COVID-19: Sleeping my way through quarantine

It is always nice to know that I have the comfort of my own home when a sleep attack comes on. However, it gives me less exciting places to add to my list - unless falling asleep on the dog counts. No one wants to stay at home when they're told to. Any other time, I am more than happy to spend my time at home doing absolutely F all. But when the government says I HAVE to stay at home for the foreseeable future, it is the last thing I want to do! It's enough suffering from narcolepsy - but cabin fever as well?! No thanks. I'm sure anyone would agree.

A routine is the best way to stay sane. This starts with getting out of bed at a reasonable time. Every time I wake up from any sort of sleep, I wake with a headache - I like to call it a post-sleep hangover. This is a symptom of narcolepsy. This hasn't stopped me from getting up at 9:30 every day for the past few weeks. It makes me feel a lot better when I actually get to see the morning and even get some productivity out of it. Aside from sleeping, I have immersed myself in several activities, which I don't usually have time to do when I am at university. I have been reading a lot more, painting, walking the dogs etc. When quarantine really started to get to me, I thought pink hair dye was the solution. I also dyed my 10-year-old sister's hair and Mum LIKES it!

I've been taking a daily nap which lasts between 1 and 2 hours. I have been taking them between 2 pm and 4 pm, and they have become part of my routine, so I begin to feel more sleepy at around those times. Having these scheduled naps and maintaining a regular sleep schedule really helps me have fewer sleep attacks, along with taking long walks with my dogs, getting fresh air and some exercise. Being away from uni means less alcohol consumption, which, again, helps a lot.

I have concluded that quarantine is not the worst thing in the world. Remember that we are not STUCK at home, but SAFE at home. I've had a continuous cough - a COVID-19 symptom - but that could just be hayfever or just psychosomatic coughing due to the fear of the pandemic. I'm just glad I am provided with privacy and comfort if I need to sleep, and most importantly, safety.