Diagnosis of Narcolepsy

After having a complete medical history and physical exam, a person's doctor may order further tests. It is important to see a sleep medicine specialist at a sleep center for evaluation, since narcolepsy can be hard to diagnose and treat effectively. It can be mistaken for other conditions like depression and epilepsy, or the side effects of medications.

Two common tests for narcolepsy are:

• Polysomnogram - records brain activity and body movements during nighttime sleep, along with nerve and muscle function. This test is done in an overnight sleep lab.

• Multiple Sleep Latency Test - a person is given a chance to sleep every two hours during the day, when they are normally awake. This test measures the time it takes to fall asleep and the time it takes to go into rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (dreaming).