Yoga for Narcolepsy

Using yoga for narcolepsy is more feasible for me than other exercise regiments.

Some days I feel so low I just want to lay down on the floor. It’s not just to have a nap, although sometimes I need that too! I used to think this was just a sign I was depressed, but now I see it as a message from my body.

Mind-Body Connection

The Mind-Body Connection is such a buzzword these days it’s getting hard to deny its existence. Yoga is an amazing way to recognize this connection and begin to feel it inside yourself. You don’t have to be athletic or flexible to reap the benefits of yoga for narcolepsy. Most of the sessions I do are less than 30 minutes in my living room with a youtube video. The one I most recently enjoyed is this Head and Heart Reset from Yoga with Adriene.

Why do I recommend her videos?

She is so much fun and doesn’t take yoga too seriously even though she taps into the mind-body connection a lot. There are options for all levels and I really think anyone can benefit from her teaching.  I am not so comfortable in a yoga studio or class although I know that is the more recommended route for learning properly.  But I’m not asking you to do any dangerous moves, just to move around a bit.

She has ten-minute videos like this one for Neck, Shoulders, and Upper back pain. There are 20-minute options like this one for sleep.  There are even one-hour full body strength and fat burning vidoes that I won’t link to because I haven’t actually tried them.  But I trust Adriene enough that I will recommend you try them out and let me know how they go if you are already into yoga!

Move Your Body 

People are always telling me I need exercise to not be so tired. But in my case, strenuous exercise can make me feel exhausted for days.  However, I still need to move my body or I end up feeling achy and old.

Running or competitive sports have never been good for my energy levels, although I have tried them. But yoga is different. It really invigorates me, and I find I can feel the energy coursing through me when I finish a session.

Improving my flexibility and gaining a little strength are just positive side effects. There is also the sense of accomplishment when I even spend just 10 minutes on my yoga mat.

Portable Workout

Yoga is also great for a digital nomad like me. I don’t need a gym membership and I have found all sorts of creative ways to substitute a traditional yoga mat.

Since I am not into complicated poses or anything that could be dangerous, I can easily practice on the floor or a towel or blanket. If I’m on the beach, I can just use the same big cloth I would lay on in the sand.

The foam mat is more necessary if you get into more advanced poses, but you can also get socks and gloves for that. Another option is to stop by traditional yoga studios as you travel.

Yoga Health Benefits

Yoga has plenty of benefits that I like to take advantage of when I travel. Generally, I’m walking a long time with a heavy backpack. Sometimes I am crammed into uncomfortable seats for long hours. Since I have narcolepsy, I often sleep in strange positions.  At the end of the journey my body is wound tight! Yoga can help reverse some of those negative side effects of traveling.

If you want to do the same, there are various options. Maybe you want to stay in a Yoga Hostel,  or just get into a cat and cow flow in the airport or in your room if you are shy (like I am).

Yoga also increases energy levels, and reminds you to breathe. These are great natural narcolepsy treatments. For a traveler like me, it’s important to feel my best when I’m on the move! That’s why it’s so important to maintain my ketogenic diet and mindfulness practice while I’m traveling. It’s not hard to prepare for so why not try it out?

Want to keep reading?

You can also read about mindfulness activities to try today, travel tips for people with narcolepsy, or my long list of tips for living with narcolepsy!