by Lindsay Ropiak

Okay, so maybe it’s hard to get a good, full night’s rest as a Person with NarcolepsyGreek meaning loosely "sleep seizure." Disorder marked by recurrent and uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness, often associated with temporary muscular paralysis known as cataplexyCataplexysudden, brief loss of muscle control brought on by strong emotion or emotional response (laughter, excitement, surprise, anger, etc.) This may or may not cause full body collapse. In all cases, the patient is FULLY CONSCIOUS and aware but cannot move. Episodes last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes., but there are a few things that we can do to maximize the rest we do get. A little planning and good sleep hygiene are essential tools in our NarcolepsyGreek meaning loosely "sleep seizure." Disorder marked by recurrent and uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness, often associated with temporary muscular paralysis known as cataplexyCataplexysudden, brief loss of muscle control brought on by strong emotion or emotional response (laughter, excitement, surprise, anger, etc.) This may or may not cause full body collapse. In all cases, the patient is FULLY CONSCIOUS and aware but cannot move. Episodes last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes. kits.

Beds are for sleeping. Use your bed only for intimacy and sleeping. This trains your brain to recognize that it’s rest time when your head hits the pillow. Watching TV or using your laptop are activities best saved for your couch.

Limit your pillows. Keeping your head too high is not optimal for blood flow and your muscle system. Lay on as few pillows as is comfortable so that your body doesn’t strain, can relax, and can have a better chance to rest and mend.

Get the temp right. Many people prefer a cool room, others like it a little warmer. Pick a temperature that keeps you comfy and you’ll be less likely to toss and turn as your yank the blankets or shove them off.

Make it dark. Keep the lights off, the shades drawn if you can. As human beings, we’re programmed to sleep with the sun. If we have artificial light tricking our brains into thinking it’s wake time, sleep is compromised!

Keep it quiet. Auditory distractions are tough for everyone. As a Person with NarcolepsyGreek meaning loosely "sleep seizure." Disorder marked by recurrent and uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness, often associated with temporary muscular paralysis known as cataplexyCataplexysudden, brief loss of muscle control brought on by strong emotion or emotional response (laughter, excitement, surprise, anger, etc.) This may or may not cause full body collapse. In all cases, the patient is FULLY CONSCIOUS and aware but cannot move. Episodes last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes. can be susceptible to noisy hallucinations, it helps to eliminate the physical factors to help with confusion. I wear earplugs to drown outside noises away, and it helps me make sure that anything I’m hearing isn’t part of reality. This sort of confirmation is helpful to me. So, earplugs help set a comfy environment, and protects from N-demons.

Overstimulated? Make sure that you take about an hour before sleep to do something less stimulating than computer-time or television. Read a book, do some yoga, talk to your partner or cat… just do something to rest your senses to help transition into sleep easier.

Keep your noms in the fridge! Don’t eat a few hours before bed. There are a few reasons I say this. In honesty, waking up in the middle of the night to run to the toilet is not a good enough reason to wake me up from what might have been a decent slumber for once. I want to prevent that. Second, food provides energy that you don’t need while you sleep, it could actually keep you awake (as may the process of digestion, as it is a job for the body. When the body works, it’s not really resting, right?); and calories aren’t being burned at an appropriate rate, and, ultimately, we gain weight. But, if you’re hungry or thirsty, you don’t need let yourself continue to feel that way. Have something light, like a piece of toast, or drink some water if you’re thirsty.

Supplements or Drugs? Some PWNAcronym for "People with NarcolepsyGreek meaning loosely "sleep seizure." Disorder marked by recurrent and uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness, often associated with temporary muscular paralysis known as cataplexyCataplexysudden, brief loss of muscle control brought on by strong emotion or emotional response (laughter, excitement, surprise, anger, etc.) This may or may not cause full body collapse. In all cases, the patient is FULLY CONSCIOUS and aware but cannot move. Episodes last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes." use supplements or prescription drugs to aid in their sleep. I have been prescribed Rozerem. When I use it as directed, I get pretty well zonked and stay that way as long as I need to. Xyrem, Lunesta and Ambien are also drugs that have been prescribed to PWNAcronym for "People with NarcolepsyGreek meaning loosely "sleep seizure." Disorder marked by recurrent and uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness, often associated with temporary muscular paralysis known as cataplexyCataplexysudden, brief loss of muscle control brought on by strong emotion or emotional response (laughter, excitement, surprise, anger, etc.) This may or may not cause full body collapse. In all cases, the patient is FULLY CONSCIOUS and aware but cannot move. Episodes last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes." to help them sleep. Some doctors prefer one or another, or may have you try a variety to find what works for you. Other sleep aids include Melatonin, a supplement sold over the counter at grocery stores, helps form part of our sleep-wake cycle and reduces body temperature. Naturally in our bodies, melatonin is activated by darkness, and inhibited by light (so we could achieve similar, even more natural results in the comfort of our sleep-ready bedroom). Some people like to drink decaffeinated herbal teas. Some theorize herbal supplements make a difference for sleep, others believe the heat is soothing which facilitates easier sleep.

Exercise. I know, as a PWNAcronym for "People with NarcolepsyGreek meaning loosely "sleep seizure." Disorder marked by recurrent and uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness, often associated with temporary muscular paralysis known as cataplexyCataplexysudden, brief loss of muscle control brought on by strong emotion or emotional response (laughter, excitement, surprise, anger, etc.) This may or may not cause full body collapse. In all cases, the patient is FULLY CONSCIOUS and aware but cannot move. Episodes last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes." it is really hard to find the energy to exercise. But our bodies need it. While we may feel tired because our hormones leave us drowsy, there are still processes in our bodies that require movement to function properly. Aside from burning calories, exercise pumps oxygen-rich blood, strengthens muscles, keeps bones aligned, helps in digestion, keeps organs healthy and relieves tension. There are gentle ways to exercise such as doing yoga, moving around a pool or going for walks that can help PWNAcronym for "People with NarcolepsyGreek meaning loosely "sleep seizure." Disorder marked by recurrent and uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness, often associated with temporary muscular paralysis known as cataplexyCataplexysudden, brief loss of muscle control brought on by strong emotion or emotional response (laughter, excitement, surprise, anger, etc.) This may or may not cause full body collapse. In all cases, the patient is FULLY CONSCIOUS and aware but cannot move. Episodes last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes." and people with other limitations get their bodies moving. Try 10 minutes a day. Then 20. Then 30. Can you do more? Exercising helps with the body’s ability to heal itself. As your body feels better on the inside, it will be easier to relax for a good night’s sleep.

Same time. All the time. Make a sleep schedule. Plan to go to bed at the same time every night and try to wake up at the same time every morning. With a bit of luck and practice, your body will learn to expect sleep at nine pm and it will be used to waking up at eight am Just an example. Your body recognizes the signs, and reacts accordingly. There was a science experiment done on Dwight in The Office: Jim would make his computer ding and offer Dwight a tic-tac. Over and over. Finally, Jim made his computer ding and Dwight reached his hand for a tic-tac, a now natural reaction to a stimulus. We could fool our bodies the same way! It’s genius!

There are lots of tips and tricks out there to try and teach (or make) us sleep right. I know we can’t force ourselves to sleep any more than we can force ourselves to stay awake as we fight the N day in and day out. But a few simple changes and a little patience can make a lot of difference sometimes. For us, often we receive only a small percentage of the restful sleep that the mainstream population may be used to. A few extra moments would be worth the effort, would it not?

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Planet  NarcolepsyGreek meaning loosely "sleep seizure." Disorder marked by recurrent and uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness, often associated with temporary muscular paralysis known as cataplexyCataplexysudden, brief loss of muscle control brought on by strong emotion or emotional response (laughter, excitement, surprise, anger, etc.) This may or may not cause full body collapse. In all cases, the patient is FULLY CONSCIOUS and aware but cannot move. Episodes last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes.All Rights Reserved