21Mar 2021 by Kayla No Comments
How to Treat Migraine Naturally

How to Treat Migraine Naturally

life hacks
Quick Tips for Migraine Management I'm going to assume if you are here right now, you might be in some stage of a migraine so I will try to keep this as short and sweet as possible! Please feel free to ask questions, comment, or challenge my ideas about how to treat migraine naturally. I am not a doctor and these all come from my own experience living with migraine and narcolepsy. (more…)
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25Feb 2021 by Kayla No Comments
Wake Up Happy with Narcolepsy

Wake Up Happy with Narcolepsy

Mindset
I'm a morning person, so I wake up happy every day. And I have had narcolepsy most of my life, if not all of it. When I tell people my best hours are first thing in the morning and I'd be happy to meet them online at 7am my time, they seem baffled. How can a person with narcolepsy also be a morning person? And how does anyone wake up happy? (more…)
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18Dec 2020 by Kayla No Comments
My Experience with Depression and Narcolepsy

My Experience with Depression and Narcolepsy

Personal Story
Ten years ago I never would have said I was grateful for Depression and Narcolepsy. I felt like they were ruining my life.  I was the victim and there was nothing I could do about it. But today I am living a completely different story.  Depression and narcolepsy were catalysts that forced me to take a harder look at what I’m doing in life. Eventually they propelled me to create a life worth living.  It didn’t happen overnight and it wasn’t magic.  But it has lead me to live a magical life.  Diagnosed with Narcolepsy But let's start at the beginning. I have had narcolepsy, a chronic neurological disorder that affects the sleep-wake cycle for as long as I can remember. When I started full-day school, it was hard for me…
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10Nov 2020 by Kayla No Comments

Being Centered Among Chaos, Practicing Tai Chi

Mindset
If you have ever wandered through a park in the morning and seen people practicing slow graceful movements, you may have seen the art of Tai Chi. Tai Chi is a companion of Kung Fu, that takes the martial art to the next level.  Wuanna Zawlwin, the instructor for Tai Chi in Yangon, says many people are drawn to the health benefits of Tai Chi and like to practice the movements in the morning.  Tai Chi is believed to boost your immune system and help you stay strong both physically and mentally. The direct translation of the words Tai Chi is “Supreme Ultimate.”  He explained that it operates on four main levels, the muscles, energy, mind, and spirit. But when he arrived here from Germany six years ago, he didn’t…
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14Oct 2020 by Kayla 11 Comments
What Causes Narcolepsy – A Natural Theory

What Causes Narcolepsy – A Natural Theory

Narcolepsy
I picked up Louise Hay's book, Heal Your Body: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them. I wasn't thinking about what causes narcolepsy, just about healing in general. For the most part, I have a good handle on my health. I don't feel like narcolepsy has much impact on my day-to-day life anymore, and the migraines get better each time I face them and look at the underlying cause. Screenshot of Author's Kindle Notes But I figured looking at one more approach won't hurt me. This book lists a variety of ailments, suggests an emotional cause, and then gives an affirmation to help you heal the emotions that might be manifesting at the symptom. Louise Hay's Message Image by Author "For us to become…
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07Oct 2020 by Kayla No Comments
Taylor Schilling Claims to have Quarantine Narcolepsy

Taylor Schilling Claims to have Quarantine Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy
Less than two weeks after World Narcolepsy Day, I see the term "quarantine narcolepsy" on my newsfeed. When I learned that it was a reference to narcolepsy on Late Night with Seth Meyers, I was vaguely curious. Image by Christo Anestev from Pixabay Seth Meyers asked Taylor Schilling, known for her role as Piper in Orange is the New Black, if she has developed any new coping mechanisms during quarantine. She responded, "I think I've become a bit of a narcoleptic person like I hear like oh 'plague and pestilence' and then I go [ugly face] and I pass out again. [laughing] Like I just leap or I'll fall asleep in different areas and new places, it's uncomfortable." Seth responds, "That's interesting. So you just think you have like an…
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17Sep 2020 by Kayla 3 Comments
Paula’s Story of Living with Narcolepsy

Paula’s Story of Living with Narcolepsy

Personal Story
Keeping Illness Invisible "In 1979, fresh out of high school living in Atlanta, I was ready to start my life," says Paula.   "Going to school full time, working part-time, and enjoying a full social life, I never felt there was anything wrong with sleeping every moment I could. It was even okay when my friends started teasing me for always falling asleep."    As far back as college, Paula remembers sleeping a lot. "Back then I blew it off as being young, clubbing, and drinking too many Pink Champales."  Paula worked part-time, did her school work, and didn't think anything of spending her Tuesday nights enjoying Ladies night at Cisco's on Campbellton Road, in Atlanta.  As they piled into the car, her friend Veronica would say, "Paula is going to…
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13Aug 2020 by Kayla No Comments
Shifting Perspectives to be Happier Now

Shifting Perspectives to be Happier Now

Mindset
Sometimes I can only see from one perspective. I have a belief and I think my way is the truth. But when I become open to shifting perspectives, I can be happier with where I'm at, without changing my outside circumstances. ⁠For example, I thought the town I grew up close to was an ugly town. I don't like the college associated with it, maybe because I went to its rival school or maybe I was just wearing the wrong color lenses growing up and made these judgements about it. ⁠Either way, it was a place I dreaded visiting and never hesitated to complain about. How I Saw "Home"⁠ When I tell people where I'm from, they have never heard of it unless I mention the nearby university, and then…
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28May 2020 by Kayla 3 Comments
Learn How to Live with Narcolepsy

Learn How to Live with Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy
On Sunday, I was on a Facebook live chat with Project Sleep to share how I live with narcolepsy. First I read an article I wrote as part of the Rising Voices of Narcolepsy program. Then, Julie Flygare asked me some questions about how I manage narcolepsy and what my experience has been like.   You can watch that here. Our conversation helped me realize that I have done a whole lot more than I ever realized to live with narcolepsy.  Things that I just see as part of my habits and daily life now are actual strategies for treating Narcolepsy.  I know there are plenty of things that I didn’t think of mentioning in the hour we had Live. So I’ve tried to list them out simply below. This has…
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08May 2020 by Kayla No Comments
Can you really reduce migraine with hypnosis?

Can you really reduce migraine with hypnosis?

life hacks
A journey of self-understanding I was at a point where I would do anything to reduce migraine symptoms. I had tried everything from continuous birth control to the ketogenic diet and they had come back yet again. That's why I turned to some alternative methods that I had never considered for physical symptoms. It turns out, even my physical symptoms often have emotional roots. Before you read further, I will clarify I am not a medical doctor. I'm not trying to claim that it is anyone's fault that they have a medical disorder. Usually, I talk about narcolepsy, but today I'm going to share a bit about migraine. I had been trying to answer the question, "Why me?" when it came to my physical pain and suffering. But after years…
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27Jan 2020 by Kayla No Comments
On Being Unf***withable

On Being Unf***withable

Mindset
I am consistently hearing people talk about being fuckwithable. Sure, they don't use that word, but they say things like, "You make me so mad! " or "This makes me feel sad. or "I know he is just a guy from Tinder, but I still obsess over why he hasn't texted me in 3 hours!" In many cases, people are handing over control of their emotions to other human beings. When you say, "you make me feel.." you are giving power to someone else, whether you realize it or not. That means you have the option to take back the control. In the case of someone not calling us back, we know rationally that the reaction is silly. But maybe we don't feel in control of changing it. There are…
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13Jan 2020 by Kayla No Comments
Identifying Negative Self-Talk

Identifying Negative Self-Talk

Mindset
I used to have trouble deciphering what "negative self-talk" meant and how to determine what was constructive and what was not. In the beginning, I only pulled out the really major negative messages with words like stupid, lazy, worthless, etc. ⁠I had no idea that there was more to negative self-talk than these obvious problems. Why Does Negative Self-Talk Matter? This whole idea stems from the principle that we all spend most of our time with ourselves. Therefore, a lot of time we are talking to ourselves even if it's not verbal, it is inside our heads. So it's important to pay attention to what we are saying to ourselves. On one hand, we have to tell ourselves what we need to work on to stay motivated and to grow.…
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08Jan 2020 by Kayla No Comments

How Do I Cope with World Events?

Mindset
My heart is beating in my gut, the breakfast I just finished feels heavy and I feel like I am going to be sick.  I was just informed that it's likely the US is entering into war again.  I really have to take time to process to cope with world events like this. Cope with world events in the moment As an empath, while things like this may seem far away to other people, I can be deeply emotionally affected by what is going on in the world.  I feel a lot, but even if you are not an empath, there comes a point where what is happening can all seem like too much. What can we do with these emotions? Be aware The first thing I have to do…
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