‘I was so afraid that if anyone found out, they would think I was less capable, less trustworthy, that it would affect my career’
Narcolepsy, a rare and often misunderstood sleep disorder, may be quietly draining productivity and hiding star performers in Canadian workplaces.
“I spent half my energy putting on a show to hide,” says productivity expert Michelle Weger about concealing her diagnosis for years. “I was so afraid that if anyone found out, they would think that I was less capable, less trustworthy, that it would affect my career.”
She warns that some of organisations’ highest‑potential employees may be managing this condition in secret, with direct consequences for performance, engagement and retention.
What is narcolepsy?
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) describes narcolepsy as “a rare condition caused by a lack of orexin/hypocretin, a sleep‑regulating hormone that promotes wakefulness, alertness and vigilance.” The leading symptom, CAMH notes, is excessive daytime sleepiness with short 10–20 minute naps or sudden, irresistible sleep attacks “from which the person wakes up refreshed.”
There are two main types:
- Type 1 narcolepsy: with cataplexy, “loss of muscle tone associated with strong emotional states.”
- Type 2 narcolepsy: without cataplexy, but with similar daytime sleepiness.
People may also experience brief sleep paralysis on awakening and vivid sleep‑related hallucinations. CAMH says the condition may be genetic, autoimmune, post‑H1N1 or post‑traumatic in origin.
Clinicians stress that narcolepsy is uncommon but manageable. The Cleveland Clinic calls it “a manageable lifelong condition” and notes that medications, routine changes, safety precautions and workplace or school accommodations can significantly improve functioning.
How narcolepsy feels at work
Weger describes the day‑to‑day reality with a metaphor most people recognise. “You know when you plug in your phone and you’re charging it all night, but the battery would never charge past 40%?” she says. “So on my very best days, I will have 40% of the energy of anybody else.”
Despite that, co‑workers and managers often see only surface behaviour. If she struggles to stay awake or moves around to keep alert, “people are going to actually assume the more common things,” she says, such as boredom, laziness or even drinking at work.
The mental strain of masking is enormous. “When you’re hiding something, it’s so much mental load, so much stress,” Weger explains. “You’re always thinking about all the micro things you do in a day someone might notice and they could figure it out.” That constant vigilance diverts energy away from core work and problem‑solving.
It also suppresses initiative. “I’m actually a very, very high performer,” she says. But when you are hiding, “even if you have an incredible idea or you want to step up into a bigger role… you’re very unlikely to step up and share that, because you’re putting a spotlight on yourself and that puts you and your secret at risk.”
For HR, this means that fear of disclosure can directly limit idea flow, leadership emergence and discretionary effort among high performers with invisible disabilities.
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From the Cleveland Clinic
Diagnosis and treatment
According to a post on the Cleveland Clinic website, diagnosis typically involves a detailed history, sleep diaries and specialised tests — such as an overnight polysomnogram and a daytime multiple sleep latency test that measures how quickly someone falls asleep. In some cases, a spinal tap checks for low levels of hypocretin/orexin.
There is no cure, but treatment can be highly effective, according to the clinic. Common approaches include:
- wake‑promoting medications
- stimulants
- certain antidepressants
- oxybates
- newer drugs targeting histamine or dopamine–norepinephrine systems
combined with:
- structured routines
- planned naps
- consistent sleep schedules
- safety measures such as avoiding driving when sleepy
For HR leaders, a basic understanding of this landscape is important: it reinforces that narcolepsy is a medically recognised neurological condition with established treatments, not a motivation problem or lifestyle choice.
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How can HR help workers with narcolepsy?
Weger’s experience offers a practical roadmap for HR and people managers.
First, rigidity around hours can be a deal‑breaker. “If I had to be there from 8 to 4 every day with no exceptions, it’s almost guaranteed that I would be fired pretty quickly, because it’s very difficult to wake up in the morning with narcolepsy,” she says. Flexible start times and results‑focused performance measures allow employees with narcolepsy to contribute at their best.
Second, rethink meeting environments. In‑person sessions “in dark rooms with boring PowerPoints” are especially challenging, says Weger. When she was hiding, Weger avoided coping strategies such as standing or moving because she did not want to “do things that people would notice were weird.” Now she discloses at the outset: “If you see me standing up and walking around the room while you’re talking, it’s because I care a lot. I want to hear everything you’re saying. I don’t want to risk missing any of it from a small moment of sleep.”
Third, consider remote and hybrid work as targeted tools, not blanket policies.
“I actually always did virtual work my whole career,” Weger says, noting it allowed her to be “a very good employee.” Removing the commute means she can “wake up as short as 15 minutes before work,” conserving limited energy for high‑value tasks. In return‑to‑office mandates, she urges employers to look at the numbers: “If their work‑from‑home numbers are higher, if they’re more productive, then it’s beneficial for both the individual and the company to allow them to continue to work from home. They’re making you more money when they’re not in the office.”
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As a leader, Weger says she has embedded a universal design principle into her own leadership practice. “I actually ask every single employee ‘What things could we set up for you that would make you more productive?’ whether they have a disability or not.” One employee asked for a slightly longer lunch to attend a midday gym class, with earlier starts and later finishes to keep total hours the same. Within two weeks, she says, he went from good to an “absolute A-plus” employee.
