Wide Awake and Dreaming, a Narcolepsy Memoir, Selected as the 2026 Stanford SASI Book Club Pick

Project Sleep’s President & CEO, Julie Flygare’s Wide Awake and Dreaming: A Memoir of Narcolepsy has been selected as the 2026 Stanford School of Medicine’s Stanford Anesthesia Summer Institute (SASI) Book Club pick.

Flygare’s narcolepsy memoir offers an honest look at living with narcolepsy, the journey from mysterious symptoms to adjusting to diagnosis and treatments in her early 20s.

How SASI Uses the Narcolepsy Memoir to Teach the Human Side of Medicine

Each summer, SASI brings together high school students from around the world for an immersive introduction to medicine, research, and healthcare careers. As part of the program, students read a book that encourages discussion about the human side of medicine and the patient experience.

One of the most meaningful aspects of this year’s program is the custom workbook the SASI team created to accompany Wide Awake and Dreaming. Filled with discussion questions, reflections, and activities, the guide encourages students to think deeply about empathy, diagnosis, communication, resilience, identity, navigating uncertainty and what it means to live with a chronic neurological condition like narcolepsy.

On July 2, 2026, Flygare visited Stanford School of Medicine for an author talk and book signing. She shared more about her narcolepsy journey, the writing and publishing process behind Wide Awake and Dreaming, and how her experiences inspired her to found Project Sleep. Flygare also highlighted the importance of social support for people living with invisible conditions like narcolepsy and the role storytelling can play in reducing stigma and building connection.

Continuing the Conversation Through SASI’s Summer Book Club and Beyond

The Stanford SASI Book Club continues this summer with a virtual book club discussion in August, giving students another opportunity to discuss the memoir and its themes with the author.

Project Sleep is honored that Wide Awake and Dreaming was selected as the 2026 SASI Book Club book and grateful to the Stanford Anesthesia Summer Institute for creating such a thoughtful educational experience. We hope Flygare’s narcolepsy book continues to inspire future physicians, researchers, and healthcare leaders to better understand sleep disorders and the people who live with them every day. In addition, Project Sleep is proud to elevate the stories of various people living with sleep disorders around the world through our Rising Voices speaker training.

Photos from the July 2 author talk and book signing are featured below. Explore more of Project Sleep’s narcolepsy resources. 

Have you read Flygare’s narcolepsy memoir? Comment your thoughts on the book below!

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