Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and frequent sleep attacks. Symptoms include cataplexy (loss of muscle control triggered by emotions), sleep paralysis, microsleep (brief sleep episodes with no memory), nighttime wakefulness, and hallucinations when falling asleep or waking up. There is no cure for narcolepsy, but treatment aims to control symptoms through lifestyle changes like scheduled naps and light meals, as well as prescription medications to promote wakefulness. Narcolepsy can develop at any age but often first appears in teenagers and young adults.