Holistic Narcolepsy Remedies: Part 1

For years I attempted to get my life back to the "normal" I had before my narcolepsy onset. My new normal with this condition is treacherous, to say the least. It requires an adequate treatment plan consisting of Western medicine as well as a variety of holistic treatments.

Over time, I have learned how to carefully balance these aspects of my life — diet and nutrition, exercise, holistic and Western treatments — in order to bring about the healthiest version of myself with narcolepsy.

Finding more zen in my life

A recent online survey from Sleep Medicine showed that about one-third of people with narcolepsy use or have used complementary or alternative treatments. The most common of these were supplements, homeopathy, and meditation.¹

I hope to find more zen in my life by implementing different holistic therapies and finding the ones that are best for me. It helps me feel more control over something that I have little to no control over.

Holistic therapies for narcolepsy

Holistic therapies for narcolepsy can include, but are not limited to, some of the following concepts.

Yoga and plant-based diets

Due to my sleep attacks, yoga is the only form of meditation I can do without falling asleep uncontrollably. It is enough to help me with my stress management and always leaves me feeling better off than I was before.

A plant-based diet may also have benefits for people with chronic illness. Researchers conducting a large UK cohort study recently reported that "greater adherence to a healthful plant-based diet was associated with a lower risk of mortality, cancer, and particularly cardiovascular disease."²

Green tea

Used in moderation, green tea has been found to reduce chances of getting cancer, regulate cholesterol, mediate weight loss, reduce the inflammatory response, and can even help control neurodegenerative diseases.³

I utilize green tea in my daily life to help provide a small kick of caffeine without the crash that usually follows with other caffeinated drinks. I'm not exactly sure how it works for me, but it does!

Medical cannabis

I have personally found that medical cannabis is useful for sleeping at night with my narcolepsy. My sleep feels deeper, I have fewer interruptions, and my body is generally more relaxed.

I am required to take at least one daily nap, according to my doctor. Sometimes I struggle to fall asleep for these naps if I am anxious or my narcoleptic brain is just misfiring. I am exhausted, but I cannot fall asleep. It is torturous! Medical cannabis is useful for these moments.

Treatment plans are personal

None of these is a "quick fix" for narcolepsy. In fact, there isn't a single treatment (Western or holistic) that works the same for everyone. We are all different, and what works for me might not work for you!

The key is to find what does help and build a personalized treatment plan piece by piece.

Be sure to check out Part 2 in this series. What kind of holistic therapies do you use for your narcolepsy? Let us know in the comments below!