The final episode of the Waking Up Tired – Narcolepsy Symptoms Explained podcast features Dr David Cunnington, a specialist sleep physician and educator, who’s spent over two decades listening to patients and helping decode the complexities of sleep disorders. David shares what narcolepsy looks like from the other side of the desk, why diagnosis takesContinueContinue reading “Why Narcolepsy Takes Time to Diagnose: Dr David Cunnington Explains Narcolepsy in Clinical Practice”
Category Archives: invisible illness
When Laughter Knocks You Down Cataplexy Explained
Episode seven of the Waking Up Tired – Narcolepsy Symptoms Explained podcast is about the one symptom that differs between narcolepsy type one and two, cataplexy. Narcolepsy Type 1 is defined by both excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. Narcolepsy Type 2 is characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness but without cataplexy. Because cataplexy varies so muchContinueContinue reading “When Laughter Knocks You Down Cataplexy Explained”
The Shadow Man and Me Terrifying Narcolepsy Hallucinations
Waking Up Tired Narcolepsy Symptoms Explained Podcast In episode six of the Waking Up Tired – Narcolepsy Symptoms Explained podcast, host Di Spillane introduces us to Laura. When Laura first started seeing the Shadow Man — a dark, looming figure who hovered near her bed she thought she was losing her mind. The hallucinations wereContinueContinue reading “The Shadow Man and Me Terrifying Narcolepsy Hallucinations”
Frozen Awake: Erin’s Story of Sleep Paralysis, Hypnagogic Hallucinations and Narcolepsy
“I was awake, but I couldn’t move. I could hear someone say my name—but no one was there.” https://open.spotify.com/episode/2578xNvXmyYjuiu0SdEQfH?si=7Cf34uo9TZW3R9t87O3WFg That was Erin’s first experience of sleep paralysis. She was 16, confused, and terrified. What she didn’t know then was that this moment would mark the beginning of her journey toward a diagnosis of Type 1ContinueContinue reading “Frozen Awake: Erin’s Story of Sleep Paralysis, Hypnagogic Hallucinations and Narcolepsy”
Disrupted Sleep, Disrupted Life – Disrupted Night-time Sleep
Waking Up Tired – Narcolepsy Symptoms Explained Podcast Episode Four When I was first diagnosed with narcolepsy, I wasn’t handed a guidebook. No roadmap, no real explanation—just a steep learning curve I’m still navigating. That’s why conversations like the one in Episode 4 of Waking Up Tired matter so deeply. In this episode, you willContinueContinue reading “Disrupted Sleep, Disrupted Life – Disrupted Night-time Sleep”
Irresistible Urge to Sleep – Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS)
Waking Up Tired – Narcolepsy Symptoms Explained Podcast Episode One One symptom that every person with narcolepsy experiences is Excessive Daytime Sleepiness, or EDS. It’s not just feeling tired — it’s a persistent, overwhelming sleepiness that doesn’t go away, no matter how much rest you’ve had. EDS is often the first symptom to appear, butContinueContinue reading “Irresistible Urge to Sleep – Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS)”
Waking Up Tired Podcast – Narcolepsy Symptoms Explained
Waking Up Tired, the podcast that explores narcolepsy through the lens of lived experience
World Nacolepsy Day
Just a quick post to let everyone know that today I am celebrating World Narcolepsy Day by sharing stories from people who are Living With Narcolepsy, to Raise Narcolepsy Awareness. If you would like to watch the videos please go to my Waking Up Tired Facebook page where you will also be able to shareContinueContinue reading “World Nacolepsy Day”
LIVING WITH NARCOLEPSY IN AUSTRALIA
I have been very busy putting together slideshows to Raise Narcolepsy Awareness for this years World Narcolepsy Day. The slideshows are a brief snippet about what it is like to be Living With Narcolepsy in Australia. I invited people who Live With Narcolepsy to answer a few questions, and have put their responses into slideshowContinueContinue reading “LIVING WITH NARCOLEPSY IN AUSTRALIA”
Sharing Our Stories To Raise Awareness
Being diagnosed at the age of 49 to me meant that I had already lost the majority of my life and therefore I was determined to find the best possible way to get through my remaining years as a person who is ‘Living with Narcolepsy’ the best way that I possibly can.
Today is World Narcolepsy Day
The difficulty in being diagnosed with this rare disease is why so many people go undiagnosed for many year’s. I believe that not only should doctor’s receive training in sleep disorders, teacher’s should too! If a teacher was aware of what to look for, they may be able to help a student to get diagnosedContinueContinue reading “Today is World Narcolepsy Day”
Don’t Give Up
It saddens me to read younger narcoleptics posts in social media at times as I find that many are questioning their future as though having this chronic disorder is some kind of death sentence. Yes receiving an education is going to be a battle, I slept through most of my high school years, but itContinueContinue reading “Don’t Give Up”
The Red Herring Story
As mentioned in a previous blog “The Arrival of the Red Herring”, I was given an appointment at the Lyell McEwin hospital to see a neurologist. The initial appointment was daunting as my head was still trying to process this potential MS diagnosis, and to be perfectly honest I was really scared. There are, asContinueContinue reading “The Red Herring Story”
The Phone Battery Theory
How do you explain what it is like to have Narcolepsy? This is a regular topic of conversation within social media narcolepsy forums; and one that never really seems to be answered. The fact is that it is almost impossible for anyone who doesn’t have it to be able to understand the battle. I haveContinueContinue reading “The Phone Battery Theory”
