Final answer:
Albert likely has Narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that includes episodes triggered by emotional states where individuals fall into REM sleep, with symptoms including excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep paralysis, and potentially vivid hallucinations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Albert is exhibiting symptoms of Narcolepsy, a sleep disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to fall asleep when one is supposed to be fully awake. Narcolepsy can often be linked with strong emotional triggers such as excitement or other emotional states which induce abrupt transitions into REM sleep, a stage normally associated with dreaming and muscle paralysis (which prevents us from acting out our dreams). Cataplexy, a sudden and transient episode of muscle weakness often triggered by emotions, is frequently associated with narcolepsy. People with this condition may have sleep attacks that can occur during any type of activity at any time of day.
Narcolepsy is not only associated with excessive daytime sleepiness but also with other REM sleep abnormalities such as sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations. The connection between such strong emotional responses and falling into a sleep state suggests a disruption in the normal sleep regulation that involves the brain's control of switching between sleep and wakefulness.