Kleine-Levin Syndrome or KLS has no exact treatment. Stimulants given orally like amphetamines, modafinil, and methylphenidate can be used to ward off the sleepiness, however; it does not improve the sluggishness or other elements of the altered mental state.

Because of the similarities between KLS and bipolar disorder, lithium and carbamazepine appear to be beneficial in some patients to ward off or shorten the KLS episodes.

Although responses to treatment are often limited, KLS needs to be differentiated from re-occurrence of sleepiness during the premenstrual period in teenage girls controlled with hormonal contraception.

KLS usually occur in patients around the age of 23 and last a period of about 4 years. Patients can experience an average of 12 episodes lasting around 12 days. Although these episodes can vary from 2-130 episodes and have lasted between 2.5 and 80 days, there is usually 5 months between episodes; but have also been known to lapse between 5 to 72 months. The patient is considered to be cured if they don’t experience an episode for 6 or more years.

In many cases, the disorder disappears as mysteriously as it appears. About 90% will outgrow KLS symptoms and even those who have some degree of it left after ten years, it is usually much, milder.