Does this sound like narcolepsy?

There is this women at my works who claims that she has narcolepsy. She falls asleep at her desk in the office for a while. It's always in the afternoon about the same sort of times. She doesn't do it in the morning only in the afternoon when things go quiet. It doesn't sound like she has narcolepsy to me because it isn't frequent. Could she have narcolepsy or something else because to be honest i think that she is just lying.

It could be, but most likely not. Narcolepsy does not follow a pattern, it usually happen randomly. It sounds like she's just taking a nap. She should be taking medicine for it if she really have it, it's dangerous to drive and all.

She's like one of those people claiming to have disability without proves so she can get special treatments. Here's a test... you can poke her and wake her up next time she does it. If she does wake up, it's fake because a true nacrolepsy person would still be sleeping even if you punch time and shout really loud and shake them.

"you can poke her and wake her up next time she does it. If she does wake up, it's fake because a true narcolepsy person would still be sleeping even if you punch time and shout really loud and shake them."

Actually, narcoleptics are really light sleepers. Report It

It sounds more like she had a rather big lunch and is sleeping it off.

Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder somewhat. The main symptom of Narcolepsy is always being tired, even when you just woke up from REM sleep. If she's falling asleep at the same time and especially when thigns are quiet, it just sound like she had a few tiresome days falling asleep at the same time, and now her body is used to having a little naptime. Narcoleptics will fall asleep no matter what and always be tired.

I've got narcolepsy and that is 'one' of the symptoms. In highschool I fell asleep almost every day in one of my classes after lunch. It is possible that she has narcolepsy but it also could be another disorder like sleep apnea- which is more common.

Narcolepsy is kinda weird. Different symptoms can come and go. Just becuase she doesn't collapse into unconciousness with no warning (like the video below) doesn't mean she doesn't have it- it only means her severity isn't as bad as Rusty's. Fortunatly this year I haven't had as many leep attacks as I used to. I have wondered if stress is a contributer to the symptoms- but thats not been proven.

There are other symptoms of narcolepsy that help distinguish it from other disorders, such as sleep paralysis, cataplexy (loss of muscle control), and hallucinations. Its a little more involved than just falling asleep.

So in short, the answer to your question is she very well may have it. But I do wonder if she has been diagnosed or whether she just says it, not knowing all the symptoms. If she doesn't know for sure, send her the second link to help her try to indentify whether this is the problem.

I have Narcolepsy and the afternoon is really the toughest and it does have alot to do with just haven eatten. The food can raise then lower your blood sugar causing fatigue. I can have it happen for days then not at all for quite some time. Caffiene does not help either because Narcolepsy is caused by an absent chemical inyour brain. Your brain tells you and your muscles it is time to sleep and we have little control over it. Ask her if she takes Ritalin, Provigil, or any other stimulant from a doctor to help.. If she has truelly been diagnosed which takes a sleep study to do so...she should be on some meds. Maybe not though. If she does have it...not much she can do but see a Sleep doctor. We can't control it it is a lot like a seizure. I have severe Cataplexy when not on meds which can ruin my life. If she doesn't have it and still uses the excuse...shame on her, because there are people who have it and that is not fair to the tru sufferes.

It could be. The most effective way of dealing with daytime sleepiness of is to take 2-3 scheduled naps 20 minutes at the same time everyday. After lunch is one of the key napping times. Most people feel sleepy during this time (digestion takes lots of energy), and for narcoleptics, this feeling is amplified. However, there is no way to tell for sure; you're just going to have to take her word for it. You could try asking her about her narcolepsy--like show your concern for her napping and ask if everything is alright. Ask how she found out she had it, how she was diagnosed/how long ago, and about her other symptoms, especially her fragmented nighttime sleep. Narcoleptics generally do not sleep through the night. Usually they wake up feeling wide awake, energized, and ready to go at weird hours of the night. Additionally, once they get going in the morning, many people with narcolepsy find the few hours after waking up to be their most productive. Many people are not familiar with this face of narcolepsy. Even on medication, narcoleptics require supplemental naps to help stay energized throughout the day. Instead of criticizing her sleep habits and doubting her claim of having narcolepsy, ask questions to learn more; ask if she has cataplexy and how she manages her symptoms (stimulants/antidepressants/xyrem). You can say "I heard that narcolepsy causes...." That way you won't seem insensitive and would be merely conveying your interest/concern for her well-being. Let us know how it goes.