Famous People with Narcolepsy

In addition to the few known famous people with narcolepsy, the condition affects an estimated 200,000 Americans, of which some 50,000 cases have been diagnosed.

Sleep studies can help uncover narcolepsy.

The most salient symptom of the sleep problem narcolepsy is being excessively tired during the daytime. It may also be that your nighttime sleep is disturbed, which contributes to daytime sleepiness. The causes of narcolepsy are, yet, still largely unknown. Of course, there are other reasons that people get tired during the daytime; being tired every afternoon at 3:00 or 4:00 PM does not mean you have narcolepsy.

• Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS): inability to avoid falling asleep during the day

• Cataplexy: weakening of muscles
• Sleep Paralysis: paralysis while waking up or falling asleep
• Hypnagogic Hallucinations: also while waking up or falling asleep
• Automatic Behavior: falling asleep and still performing everyday actions while asleep

This might sound like a scary batch of symptoms, but plenty of people around the world are living with this condition (an estimated 3 million). Some people in the spotlight also suffer(ed) from narcolepsy; did you know the following people are narcoleptic?

There are many people from history who are thought to be narcoleptic, but actual neurological diagnoses are missing. These include Winston Churchill (former British Prime Minister), Thomas Edison (inventor of the light bulb), Harriet Tubman (abolitionist who helped many slaves to freedom) and Louis Braille (creator of Braille, the reading system for the blind). In addition, Kurt Cobain (lead singer of the band Nirvana) once claimed that he suffered from narcolepsy in an interview; however, his neurological condition was also not diagnosed (or at least not revealed to the public). The following famous people with narcolepsy are more recent, neurologically confirmed diagnoses.

Jimmy Kimmel is a popular American comedian and television show personality. However, when he was co-host of The Man Show, Kimmel became a household name. After leaving The Man Show, he began hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live!. In addition to these roles, he also has a long list of producing credits and radio experience.

Kimmel gave an interview in 2003 with Esquire in which he states: "Truth be told, I'd rather have narcolepsy than not have it. When I get on a flight to Vegas, I'll fall asleep before the plane takes off and wake up after it's landed." Kimmel has reportedly fallen asleep only once in front of a rolling camera, and uses medication to keep the condition in check.

Ickes was an important part of Bill Clinton's administration, often called the one who cleaned up all of Clinton's messes. A graduate of Stanford University, and later of Columbia's Law School, Ickes was involved in Hillary Clinton's Senate Campaign (2000) and his father (Harold L. Ickes) was Secretary of the Interior during Franklin D. Roosevelt's time as president. In addition to being a narcoleptic, another interesting tidbit of information is that, as a civil rights activist, he became the inspiration on which the character Howard Fergerson (in Primary Colors) was based.

Bouyer was a professional French cyclist from 1995 to 2006. Unfortunately, the fact that he's narcoleptic has ended his career. His narcolepsy was kept under control by a drug called Modafinil, which is not a permitted substance in professional athletes. In 2004, the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale: International Bikers' Union) ruled that he could not use the drug despite the fact that he physically could not function without it. After the 2004 ruling, he applied for an exemption (to be allowed to use the drug) on the grounds that his usage is for a medical condition. After many rulings, his appeals have been thrown out and he is no longer (since 2006) a member of a professional team. Before having to leave the world of professional biking, he won three major cycling events in France: the Tour de Limousin, the Tour de Vendée, and the Paris-Camembert.

Lenny Bruce was a stand-up comedian in America who gained fame and infamy in the 1960's. Many revered his work, but he was accused of being obscene on more than one occasion. He also had legal troubles because of a scheme he cooked up—he reportedly raised $8,000 for a charity and sent the charity only $2,500 of it, keeping the rest for himself. His name is still a household name, and lives on, immortalized by mentions such as Jonathan Larson's mention of Bruce's name in the RENT first act finale: La Vie Boheme.

Many people who are narcoleptic are not aware that they are; Jimmy Kimmel had only recently found out that he had the condition when he was interviewed about it for Esquire. Therefore, it must be that there are more famous people out there who also have the condition, just like there are plenty more average Americans walking around wondering why they fall asleep at work or at the dinner table.

• Sleep Requirements by Age
• Sleep Apnea Full Face Masks
• Foods Containing L-Tryptophan
• Why Is Sleep Important

• Pure Sleep
• Melatonin Forums
• How to Put Someone to Sleep
• Stop Snoring Mouthpiece
• How Long Can You Live Without Sleep

• Drug Sleep Disorders
• Treating Restless Leg Syndrome
• Why Do People Snore
• Why Do People Sleep Walk
• History of Narcolepsy