Happy World Narcolepsy Day!
September 22nd marks World Narcolepsy Day! This day aims to raise awareness of the condition and unify patients around the globe. World Narcolepsy Day was established in 2019 by a large group of worldwide patient advocacy organizations. Since its inception, the movement has worked hard to raise the voices of those with this condition.
For those who are unfamiliar with the disease, Narcolepsy is a chronic neuro condition in which the brain has difficulty regulating the sleep and awake cycles.
Excessive drowsiness which can interfere with alertness and concentration.
Abnormal sleep patterns, which may result in having trouble sleeping at night and sleeping more throughout the day.
Sleep paralysis.
Hallucinations (these can either be visual, auditory or tactile) upon falling asleep or waking up.
Cataplexy, which is described as occurrences of muscle weakness brought about from laughter, anger, euphoria, surprise or anger.
In order to get a diagnosis, it is recommended to see a sleep specialist. If diagnosed with Narcolepsy, there are many types of treatment. These can range from person to person.
Due to low awareness, it can take as many as 15 years for some individuals to get a proper diagnosis.
For a person without this condition to feel the same level of extreme fatigue that a person with narcolepsy experiences, they would have to stay awake for 48 to 72 hours!
Around 3 million people globally have Narcolepsy. This means that every one in two thousand people has this condition!
It is suspected that the majority of people with this condition are either misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.
Showing Support
There are plenty of ways to get involved on this important day!
Share your story if you have this condition, or have a loved one that is willing to share!
Make a donation to Project Sleep or any other Narcolepsy organizations!
Show your support online with the specially branded Project Sleep Facebook frame! Be sure to use the hashtag #WorldNarcolepsyDay and tag @project_sleep in any postings!
Use your platform to become an Ambassador for Project Sleep! Spread information and raise awareness on your social media channels.
Get involved in activities from Project Sleep! You can find a full list of what they offer on their website.
For more information on Narcolepsy, be sure to check out the Project Sleep website as well as their Instagram and Twitter accounts @project_sleep. Let's keep the momentum going and continue to raise awareness for this often overlooked and misunderstood condition!
To keep up with other chronic illness advocacy content and the movement proving #sickfightsback, follow @fightlikeawarrior on Instagram!
Blog post written by: Maddy and Michelle
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