Do people with narcolepsy have a hard time waking up?

First of all, I do get enough sleep at night.

I'm having a sleep study done in a few weeks. One of the things they want to rule out is narcolepsy. Excessive daytime sleepiness is definitely a problem for me, but if I nap I don't wake for a long time... like 4 hours. If I drift off in the evening, chances are I'll be asleep until morning. If I tell someone to wake me up, I won't wake up when they try. I vaguely remember talking to them, but no matter how much I wanted to make sure I didn't spend that long sleeping, I would. I've also always had a really, really hard time waking up in the morning. This has been a big problem for me in terms of getting to work, school, appointments, and getting my son off to school on time.

Anyways, my question is just a general one about narcolepsy... I've read that people with narcolepsy generally feel better after a nap. How long are these naps, and are they unable to stay awake if someone tries to get them up during a nap?

I don't have any of the symptoms of sleep apnea, nor has anyone ever told me that I gasp for breath in my sleep. I only rarely fall asleep involuntarily, but I take an ADD medication that is also used to treat narcolepsy, and my sleep doctor thinks it could be masking the problem by unintentionally treating it.

My question though isn't about falling asleep, it's about waking up.

I am 65 years old and have had Narcolepsy since I was 14 years old. I have never had a problem waking up. However I understand that some people do depending on the severity of the disorder.

You are correct that taking a nap makes you feel better. The duration of the nap varies by individuals but it usually ranges from 5 to 30 minutes. Waking up for me is not a problem and when I do wake I am usually refreshed. Sometimes i have to take another nap but usually one is sufficient.

I have had several sleep tests done and they all had extensive personal interviews and/or questionnaires. Be sure and write down EVERY question you ever remotely considered to ask the staff at the Sleep Center. Writing out your questions means you don't over look anything. I actually went to sleep during an interview and never got my questions out in the open.

Keep your chin up!! There is help available. And life is great when you are alert. Keep trying.

narcoleptics fall asleep without warning. have you looked into sleep apnea?

That sounds like insomnia. Or shift work syndrome. Even if you are not working strange shifts, your sleep calandar can be switched around.

Now, if you are dreaming right at the time you fall asleep and skipping sleep stages, that is narcolepsy.

Symptoms of narcolepsy are extreme daytime sleepiness, sleep attacks, cataplexy (sort of a seizure that is triggered by emotions), dreaming right after you fall asleep-like within minutes, instead of going through the stages of sleep like everyone else does.