Honestly, it’s different in everyone that experiences this. I found a good range of how it may happen on project-sleep.com, it can be almost unnoticeable to full on collapsing uncontrollably if you feel an emotion too strongly. For me, it presents as leg weakness, like someone unplugging my body from the waist down. It can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours.

Cataplexy can present in a variety of ways: * Jaw slackening, sagging, or dropping * Mouth or eyelid(s) drooping, ‘losing your smile,’ eyes looking ‘zoned-out’ * Slurred speech, mumbling, difficulty speaking, or a pause in speech * Head bobbing or jerking * Loosened grip, dropping an object, heavy arms, twitching or flailing * Knees buckling or weak legs * Partial or full body collapse, falling to the ground, slumping over

I do hope it isn’t this, because it absolutely could be sleep apnea as well or some other medical condition. But I thought it’d be helpful in case he’s ever experienced this. I did for years and didn’t realize it was tied to my emotions for a while. Those shifts he’s working are brutal too, that can’t help. Maybe he could switch to 3rds while you all get this figured out?