[MUSIC PLAYING]
SPEAKER: Living with narcolepsy
can be exhausting, embarrassing,
and make it tough to get
through the day.
But the key to success that many
swear by is the almighty nap.
Let's go into a deep dive on how
taking one, or maybe a couple,
can help you get the most
out of your day.
First, let's start
with the basics.
Taking short naps
at regular intervals
throughout the day may eliminate
that sleepy feeling
for up to three hours
after the nap.
So if you work a regular shift
and time it just right,
you might only need two 20
minute power naps to do
the trick.
Think you need more?
Keep a sleep journal to track
results.
But remember, the key to success
is to maintain a schedule.
20 minutes doesn't feel
like much.
So how can that be effective?
In order to understand,
let's look at the typical sleep
stages.
For a short nap like this,
you usually only go
through the first two sleep
stages, but a lot can happen
during that time.
Stage one is where you ease
into slumber and it only lasts
one to five minutes.
But stage two is where the magic
happens.
Your heart rate drops
and your brain gets activated.
If you took an EEG
of your brain, you'd see what
scientists call sleep spindles
activating parts of your brain.
They trigger the temporal lobe
that deals with words, language,
and sound.
They also trigger a part
of the brain that handles
emotions, impulse control,
and decision making, along with
another part-- and your boss
will love this bit--
that deals with motivation.
This sleep cycle may not set
the pattern for people
with narcolepsy.
You'll need to experiment
with different lengths of naps
to find what works best for you.
In addition to that, sleep just
helps your brain work better.
It increases energy and prevents
you from experiencing a network
overload.
So now that we know how
awesome naps are, how can you
get more?
As any person with narcolepsy
knows, the need for sleep
usually comes at the worst
times.
This means you have to take naps
at work when
the rest of your office
is having meetings
or to break up monotonous tasks.
The most obvious places like
your desk or office-- if you can
lock the door--
make for good choices.
But it's best to avoid sleeping
in your car unless absolutely
necessary.
If you must, make sure you're
in a safe setting
with proper ventilation.
It's best not to hide
your narcolepsy if you can avoid
it.
So how do you pull that off?
Talk to your boss.
The Americans with Disabilities
Act protects workers
from narcolepsy
against discrimination
and says you must be provided
with reasonable accommodation.
Go into the meeting
with your boss, with a schedule
in mind to make things
transparent between you
and your team.
It could open up locations you
might not have known about,
a conference room that's not
being used, or other areas set
aside for medical needs
like a nursing room or migraine
area.
Meditation or prayer rooms might
also be available if you're
able to schedule in advance.
You could reap other benefits
from talking to your boss, too.
It can make work less stressful,
improve your relationship
with your boss,
and boost your duty to self
care.
Now that you've tackled work,
it's time to get some support
for these naps
in your personal life.
Tell your partner, your parents,
neighbors, therapist or a coach,
about what you go
through every day
and how important naps are
to your well-being.
When you get support
from someone, he or she can help
you stay focused.
And this will help reduce
your anxiety and isolation.
It's not your fault that you
need these extra minutes
of downtime to recharge.
Take them and feel good
about it.
Once you start advocating
for what you need,
you'll gain a sense
of empowerment and control
over your life.