How I Plan My Workday With Narcolepsy - Health Stato

                                         How I Plan My Workday With Narcolepsy - Health Stato 

                                         How I Plan My Workday With Narcolepsy - Health Stato 

I've known my career path for as long as I can remember. When I was 2 or 3 years old, I would take my plastic Elmo chair, tape one of my mom's newspapers or magazines to the wall, and pretend I was reading the news from a teleprompter. I was fortunate to go to an elementary school, middle school, and high school that all had broadcasting programs. My classmates and I would read the weather and the school news. 

By the time I went to college, it was all I wanted to do. Shocking Myself Awake I was a really sleepy kid, but my sleepiness didn't start to negatively affect me until high school. School started at 7:20 a.m. I'd be asleep on the bus on the way there. Then I'd sleep on the lunch table before school started. I'd sleep during every period of the day. Whenever I'd feel sleepy, I would punch myself under the table to try to shock myself awake or stab myself in the leg with a pencil. Sometimes it worked. Other times, I'd have a sore leg and would still be sleepy. Fortunately, I was a really good student. 

Even when I slept through lessons, I'd score 100 on the test. My friends would take pictures of me while I was sleeping. Instagram and Snapchat had just started at the time. Every time I opened one of these apps, I'd see a photo of myself, head back, fast asleep. I know my friends weren't posting my photos from a place of malice, but I do think it affected my self-esteem. By the time I got to college, I really started to notice how different I was from other people. I missed so many events because I would come home from class and fall asleep. Since I didn't know what was going on, I thought there was something inherently wrong with me. 

Asleep on the Job My first job out of college was at a local TV station in Fort Myers, FL. I was producing the morning show and working from midnight to 9 a.m. While everyone around me got adjusted to the schedule, I never could. I would sleep at my desk. I'd go into the bathroom and take a nap. Sometimes I'd nap in my car. My sleepiness was affecting me physically and mentally, but it wasn't affecting me professionally. I was good at my job, and I got my show on the air every day.

That changed when I moved to the bigger Houston market in 2019. Every night there were shootings, fires, and car chases. I couldn't afford to fall asleep on the job. I was so stressed about falling asleep that I fell asleep even more. One day when I was sleeping in the control room, my boss came in and tapped me on the shoulder. 

She said, "I saw you, Kristyn. Sleeping is unacceptable." I came home crying to my mother. I said, "Mom, they're going to fire me. I need to see someone to get help." Stay-Awake Strategies My primary care doctor referred me to a sleep specialist. In January 2020, after living with symptoms for at least 11 years, I was finally diagnosed with narcolepsy. The doctor gave me two types of medications, but they didn't work for me. I plan on working with a doctor to try other medications so that I can find one that works for me. 

In the meantime, I've tried other strategies. For one thing, I got off the overnight shift and started working during the day. Sleeping at night and working during the day has helped me stay awake during my shifts. I try to get as much sleep as possible at night by practicing good sleep hygiene. I keep my bedroom dark, go to bed at the same time every night, and I don't keep my phone next to the bed. 

I reserve my bed for sleep only. This trains my body to sleep while in bed, so I don't feel the urge to sleep as much when I'm not in bed. During the day I try to be more active. I recently started roller skating. If I get up in the morning and skate, I find that I have more energy during the day. Whenever I feel a wave of sleepiness coming over me at work, I get something cold to drink. 

The cold shocks my senses, and the motion of walking wakes me up. I try not to lean on caffeine as a pick-me-up. Last year, I was downing caffeine pills with soda and giant tumblers of coffee. I was jumpy and shaky. My blood pressure was insanely high. I discovered that caffeine is not good for me. To Disclose, or Not to Disclose? When I interviewed for my current job, I disclosed my narcolepsy. 

Disclosing isn't for everyone. It's an extremely personal decision, and it was one that I didn't make lightly. Even though it's illegal to discriminate against someone because of a disability, it still happens. If you do disclose your condition to your boss, bring information about narcolepsy. A lot of people still don't understand the condition. Know that you have every right to ask for accommodations in the workplace. My station lets me take naps during the day