Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder in which the brain’s ability to control sleep-wake cycles diminishes. It is a sleep disorder that causes day-time drowsiness. This Historyplex article compiles a list of famous people with narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a neurological condition wherein a person experiences excessive sleepiness during the daytime. It is characterized by rapid eye movement sleep disorders and random spells of sleep during the day. A person suffering from narcolepsy experiences drowsiness at unusual times of the day and excessive sleepiness. The nighttime sleep of narcoleptic people is disturbed and characterized by frequent waking up.
A deficiency of protein-producing neurons in the brain or certain other genetic disorders can cause narcolepsy. Individuals with this disorder should consult sleep specialists for the diagnosis and treatment. Research reveals that there are around 3 million cases of narcolepsy in the world today. Let us look at some famous people who had this disorder.
Harriet Tubman
This famous African-American abolitionist was a slave by birth. She devoted her life to the abolition of slavery and strove for the establishment of equality in society. While helping a slave escape from torture, Tubman met with an accident in which her head was severely injured. Following this injury, she began to have seizures and spells of unconsciousness. Often, she fell asleep without warning. Probably, she was a narcoleptic. You might like to know more about this humanitarian through her timeline.
Harold M. Ickes
Born on September 4, 1939, Harold Ickes went on to become an active politician. He worked in presidential campaigns and served as an adviser to David Dinkins’ campaign as the mayor of New York City. He was the famed deputy Chief of Staff for the White House. He is believed to be suffering from narcolepsy. It is said that he faces difficulties in concentrating and uses medication to stay awake at work.
Teresa Nielsen Hayden
She is an American science fiction editor, essayist, and fanzine writer. Born on March 21, 1956, she was brought up in Arizona. She served as a managing editor and later as a consulting editor to Tor Books. She is known for her weblog, in which she handles a variety of subjects. She was narcoleptic and was taking the Cylert medication for quite some time.
Jimmy Kimmel
Born on November 13, 1967, Jimmy Kimmel went on to become a television host and comedian. Apart from being a television personality, he is also a bass clarinet player. Best known for hosting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’, co-hosting ‘The Man Show’ and famed for producing popular shows like ‘Crank Yankers’; he is a narcoleptic.
Aaron Flahavan
He was an English football player, who has played for Portsmouth since 1994. Before he began with a professional career, he played for the youth team of Southampton. Reportedly, he had experienced blackouts during matches, which indicated narcolepsy. He died an untimely death in a car accident.
Nastassja Kinski
She is a German actress of international acclaim. She was regarded as a sex symbol in the 1970s and the 1980s. Starting as a model, she went on to become a Golden Globe winning actress for her film ‘Tess’. She suffers from narcolepsy.
# The famous American musician Kurt Cobain claimed to be having narcolepsy, though he was not diagnosed with the condition.
# It was thought that Thomas Edison had narcolepsy. Pictures of him sleeping in his laboratory may have led people to think so.
# The American stand-up comedian Lenny Bruce is believed to have taken treatment for narcolepsy.
Louis Braille
Supposedly, the French educator and inventor Louis Braille had narcolepsy.
Other Famous People with Narcolepsy
- Arthur Lowe
- Bianca Feierstein
- Caleb Beasley
- Franck Bouyer
- Gabe Barham
- George M. Church
- Hank Aaron
- Jinkx Monsoon
- Nicole Jeray
- Winston Churchill
These were some famous people with narcolepsy. What is inspiring about them is that they pursued their careers and emerged successful, despite this health condition.
