June 2011
1 post
9 tags
Why I Believe the MSLT Could Be Improved
I recently underwent a duo of sleep studies to help determine whether or not I have certain sleep disorders. The overnight Polysomnogram (PSG) monitored me all throughout the night, whether awake or asleep, to determine what happened with my brain and body during the night. If successful (meaning that no issues like obstructive sleep apnea or periodic limb movement were found during the PSG), I...
May 2011
1 post
3 tags
As a Slave to Somnolence
We walk, not in unision. Not because we don’t want to, but because your legs pull you forward and mine drag me down. I watch as you bounce with enthusiasm, walking with purpose, emanating energy like you’re the god damn sun. I will my legs forward, let out a small squeak in pleading for you to wait up. I breathe deeply and push forward in a poorly executed hustle....
April 2011
1 post
3 tags
On Cataplexy
A common symptom of narcolepsy is cataplexy. Cataplexy is a sudden and transient episode of loss of muscle tone, often triggered by emotions. There are varying degrees of cataplexy, and over the years, it appears that mine has been getting worse.
It used to be that whenever I laughed, my knees would buckle. If that something was especially funny, my knees would buckle enough that I would droop to...
March 2011
2 posts
4 tags
On Hallucinations
It’s funny how often one can experience things on a regular basis, and not fully realize what is happening. It only occurred to me last night that I have been experiencing a rather high frequency of hypnagogic hallucinations lately.
Often, just before I fall asleep, I will hear my boyfriend having a conversation with someone. So I wake up and go ask him who he was talking to, but he always...
3 tags
On Disordered Sleeping
Lately my narcolepsy has been creeping up on me rather thoroughly, so trying to deal with it has been quite the learning process. I thought that blogging about it might help me to sort through my experiences and what I’ve learned. This will probably be the first of many.
I won’t do a complete recap, but suffice it to say that I have been struggling with disordered sleeping for years,...
