Damien is a 21 year old narcoleptic who lives in York with his parents, who run an old fashioned guest house. His unusual condition has had a devastating impact on all of their lives. He often finds many of the things that we take for granted a real struggle: paying attention, learning, getting and keeping a job, communicating, sleeping (ironically).

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Physiologically, it is closely related to the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is known as REM atonia. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the body paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully conscious, but unable to move. In addition, the state may be accompanied by terrifying hallucinations (hypnopompic or hypnagogic) and an acute sense of danger. Sleep paralysis is particularly frightening to the individual due to the vividness of such hallucinations. The hallucinatory element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful, or dream-like, objects may appear in the room alongside one’s normal vision.

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