Advocacy Tools - Falling Asleep

Want to help spread narcolepsy awareness?

Great! Spreading awareness is one of the easiest thing you can do to help improve the lives of all people with narcolepsy. The lack of public awareness and resulting ignorant attitudes cause a deep feeling of isolation for many narcoleptics, and largely explain the highly increased rates of depression in PWN, but luckily it is very easy to make change on an individual level by simply letting people know that narcolepsy is a real and serious condition that should be met with empathy!

Narcolepsy Info Cards

These info cards are the same size as a business card (print with page scaling turned off for correct sizing) and are ideal for keeping a couple in your wallet in case you need to explain narcolepsy to someone.

Giving someone a card is more helpful than only speaking to them, as they will have something to refer back to later and can also go to the web address to find more information if they are interested. Alternatively you can just use the card for your own benefit, to remember the main points when explaining narcolepsy to others.

Print on light cardboard for the best result.

Download single card PDF

Download A4 page (9 cards) PDF

Narcolepsy Workplace Info sheet

This is an information sheet I have put together to help employers better understand the needs of employees with narcolepsy.

This document isn’t intended to replace a discussion with your workplace – It is intended to aid the discussion, help think of constructive points and make your requests for accommodations seem more valid (like you aren’t just making it all up!)

This could also be used by people with narcolepsy who are researching different ideas for workplace accommodations that might work for them.

This sheet does have a brief run down of what narcolepsy is, but if you want to fully explain it to your employer it might help to bring this along with the “How does narcolepsy work?” infographic below.

Download A4 page (PDF)

Narcolepsy GIFs

These animated gifs can be pasted into Facebook comments, Instagram stories or text messages!

(I have tested on my iPhone and MacBook, can’t guarantee they will work on other platforms…)

There are currently images for cataplexy, hypnogogic/hypnopompic hallucinations, and brain fog/anxiety.

To use on a computer, click the GIPHY link below, click the image you want to use, then right click the image and copy. After that you can paste wherever needed.
To use on a mobile, click the GIPHY link below, click the image you want to use, then tap and hold the image two times, and select the “Copy Image” option. From there you can paste wherever needed (including insta stories, just have your story open and ready to go and it should pop up once copied!)
If either of the above don’t work, try saving the image and adding the same as a regular image attachment (for FB, text, etc.)

Go to GIPHY

Images & Infographics for sharing

Here’s a few images that you can post on social media such as Facebook, or send to friends and family to help you explain different aspects of narcolepsy. Click on them to get the full size image.

Please do not remove any website links I’ve added, as I like people to be able to come back here and find more information (and really it’s not much to ask!)

narcolepsy infographic statistics more than sleepiness

narcolepsy is not the opposite of insomnia — This is a misconception that I deal with quite frequently, so it's useful to have a nice graphic that will succinctly explain.

Narcoleptic vs normal sleep cycle over 24 hours — I know it's included in one of the infographics above, but this is my go-to image when trying to explain narcolepsy to anyone. It clearly illustrates just how differently our brains work - you don't have to understand much to see that the narcoleptic image is not normal!

gif of cataplexy attack narcolepsy falling over — This is a little animation I did to illustrate my normal experience of cataplexy: a head bob and knee buckle, followed by a full collapse in stronger attacks. I'm posting it here as it might help you to explain cataplexy to those who haven't seen it happen in person.

narcolepsy meme kanye interrupts sleepiest person of all time — This one is just a bit of a joke, but I think many of us with narcolepsy can relate to this feeling!