Hello fellow PWN (Person with Narcolepsy)
Peter here. I’m the creator of this website. Like I mentioned on my homepage the purpose of this website, beyond providing some resources related to work and narcolepsy, is to help guide you build habits that help you manage your narcolepsy.
New to this website? Let me start by introducing myself.
I’m Peter, the creator of this website. From the Fall of 2010 to Spring 2012 I knew I had a problem with sleeping. Originally I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, but after completing 5 sleep studies in the span of those 18 months I was finally diagnosed with Narcolepsy in June of 2012.
This disease has dramatically affected my life, to say the least. The city I live in, the profession I chose, and my lifestyle have all been selected to work in synthesis with this disease. I run this website to offer practical tips to manage your narcolepsy better. If you want to read an in-depth version of my story please visit my about page here.
I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on the internet. This website is not the resource you go if you want to learn about the forefront of narcolepsy research. If you’re looking for the cutting edge in regards to research visit Stanford Medicine’s Center for Narcolepsy. If you’re looking for a nonprofit that can give you the best information and guidance then visit Narcolepsy Network.
But if you’re looking to adopt some new habits in order to help you with your symptoms, then you’re in the right place 🙂 I don’t have all the answers, but what I am is persistent. Years ago I vowed to myself that I would not let this disease control my destiny. I vowed I would not settle for a life less than I deserve. No day is perfect by any means, and I still feel the effects of narcolepsy every day, but I am miles away from where I started in terms of mindset and daily energy levels.
The two biggest impacts have come from changing my diet and stress management via meditation & yoga. If you’re looking for a place to start, enter your email below to receive my free diet ebook.
Let’s start with websites, shall we? Below are my favorite websites for education, inspiration, and general information.
Below is a simple list of the things I use every day in order to help with the symptoms of my narcolepsy. They’re a combination of products I use to keep my alertness up or products that help keep my cortisol levels raised during the day.
Currently, there is only one confirmed or an agreed-upon way to be properly diagnosed with narcolepsy. That would be to take a multiple sleep latency test. MSLT’s Are done with a Polysomnography in an overnight sleep lab. Polysomnograms monitor your brain waves while sleeping. People with narcolepsy have altered brain wave cycles when compared to those with healthy sleep cycles. A sleep specialist can determine if you have this disorder by reading and diagnosing the results of this test. The MSLT conducts 5 separate nap tests to determine if you fall into the REM cycle in the middle of the day.
Feel free to use this tool to get an idea of how tired you are throughout the day > http://www.morethantired.com/narcolepsy-symptom-screener. It’s not a professional diagnosis but it may give you a baseline in a general understanding of where you lie and relative to normal sleep.
If you think you may have this disease I implore you to connect with a sleep specialist so they can properly diagnose you.
With Love,
Peter
Disclaimer: I must mention that I am not a doctor nor do I play one on the internet. I have no medical training/background nor do I hold a degree in anything related to the healthcare field. Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you purchase the item via the links. I recommend only products and companies I use or have reviewed and the income goes to keeping the site ad-free.