#207 - Insomnia and Narcolepsy: Tired of the Same Old Story
From Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter by Chris Winter, MD
June 8, 2026 · 36 min
About this episode
This episode explores the complexities of narcolepsy and its similarities to insomnia, highlighting recent research on sleep-wake instability.
Narcolepsy is often described as a disorder of excessive daytime sleepiness, but that description only tells part of the story. Many people living with narcolepsy also struggle with fragmented, restless, and unrefreshing sleep at night; and these symptoms that can look a lot like insomnia. In recent years, researchers have increasingly viewed narcolepsy as a disorder of sleep-wake instability, where the boundaries between wakefulness, non-REM sleep, and REM sleep become less secure. Understan...
People in this episode
Host: Chris Winter
Topics covered
- narcolepsy
- insomnia
- sleep disorders
- daytime sleepiness
- sleep-wake instability
Keywords
- narcolepsy
- insomnia
- sleep disorders
- daytime sleepiness
- sleep-wake instability
- fragmented sleep
- unrefreshing sleep
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: insomnia, narcolepsy
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