Dear Dream Doctor,

I can’t remember the last time I slept for more than a couple of hours at a time, but I can remember all of my dreams...most of them very unpleasant. I was recently sent to a sleep clinic for an overnight stay; the results were inconclusive. The respirologist said; “Well, these tests confirm that you definitely do not sleep...but I have no idea why.” I told her that falling asleep at work was going to get me fired. I told her about falling asleep in class in high school and then college. I also pointed to the stitches on my forehead, telling her that they were a result of my falling asleep at the wheel and taking a cement light pole into the ditch with me. Finally, a second set of tests were scheduled; I will be spending this Friday in another sleep clinic for sleep latency testing. I could go on and on with the endless list of problems, both emotional and physical, that I have suffered because of this condition....but I am sure you have heard it all. I would really like to hear your opinion. Signed: Desperate!

—Jana-Lynne, Age 27, Ottawa, CANADA

Hi Jana-Lynne—

I am glad to hear that you are scheduled for a second round of tests. You are following a standard progression of exams for discovering why someone is pathologically sleepy—which is what you are when you fall asleep at the wheel of an automobile.

This next series of tests—which will measure your sleep and REM latencies, that is, how long it takes you to fall asleep, and then, once asleep, how long it takes you to begin dreaming, are performed to test for narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a genetically inherited condition which causes excessive sleepiness in inappropriate situations—all of which—I might add, you have already described. You have fallen asleep repeatedly at school, at work, and while driving. These are all times when sleep is undesireable—to say the least! If you test positive for narcolepsy, which I suspect you may, you can relax in the knowledge that treatment for narcolepsy is safe, effective, and easy.

I have worked with thousands of patients suffering from various sleep disorders. One of the most common remarks I hear after a patient receives treatment is “I wish I had done this years ago.” I am glad you are receiving treatment. In one month your problem is going to be completely behind you. Sleep disorders are one of the most successfully treated of all medical conditions! I hope other readers—who are tired of being tired—will follow your example.

Good Luck!