To assess the impact of COVID-19 related restrictions on narcolepsy type 1 (NT2), narcolepsy type 2 (NT2), and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH).
Participants with NT1, NT2 and IH followed in a university hospital completed an online 78-question survey assessing demographic, clinical and occupational features of the population during the first COVID-19 related lockdown.
The 219 /851 (25.7%) respondents of the survey reported a mean increase of 1.2±1.9 hours (P<.001) in night sleep time, and a mean decrease of 1.0±3.4 points (P<.001) on the Epworth sleepiness scale during lockdown. Bedtime was delayed by 46.1% of participants and wakeup time was delayed by 59.6%, driven primarily by participants with IH. Teleworkers (but not in-person workers) reported a mean increase of 0.9±1.2 hours in night sleep (P <.001) and a mean decrease in sleepiness score of 1.6± 3.1 (P <.001). Cataplexy improved in 54.1% of participants with NT1. Sleepiness correlated with psychological wellness (R=0.3, P<.001). As many as 42.5% enjoyed the lockdown, thanks to reallocation of time usually spent commuting towards longer sleep time, hobbies and family time, and appreciated a freer napping schedule. Conversely, 13.2% disliked the lockdown, feeling isolation and psychological distress.
Extended sleep time, circadian delay (in IH patients) and teleworking resulted in decreased symptoms of central hypersomnias. These findings suggest that people with IH, NT1 and NT2 may benefit from a decrease in social and professional constraints on sleep-wake habits, and support advocacy efforts aimed at facilitating workplace and schedule accommodations for this population.

© 2021 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

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