“What’s scary and embarrassing is that I can see people come to help me, but I’m unable to respond.”Horsnell has narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that makes it hard to stay awake for long periods. In fact, it’s estimated that only 25% of people who have narcolepsy are diagnosed and receive treatment, according to the Narcolepsy Network. “But the terrifying thing was, I’m lying in a puddle of my sweat and I’m hearing everybody whisper, ‘Is he OK? Horsnell’s experience with narcolepsy hallucinations, however, is quite different. As a trained speaker for Project Sleep’s Rising Voices of Narcolepsy leadership program, he visited the White House in 2023 to raise awareness about narcolepsy and sleep disorders.

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Persons: Matthew Horsnell, ”, Horsnell, “, ” Horsnell, Jennifer Mundt, Mundt, ” Mundt, “ There’s, aren’t, orexin, Heather Lill, it’s Organizations: CNN, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Narcolepsy, cataplexy, “, Narcolepsy Network, Scientists, US Food and Drug Administration, Society, Behavioral Sleep, Sleep Research Society, American Academy of Cardiovascular Sleep, White House Locations: Chicago, United States