Auto-Scrolling with Narcolepsy

I’m over forty, and was honestly not the most versed in electronics as a kid even though I feel we had an electric typewriter right before computers became a household staple. I used to go outside until I had to come home and eat dinner each night.

As I grew up though, phones and computers all evolved into what we have today: internet at the palm of your hand. Pocket mini-computers (aka smart phones) that play music, call people, and deliver food to your door with the push of the button.

Technological evolution also changes how we spend our time, especially during long winters when we cannot go outside much.

Living in New England, it is not only cold but this year the snow is exceptionally deep. Other than indoor house chores, I spend a lot of time crocheting, sitting with my cats, and watching TV shows. At the end of a long day or earlier when I first wake up, though when I forget how tired I am, I can get caught is some automatic behaviors.

I have discovered a new automatic behavior if I begin my day checking the news or weather.

My auto-scrolling narcolepsy journey

When I got up the other day, I found myself checking the daily Google insights on my phone.

Suddenly I realize I need to take a shower, go to work and somehow, I have "read" 20 articles, but I don’t remember clicking on them. This has been going on for weeks now and I am starting to recognize it for what it is. Not that I need to know the world as I wake up, but that I don't want to wake up and my brain puts everything on replay.

About 10 years ago, "mindless scrolling" became a topic as social media became a way to scroll through friends and family posts with or without acknowledgement. It’s even harder for me to get on social media these days.

Having narcolepsy makes me sleepy throughout the day and often in a mindless brain fog where being on my phone can make me even more zombie like.

I find myself more tired than refreshed if I use my phone at night and yet don’t even realize at times I have scrolled through 100 cat videos on Instagram. Mind you, I like my cat videos and cute fluffy animals give you endorphins when we watch them, but setting a limit or audibly LOUD timer is necessary so I don’t get sucked into what I call "auto-scrolling."

Not only am I just going through the motions of being on the social media page, but I have either clicked like, or watched 20+ videos on content that eventually take over my entire feed. I can only imagine how this works for people without a sleep disorder.

Managing social media use with narcolepsy

So how do I cope given my phone is always only a few inches away these days?

I try to plug it in and not touch it after 9:00 PM. Honestly, it is easier to have the phone go into a do not disturb mode than try to get sucked into Facebook until midnight.In the morning, it has become harder though to resist the urge to check the weather and news.

Without my partner’s reminders to shut off the TV, phone and focus on what I need to completely, I might be ridiculously lost in auto-scrolling. I am thankful to have someone that can help me work through my mornings sometimes. I have found several alarms are needed (not for waking up always) but to pull me out of the auto-scrolling or even work activities to take a break from screens, stretch and engage my body so that I can attempt to wake up more.

Though I have not reached this point, removing social media apps from your phone instead of just avoiding it upon waking or going to bed is another suggestion I have been given to help me cope with this automatic behavior.

Whatever my automatic behavior is though, self-awareness has been my way of figuring out I need to stop and focus so I don’t get stuck in the repeat loop when I am sleepy which often is something that requires reflection.