Walk a mile in my shoes for Narcolepsy UK

Friends & family,
I am walking an intentional mile a day for 57 days to raise funds for Narcolepsy UK, an organisation which supports both people and research.

A mile a day is really not that much. But many of you will know how I struggled towards the end of last year (not least because my narcolepsy got harder to manage in lockdown), and a symptom of that was lack of activity. So this is a kick start for me to get back to my full mental and physical fitness! These 57 miles are short but meaningful :)

Thank you for any support,
Kat(i)e x

My story: Like many people with narcolepsy, I was diagnosed late (in my late 30s) after years of weird symptoms and difficulty managing. I now take medication daily but diet and exercise and routine also play a big part in managing the condition so it has as little effect as possible. Hence lockdown being very difficult to adapt to.

More info on the condition: Narcolepsy is a rare long-term brain condition that causes a person to suddenly fall asleep at inappropriate times. The brain is unable to regulate sleeping and waking patterns normally, which can have a significant impact on daily life and be difficult to cope with emotionally. The most typical symptoms are excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations. Since people with narcolepsy are often misdiagnosed with other conditions, such as psychiatric disorders or emotional problems, it can take years for someone to get the proper diagnosis. Narcolepsy is estimated to affect about 30,000 people in the UK. (Sources: NHS.uk & ninds.nhs.gov)