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MATT UTESCH: I'm Matt Utesch. And I'm going to tell you what life with narcolepsy is really like.
NARRATOR: Matt's story helps us understand what happens in our brains as we shift through different levels of consciousness. As a child, Matt was full of energy. But as he became a young adult, his life changed dramatically.
MATT UTESCH: I started falling asleep in English class. It was literally like I would just wake up. And class was done. My parents just thought I was being a lazy teenager. My teachers thought I would stay up and party and do a lot of things that I shouldn't have been doing at the age of 14.
NARRATOR: It would take a car accident to show that Matt's condition was far more serious than anyone had realized.
MATT UTESCH: Well, I was about a mile and a half from my house after working. I rear ended a lady who was trying to turn. I fell asleep, woke up probably about two seconds before I hit her. That's when my parents realized that there was something actually wrong with me. When I went in for the sleep study, it was pretty conclusive. They told me I had narcolepsy.
NARRATOR: Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness. This irrepressible need to sleep can occur at inappropriate and dangerous times. People with narcolepsy may also experience cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone and strength.
MATT UTESCH: For me, at my worst, it was full blown where my whole body goes. And then I hit the ground like you would imagine a tree falling in the forest. You're completely conscious during this entire time. I could hear everything going on around me. You get to hear the kids in high school that would laugh at you. And so I became very introverted. I'd go to school, make the day through, and then go back home and play video games. Repeat. At that point, I kind of just accepted it.
NARRATOR: For people with narcolepsy, relief often comes through medication that helps to regulate sleep cycles
MATT UTESCH: When I sleep, I'm pretty well knocked out. I don't dream a lot. It's pretty straight through. I wake up three hours or so later, take my next dose, knocks me out again for about another three hours. Remaining physically active is very important, because if you don't work out during a day, then you're affecting your sleep at night. Now if I'm driving to work, and for some reason, I'm feeling more tired than usual, I pull over to the side of the road. And I just take a quick five, 10 minute type of nap. At lunchtime, I take at least a 30 minute nap. And when I get home from work, I take at least a 30 minute nap. Those two are guaranteed.
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I graduated with two degrees in four years. So I feel like I was pretty accomplished there. I've got a job that I absolutely love. I've got coworkers who really respect and understand my condition. I know that I could, essentially, do anything that I want to do with my life.