Living with a chronic sleep disorder can be incredibly challenging, but it doesn’t have to define you. Matthew Horsnell, diagnosed with narcolepsy at age 20, has turned his experience into a mission to raise awareness and support others facing similar struggles.

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that disrupts the sleep-wake cycle, causing excessive daytime sleepiness, often accompanied by sudden sleep attacks. This can disrupt work, social life, and overall quality of life.

“I would go to bed at 8:30 at night, yet every morning I would wake up and struggle to get out of bed,” said Horsnell, now 43. “I would fall asleep on the couch while I was waiting for my mom to take my brother and I to school and nod off again during the 20-minute ride. Then throughout the day, I might move to the back of the class to catch another few winks.”

In addition to excessive sleepiness, many individuals with narcolepsy also experience cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle control triggered by strong emotions.

“By age 20, Horsnell began losing control of his body for brief periods when he felt a strong emotion, falling or slumping to the ground conscious but paralyzed — a condition called cataplexy.

““If I’m startled or someone tells a really funny joke