Sleepless In America

A new pill can keep you alert on even a few hours of sleep--but it's not for everyone. What you need to know

If you're like most people, you know that a sleepless night can sap your energy and turn your brain into mush. So it may be hard to fathom how anyone could complain about having too much sleep. And yet that's the predicament faced by the estimated 200,000 Americans who suffer from a condition called narcolepsy. They don't generally fall asleep in the middle of a meal or a conversation--that happens in movies and television sitcoms. But they struggle with an overwhelming sense of drowsiness they can't shake--even after a good night's rest.

Many narcoleptics found relief two years ago when the...

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