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Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a rare hypersomnolence disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness and falling asleep suddenly. It's a good idea to seek treatment if the symptoms last for more than three weeks on several nights a week.
Specialists in the article
LT,Keuhkosairauksien ja allergologian erikoislääk.
Palvelukoordinaattori, unihäiriöt
Revised 3/20/2025
Narcolepsy at a glance
- Narcolepsy is a rare hypersomnolence disorder that involves excessive daytime sleepiness despite the patient getting a normal amount of sleep at night. The patient may fall asleep exceptionally easily, even in situations requiring activity.
- In the treatment of narcolepsy, the most important things are a regular lifestyle and an adequate amount of sleep. If necessary, narcolepsy can also be treated with medication.
What is narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a rare hypersomnolence disorder. Narcolepsy most commonly occurs in early adolescence, during the primary and lower secondary school age, but can also occur later.
Narcolepsy causes excessive daytime sleepiness despite the patient getting a normal amount of sleep, which means that the patient can fall asleep exceptionally easily in passive situations, and even during situations that require activity. Narcolepsy may involve, for example, a temporary loss of muscle control and reflexes (cataplexy) triggered by emotional reactions, episodes of sleep paralysis, hallucinations and sleep interruptions at night.
How is narcolepsy examined?
In narcolepsy examinations, the patient’s symptoms are carefully mapped and sleep studies are also carried out. Sleep studies for narcolepsy include an extensive polysomnography and a sleep latency test performed the following day. Sleep studies are supplemented, if necessary, with tests performed on blood or cerebrospinal fluid samples.
How is narcolepsy treated?
In the treatment of narcolepsy, the most important things are a regular lifestyle and an adequate amount of sleep. If necessary, narcolepsy can also be treated with medication targeting daytime sleepiness, cataplexy and/or sleep interruptions. A person with narcolepsy may benefit from scheduled naps of 10–30 minutes and from avoiding situations that trigger symptoms. It may also be necessary to avoid accident-prone tasks.
When should you seek help for narcolepsy?
To diagnose narcolepsy, the underlying causes should be identified so that the symptoms can be treated correctly.
Seek treatment if sleep disruptions, such as symptoms suggestive of narcolepsy, last for more than three weeks and occur on several nights a week and your own attempts to correct the situation do not help.
Prices are starting prices and depend on the selected studies and treatment methods. An outpatient clinic fee and Kanta fee are added to consultation visits.
| Service | Price estimate |
|---|---|
| Start of CPAP machine therapy (1st appointment with a sleep apnoea nurse) *The customer purchases a CPAP machine for themselves, starting from EUR 223.90. | from 223,90 € No Kela reimbursement |
| Initial examination for snoring | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
| Concise sleep polygraphy No Kela reimbursement will be paid for a concise sleep polygraphy. Learn more and book an appointment for a concise sleep polygraphy | from 542,40 € No Kela reimbursement |
| First appointment for a sleep apnoea oral appliance The estimated total price of a sleep apnoea oral appliance starts from about EUR 1,200. Learn more and book a first appointment for a sleep apnoea oral appliance | from 96,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 123,80 € |
| Initial evaluation for sleep apnoea | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
| Initial examination of sleep disorders | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
Related symptoms
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Deep exhaustion and weakness that does not improve with rest.
Fatigue
Many people experience occasional fatigue. Energy levels are influenced by lifestyle, health and many external factors.
Insomnia
Being stressed and busy daily can make it difficult to calm down, which, in turn, will affect sleep.
Other sleep disorders
Sleep disorders include restless legs and the rarer disorders of narcolepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome and various parasomnias.
Restless legs syndrome
Uncomfortable sensations in the limbs at rest can disturb sleep.
Sleep apnoea
Narrowing of the airways and relaxation of the muscles during sleep can lead to pauses in breathing.
Snoring
Noise during sleep is caused by a narrowing of the airway.
Other related services
CPAP therapy
Positive airway pressure ventilation effectively reduces sleep apnoea symptoms and improves the quality of life.
Sleep apnea examination, night polygraphy
A reliable at-home examination to diagnose and assess the severity of sleep apnoea.
Sleep apnoea oral appliance
A treatment especially for mild sleep apnoea.
Frequently asked questions about narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness and may be accompanied by other symptoms such as cataplexy (loss of muscle control), hallucinations and sleep paralysis. There are two main types of narcolepsy: type 1 narcolepsy with cataplexy and type 2 narcolepsy without cataplexy.
A person with narcolepsy falls asleep abnormally on average 1–8 times a day and the sleep lasts approximately 1–30 minutes at a time. Falling asleep also occurs in situations that require attention and activity. The daily amount of sleep is close to normal.
The treatment of narcolepsy is specific to the individual in question and may include the following forms of treatment:
- Lifestyle changes. Regular naps and good sleep hygiene are important in the treatment of narcolepsy. Taking naps is part of the basic treatment.
- Medication. Medication can be used to reduce daytime sleepiness, cataplexy and/or sleep interruptions.
It is important to discuss the appropriate treatment plan with your doctor, as the treatment of narcolepsy is specific to the individual in question and depends on many factors.
The treatment of narcolepsy, as well as any sleep disorder, starts with a thorough survey of the patient's symptoms. After this, further examinations, such as laboratory tests or a sleep registration study, can be carried out, depending on the situation.
The treatment of narcolepsy, as well as any other sleep disorder, starts with a thorough survey of the patient's symptoms, i.e. an initial examination for sleep disorders. The price of an initial examination for sleep disorders varies from specialist to specialist. You can see each specialist's price for the initial examination for sleep disorders in our online appointment booking service. Thanks to our flexible payment methods, you can also pay for this examination in instalments, for example. Learn more about our payment methods.
Book an appointment for an initial examination for sleep disorders
