Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) due to Narcolepsy
Everyone living with narcolepsy experiences excessive
daytime
sleepiness
Common signs and symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness due
to narcolepsy include:
Sleep Attacks
Irresistible urge to sleep

Frequent Tiredness
Trouble staying awake and alert during the day

Unrefreshing Sleep
Feeling tired regardless of how long you've slept
Brain Fog
Difficulty keeping attention and focus during the day

How is excessive daytime sleepiness due to
narcolepsy assessed?
A common tool used by doctors to help assess a person’s level of tiredness is called the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. This quiz measures a person’s likelihood of dozing or falling asleep in everyday situations, like reading, watching TV, talking with a friend, or driving. Although the Epworth Sleepiness Scale is used for screening, a sleep study is typically conducted to confirm a diagnosis.
Many types of healthcare professionals (HCPs) can help diagnose excessive daytime sleepiness due to narcolepsy. If you think you may be experiencing any signs or symptoms, talk to your primary care physician or another HCP, like a sleep specialist, neurologist, psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.

It is estimated that 50% of people with narcolepsy aren’t diagnosed.

Causes of narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic, potentially disabling neurologic condition that is thought to occur when certain chemicals in the brain can’t regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycle.
Narcolepsy affects an estimated 1 in 2,000 people in the United States.
Impact of narcolepsy
- Because the signs and symptoms can be difficult to recognize, people living with narcolepsy may end up seeing many different doctors over a number of years before receiving a diagnosis.
- If you have been diagnosed with narcolepsy and are still struggling to stay awake during the day, talk to your doctor.
Download our quick reference guide to EDS due to obstructive sleep apnea or narcolepsy.
Do not take SUNOSI if you are taking, or have stopped taking within the past 14 days, a medicine used to treat depression called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI).
Before taking SUNOSI, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have heart problems, high blood pressure, kidney problems, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
- have had a heart attack or a stroke.
- have a history of mental health problems (including psychosis and bipolar disorders), or of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction.
- are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not known if SUNOSI will harm your unborn baby.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if SUNOSI passes into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take SUNOSI.
- SUNOSI does not treat the underlying cause of OSA and SUNOSI does not take the place of any device prescribed for OSA, such as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. It is important that you continue to use these treatments as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Do not take SUNOSI if you are taking, or have stopped taking within the past 14 days, a medicine used to treat depression called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI).
Before taking SUNOSI, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:- have heart problems, high blood pressure, kidney problems, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
- have had a heart attack or a stroke.
- have a history of mental health problems (including psychosis and bipolar disorders), or of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction.
- are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not known if SUNOSI will harm your unborn baby.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if SUNOSI passes into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take SUNOSI.
The most common side effects of SUNOSI include:
- •headache
- •nausea
- •decreased appetite
- •anxiety
- •problems sleeping

SUN CON ISI 05/2022