![]() ![]() So, I think that that’s what people think of. For me, I have narcolepsy, I’ve never fallen asleep in the middle of dinner, or in the middle of a conversation. But usually you can get to a place to take that nap. So, you might feel just a heaviness descend, your eyes become very heavy, and you may feel a strong need to take a nap. With narcolepsy, with the sleepiness of narcolepsy, which is a chronic neurologic disorder where the brain’s ability to control the sleep-wake cycle is impaired, what really happens-one of the symptoms is called “excessive daytime sleepiness.” That’s just this overwhelming all-consuming sleepiness that usually comes on gradually over a period of several minutes. That really doesn’t happen in narcolepsy. I think when people hear the term “narcolepsy,” they often envision somebody falling asleep in their dinner plate, or falling asleep while they’re walking across the street, and that is actually a myth. I think the public perception of narcolepsy is really informed by these stereotypes and these comic portrayals that we see in movies. ![]() Julea Steiner (JS): Yeah, that is an excellent question. Check it out at Interview by Rose Rimler What’s the public perception of narcolepsy and how is the real condition different? Steiner spoke with Sleep Review about narcolepsy and the informational website she hopes will spread awareness about the condition, which is sponsored by Jazz Pharmaceuticals. Steiner is a sleep health advocate and assistant clinical professor and director of professional development at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. Narcolepsy, a relatively rare and poorly understood neurological condition, can be hard to diagnose. Julea Steiner was misdiagnosed for years before a sleep study helped doctors recognize her symptoms-excessive daytime sleepiness, vivid dreams, hallucinations, and mild cataplexy-as narcolepsy.
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