may have more than one cause.
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Many people with narcolepsy have a low level of hypocretin (also known as orexin). This is a chemical made in the brain that helps you stay awake. In some people with narcolepsy, there are fewer of the cells that make this chemical. This may be due to an
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autoimmune
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reaction. An autoimmune reaction is when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy tissue.
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Narcolepsy can run in families. Researchers have found certain genes linked to narcolepsy.
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\nWhat Are the Symptoms and Warning Signs?\n
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Narcolepsy symptoms usually first occur between age 15 and 30 years. Below are the most common symptoms.
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EXTREME DAYTIME SLEEPINESS
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- \nYou may feel a strong urge to sleep, often followed by a period of sleep. You can’t control when you fall asleep. This is called a sleep attack.\n
- \nThese periods can last from a few seconds to a few minutes.\n
- \nThey may happen after eating, while talking to someone, or during other situations.\n
- \nMost often, you wake up feeling refreshed.\n
- \nAttacks can occur while you are driving or doing other activities where falling asleep can be dangerous.\n
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CATAPLEXY
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- \nDuring these attacks, you can’t control your muscles and can’t move. Strong emotions, such as laughter or anger, can trigger cataplexy.\n
- \nAttacks often last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. You remain aware during the attack.\n
- \nDuring the attack, your head falls forward, your jaw drops, and your knees may buckle.\n
- \nIn severe cases, you may fall and stay paralyzed for as long as several minutes.\n
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HALLUCINATIONS
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- \nYou see or hear things that aren’t there, either as you fall asleep or when you wake up.\n
- \nDuring\n\nhallucinations\n\n, you may feel afraid or under attack.\n
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SLEEP PARALYSIS
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- \nThis is when you can’t move your body as you start falling asleep or when you first wake up.\n
- \nIt may last up to 15 minutes.\n
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Most people with narcolepsy have daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. Not everyone has all these symptoms. Surprisingly, despite being very tired, many people with narcolepsy don’t sleep well at night.
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There are two main types of narcolepsy:
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- \nType 1 involves having excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, and a low level of hypocretin.\n
- \nType 2 involves having excessive daytime sleepiness, but no cataplexy, and a normal level of hypocretin.\n
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📖 What Are Exams and Tests?
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\nWhat Are Exams and Tests?\n
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Your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask about your symptoms.
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You may have a blood test to check for other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. These include:
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- \nInsomnia and other\n\nsleep disorders\n\n
- \n\nRestless legs syndrome\n\n
- \n\nSeizures\n\n
- \n\nSleep apnea\n\n
- \nOther medical, psychiatric, or nervous system diseases\n
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You may have other tests, including:
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- \n\nECG\n\n(measures the electrical activity of your heart).\n
- \n\nEEG\n\n(measures the electrical activity of your brain).\n
- \n\nSleep study\n\n(polysomnogram).\n
- \nMultiple sleep latency test (MSLT). This is a test to see how long it takes you to fall asleep during a daytime nap. People with narcolepsy fall asleep much faster than people without the condition.\n
- \nGenetic testing to look for the narcolepsy gene.\n
- \n\nLumbar puncture\n\n(spinal tap) to look for low levels of hypocretin.\n
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📖 How Is It Treated?
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\nHow Is It Treated?\n
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There is no cure for narcolepsy. However, treatment can help control symptoms.
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LIFESTYLE CHANGES
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Certain changes can help improve your sleep at night and ease daytime sleepiness:
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- \nGo to bed and wake up at the same time every day.\n
- \nKeep your bedroom dark and at a comfortable temperature. Make sure your bed and pillows are comfortable.\n
- \nAvoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals several hours before bedtime.\n
- \nDon’t smoke.\n
- \nDo something relaxing, such as take a warm bath or read a book before going to sleep.\n
- \nGet regular exercise every day, which can help you sleep at night. Be sure you do your exercise several hours before bedtime.\n
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These tips can help you do better at work and in social situations.
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- \nPlan naps during the day when you typically feel tired. This helps control daytime sleepiness and reduces the number of unplanned sleep attacks.\n
- \nTell teachers, work supervisors, and friends about your condition. You may want to print out material from the web about narcolepsy for them to read.\n
- \nGet counseling, if needed, to help you cope with the condition. Having narcolepsy can be stressful.\n
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If you have narcolepsy, you may have driving restrictions. Restrictions vary from state to state. Your provider may recommend that you avoid driving or other activities, depending on how well your symptoms are controlled.
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MEDICINES
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- \nStimulant medicines can help you stay awake during the day.\n
- \nSome antidepressant medicines can help reduce episodes of cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations.\n
- \nSodium oxybate (Xyrem) works well to control cataplexy. It can also help control daytime sleepiness.\n
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These medicines may have side effects. Work with your provider to find the treatment plan that works for you.
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📖 What Is Outlook (Prognosis)?
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\nWhat Is Outlook (Prognosis)?\n
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Narcolepsy is a lifelong condition.
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It may be dangerous if episodes occur while driving, operating machinery, or doing similar activities.
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Narcolepsy can usually be controlled with treatment. Treating other underlying sleep disorders can improve narcolepsy symptoms.
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📖 What Are Possible Complications?
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\nWhat Are Possible Complications?\n
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Excessive sleepiness due to narcolepsy may lead to:
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- \nTrouble functioning at work\n
- \nTrouble being in social situations\n
- \nInjuries and accidents\n
- \nSide effects of medicines used to treat the disorder may occur\n
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📖 When to Contact a Medical Professional?
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\nWhen to Contact a Medical Professional?\n
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Contact your provider if:
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- \nYou have symptoms of narcolepsy\n
- \nNarcolepsy does not respond to treatment\n
- \nYou develop new symptoms\n
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📖 How Is It Prevented?
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\nHow Is It Prevented?\n
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You can’t prevent narcolepsy. Treatment may reduce the number of attacks. Avoid situations that trigger the condition if you are prone to attacks of narcolepsy.
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Daytime sleep disorder; Cataplexy
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![\"Sleep](\"//medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/tnails/8692t.jpg\" "\\"Sleep")
\n\nSleep patterns in the young and aged\n\n
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Bradley and Daroff’s Neurology in Clinical Practice
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. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 101.
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Krahn LE, Hershner S, Loeding LD; American Academy of Sleep Medicine, et al. Quality measures for the care of patients with narcolepsy.
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J Clin Sleep Med
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. 2015;11(3):335. PMID: 25700880
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Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine
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. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 112.
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Mignot E. Narcolepsy: pathophysiology and genetic predisposition. In: Kryger M, Roth T, Goldstein CA, Dement WC, eds.
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Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine
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. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 111.
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Vaughn BV, Basner RC. Sleep disorders. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds.
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Goldman-Cecil Medicine
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. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 374.
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Updated by: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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- \n\nSleep Disorders\n\n
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What Are the Common Causes and Risk Factors?
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What Are the Symptoms and Warning Signs?
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What Are Exams and Tests?
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How Is It Treated?
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What Is Outlook (Prognosis)?
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About the Author: This article was researched and written by the SilverWell Hub editorial team. It was medically reviewed by Dr. Sarah Mitchell, MD, Geriatrics.
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Sources: This article is adapted from MedlinePlus, a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM/NIH).
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Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only. See our full Medical Disclaimer.
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Published: July 28, 2026 | Next review: January 2027
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}
