Narcolepsy Support Group
A sleep disorder (somnipathy) is a disorder in the sleep patterns of a person or animal. Some sleep disorders can interfere with mental and emotional function. If you are having trouble falling asleep or having some other kind of sleep disturbance, this group is for you.
i dont know if its just me or if anyone else feels like this , when ever i go out side , like shopping , going to see me dad for an hour or out else that involes going out doors i feel exhausted when i get home , it realy does drain me , it cant be right feeling like that , does anyone else feel tired going out , or is it just me lol ,
Yep, sounds about right.
I am especially sensitive to natural light and air pressure...only the sun knocks me out.
Figures.
Going on errands, even just to the grocery store can seem like it will require more energy than I have, so I put it off a day or two until I have a window of energy(or absolutely no food in the house) and I'll drive the entire mile and a half up the road to walk up and down the aisles, forget what I went there for (left my list at home), grab a few things, and head home. There are times I walk around the store, hoping the things I need will call to me as I pass them by, and then a well intentioned clerk will ask me if I need help finding anything. Oh, if they only knew. I just tell them, no thanks, I'm just window shopping.
I do have good days (it's all relative) where I can accomplish a few errands and I'm thankful for that. But even then, getting back home brings a lot of relief.
What I find draining is being where people are gathered and I have to visit and interact with them. Now that's draining. Trying to look and act 'normal.' Trying to keep up with conversations and not have my eyes glaze over and go into that netherworld where you're not asleep but you're not awake either. Praying I don't say something that has nothing to do with the conversation or blurting out something bizarre because I'm off in Narcolepsy Land.
It can be draining to drive because I make sure I am hyper aware of what's going on around me so I don't go into a narcoleptic fog and run a red light or something.
So, no, it's not just me. I think the majority of us, if we don't feel that way now, we will eventually. It's all part of the package we call narcolepsy.
Disabled parking permit possible for you? It really helps on some days not to use up precious energy just walking from car to store.
Cluster shopping: Going to mall? Plan each excursion for just one section of the mall, "cluster" your shopping into one area per trip. No more walking from one end of the mall to the other just to go to two stores.
Do the same for other shopping where possible. (Pick up tonights Chinese take out dinner on the way out of the supermarket after doing food shopping, then reheat later, rather than go out again later to pick up dinner. etc...)
Drive though, drive through, drive through when possible. Did you know you can call Boston Market and order to pick up in the drive through?
Use a comfy face mask at night to sleep. (Brookstone has a great one.) Once used to it, it can actually help you relax and rest anywhere. Your body gets so used to it, that it's like a sleep trigger. Take it to work, on your lunch hour if you can close the door, 15 minutes of rest will be much more effective. You'll actually rest for the 15 minutes rather than just trying to rest. Take in car for long trips, you'll get real sleep with it on rather than unrestful sleep.
If you need a nap, maybe put your laundry in so at least you'll be getting something done while napping. That way you don't have to use up energy doing something that can be put on "autopilot".
Stay cool, being warm can cause more fatigue.
Stay hydrated, also helps.
Most important learn to say "yes, thanks, that's very nice of you" when kind people offer to help.