Living

I miss the old me. The me that I used to be, before narcolepsy. I miss that person that could stay up studying for all hours of the night, memorizing...

"Imposter syndrome" is a term that has become well-known in recent years. Although it’s frequently associated with success-related situations, it’s also very applicable to invisible illnesses like narcolepsy. For those...

We are always searching for new ways to stay awake, and while medication is undeniably essential for many of us, we can’t forget that there are other things that can...

I am so excited to be able to share my narcolepsy experiences with all of you again! I have taken a year off to concentrate on my health, and it...

Grief is something that I have been used to from a young age. It is extremely hard to go through, but narcolepsy and grief feels like a different ball game...

Narcolepsy and stress often go hand-in-hand. Cataplexy is a temporary paralysis that people with type 1 narcolepsy (like me) experience. It is triggered by heightened emotional states.1 Other ways in...

Living with a chronic illness is hard. Living with an invisible chronic illness like narcolepsy is hard and extremely lonely. As a narcolepsy advocate and support group host, I have...

All over my social media in recent months, I saw quotes like "new year, new me," or "out with the old, in with the new." Everyone was so pumped up...

When most people think of narcolepsy, they immediately envision someone who falls asleep suddenly, anywhere, anytime. However, narcolepsy is much more than excessive daytime sleepiness; there are numerous other symptoms...

I have a thirst for learning. I am always interested in developing a new skill, doing something new. I get restless and bored with the mundane. I crave a little...

Have you had the pleasure of getting shingles? "Pleasure" is not the right word, of course. There is a lot of pain, itching, and an ugly red-bumped rash. Very couture...

With another Valentine's Day come and gone, the holiday reminds me about the struggles I’ve had with dating due to my idiopathic hypersomnia (IH). Before I was diagnosed, I was...

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder impacting between 135,000 and 200,000 people in the United States alone. With symptoms like excessive daytime sleepiness and insomnia, it's no wonder many people with...

I have recently realized that my relationship with sleep and nutrition is not the best. I struggle with a fear of missing out, and it often prevents me from prioritizing...

Living with narcolepsy means sometimes I have to rest my eyes in inconvenient places. There are times when I can fight through the overwhelming urge to sleep, and I’m grateful...

Most people I’ve spoken to have expressed that one of their first symptoms of narcolepsy was excessive daytime sleepiness. This was not my case. The first symptom I remember experiencing...

I have been actively seeking out fellow people with narcolepsy for over 2 decades. I started out in online groups where I was talking with people online. Most of the...

The first time I went through the application process for disability benefits, it was too much to handle. I received many denial letters. I had to get a lawyer. I...

The number of people I know with narcolepsy grew greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-pandemic I had met a few people with narcolepsy by attending the Narcolepsy UK conferences, but...

If you’ve experienced sleep paralysis, you most likely know how terrifying these experiences can be. They can range from seeing disturbing entities to feeling them suffocating you. It goes without...