This paper summarized Professor ZHANG Lei′s experience in treating narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime sleepiness

cataplexy

sleep paralysis

and hallucinations occurring during sleep. It is believed that abnormal wei qi

decline of yang with exuberance of yin

impairment of five zang organs

counterflow of spirit qi

wind-phlegm obstruction

and orifices block with mental confusion are main pathogenesis of narcolepsy. Syndrome differentiation is suggested to guide treatment

when main symptoms are differentiated to determine the five spirits; concurrent symptoms are used to distinguish between yin and yang; and pathogenic qi is detected to identify stirring and static of disease. The common syndromes of narcolepsy include deficient yang and scattered spirit pattern

liver wind complicated by phlegm pattern

binding of phlegm and stasis pattern

constraint and obstruction of brain orifices pattern

and spleen-kidney deficiency and depletion pattern.