Narcolepsy Awareness Day

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

Narcolepsy Awareness Day

WHEREAS, Suddenly Sleepy Saturday, otherwise known as Narcolepsy Awareness Day, helps increase awareness of the symptoms, signs, and treatment of narcolepsy; and

WHEREAS, approximately 50% of people in the United States with narcolepsy are undiagnosed; and

WHEREAS, narcolepsy affects approximately 1 in 2,000 people in the United States; and

WHEREAS, narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder caused by the brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles and is characterized by an excessive amount of fatigue during the daytime; and

WHEREAS, while the causes of narcolepsy are unknown, current research indicates that it is triggered by a combination of genetic and environmental factors that impact one's immune system; and

WHEREAS, the most frequent symptoms of narcolepsy include disturbed sleep, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis; and

WHEREAS, the Narcolepsy Network established Suddenly Sleepy Saturday in 2012 to generate public awareness of narcolepsy;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Abigail D. Spanberger, Governor, do hereby recognize the day of March 7, 2026, as NARCOLEPSY AWARENESS DAY in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.