Powered By
Continue with Facebook
Continue with your email
Narcolepsy involves more than just daytime sleepiness and sleep attacks. Many people with this sleep disorder also experience problems with memory, focus, and thinking — often described as brain fog. Understanding how narcolepsy may lead to cognitive issues can help you and your loved ones better manage these symptoms.
“Brain fog” can refer to a wide range of cognitive symptoms. For some people, brain fog involves forgetfulness or trouble focusing. Other people may feel mentally drained.
Recent research shows that brain fog and other cognitive symptoms are common in narcolepsy. These symptoms can affect memory, attention, reasoning, and executive functions such as decision-making and judgment. More than 300 members of MyNarcolepsyTeam have reported memory issues or trouble focusing as symptoms of narcolepsy.
“It’s rare that I don’t feel the fog! I feel as if I’m walking around half asleep, under anesthesia,” one member shared. “It’s a miserable feeling that is very scary and potentially very dangerous!”
“I know that foggy feeling all too well,” another member said. “There have been days where I couldn’t even speak.”
For some, brain fog may persist even with treatment. “No matter how much medication I take, I can’t stay awake,” a member reported. “The brain fog is so overwhelming.”
Brain fog can also make everyday tasks harder. “I have a lot to do, and my concentration is poor. I spend a lot of time just looking for paperwork or other items that I never find,” one member said.
“Lately, my narcolepsy has gotten worse, including the brain fog and headache that seem to go with it. I am a super ambitious person, and for the past month, I haven’t gotten anything done,” another member shared. “I’m not one to sit around, but lately all I do is sit around in a foglike state.”
The connection between narcolepsy and its effects on memory and thinking is complicated, and researchers are still figuring out the details. However, several factors likely contribute:
One potential factor is excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). When you’re constantly trying to stay awake, it’s harder to pay attention and process information. You may feel like your brain is stuck in “low power mode” and lacks the energy to handle complex mental tasks.
A 2024 meta-analysis (a study reviewing data from multiple sources) found that people with either type 1 or type 2 narcolepsy had more trouble with sustained attention compared to those without the condition. The results showed small impairments in executive function, learning, and memory, suggesting that excessive sleepiness interferes with how well the brain can maintain focus and process information.
Although research suggests a close link, sleepiness alone doesn’t fully explain all the cognitive problems people with narcolepsy experience.
Narcolepsy may cause brain changes that interfere with cognition. In type 1 narcolepsy, the brain loses the cells that produce hypocretin (also called orexin). This chemical helps you stay awake — it’s like an anchor that keeps you from drifting off too easily. The exact cause of this cell loss is unknown, but some studies suggest that low hypocretin levels in people with type 1 narcolepsy may affect how well the brain pays attention.
When hypocretin is lost, the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain that handles processes like focus, problem-solving, and decision-making — doesn’t work as well. A lack of hypocretin can also interfere with chemicals like acetylcholine, which are involved in attention and working memory (the brain’s ability to retain information). More research is needed to better understand these neurological mechanisms.
People with narcolepsy sometimes have fragmented sleep — they may wake up for 10 to 20 minutes several times during nighttime sleep. This disrupted sleep can make you sleepier during the day and may also interfere with how your brain forms long-term memories.
Long-term memories are believed to form while you rest. Think of deep sleep as the time when your brain “saves” important information from the day. If your sleep keeps getting interrupted, some of those memories may not get stored properly.
Some medications used to treat narcolepsy may affect cognitive function and increase brain fog.
Sodium oxybate is a common treatment for narcolepsy that helps reduce cataplexy attacks and EDS. However, this drug’s side effects include depression and anxiety, which may contribute to brain fog.
Antidepressants may be prescribed to manage symptoms like hallucinations, sleep paralysis, or cataplexy. These medications can cause side effects like drowsiness or sleep problems.
Never start or stop a narcolepsy medication without first talking with your healthcare team. Even if you’re experiencing side effects, your doctor can help you weigh the benefits and risks and explore other treatment options.
Brain fog can be challenging, but members of MyNarcolepsyTeam have found ways to manage it. What works for one person may not help another, but their experiences may give you ideas to try.
Balancing your blood sugar may help reduce brain fog. Some members have found that adjusting their diet made a difference. “Cutting carbs and sugar really helps with my brain fog,” one member reported.
Another member found success using mental exercises and focus techniques: “My therapist has shown me a technique of squeezing every muscle individually and focusing on that specific muscle until you get through the entire body. It helps to retrain your brain to focus! It’s made a very small increase for me mentally with the fog.”
Staying organized is another helpful strategy. Some members rely on tools like planners, phone calendars, and reminder apps. “I make lists in my day planner, my calendar on my phone, and my notepad,” one member said.
“I have to write list after list, or I forget everything,” shared another. “When your brain is sleepy, it doesn’t absorb information, and you get memory issues. I also take pictures all the time — otherwise, I won’t remember it.”
If you’re experiencing memory problems or brain fog along with symptoms of narcolepsy, you’re not alone. These cognitive symptoms are common and real, not something you’re imagining.
Talk with a healthcare professional about what you’re feeling and how brain fog affects your daily life. Together, you can review your narcolepsy treatment plan and find strategies to help you manage cognitive symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Understanding how narcolepsy affects the brain can help you be more patient with yourself and help your loved ones better understand what you’re going through. Although memory problems and brain fog can be frustrating, recognizing them as part of narcolepsy is an important step toward managing them effectively.
On MyNarcolepsyTeam, people share their experiences with narcolepsy, get advice, and find support from others who understand.
What strategies have improved your narcolepsy-related brain fog? Let others know in the comments below.
Get updates directly to your inbox.
Continue with Facebook
Continue with your email
Become a member to get even more
Join
We'd love to hear from you! Please share your name and email to post and read comments.
You'll also get the latest articles directly to your inbox.