to move body parts, but is aware of his/her surroundings.

Cataplexy
is a sudden loss of muscle tone or muscle weakness usually triggered by emotions such as laughter, anger, fear or surprise. It affects 60% - 90% of all narcoleptics. An attack may range from a brief experience of muscle weakness (sagging jaws or knee buckling) to profound loss of muscle tone resulting in total body collapse. During the attack, the person remains conscious but unable to speak or regain physical control for a brief period of time (a few seconds to several minutes).

Hypnagogic hallucinations are very vivid dream-like experiences occurring between wakefullness and sleep. Hallucinations can involve some or all of the human senses, making it difficult to distinguish them from reality. Accompanied with sleep paralysis, an individual may experience a terrifying nightmare, often feeling the inability to escape from a frightening object (such as dreaming of a home intruder but being unable to call for help).

TREATMENT

Treatment is available. Narcolepsy can be properly diagnosed by monitoring an individual's sleep at an accredited sleep center. Even though

narcolepsy is a life-long illness, the symptoms for most narcoleptics can be managed with a careful balance of medications, educational support and sleep hygiene. By understanding and accepting the sleepy nature of this disorder, narcoleptics can adjust their lifestyles to maximize their daily alertness and lead as full a life as possible.