Nicole Kenyon is a person with Type 1 Narcolepsy. She is also a multi-faceted narcolepsy advocate. She is an author of a memoir, a blogger, legislative advocate, personal trainer and the face of @fitniknarcoleptic Instagram where she shares workout routines.

In this episode, Nicole shares how she struggled with excessive sleepiness most of her childhood, but because she was very athletic it was often glossed over. Multiple times she went to doctors seeking help but whether it was her weight or her active lifestyle, they didn't listen and her diagnosis was delayed. It wasn't until college while talking to a fellow rugby teammate who recently was diagnosed with narcolepsy did she find the answer to her experience as well.

Despite knowing she had narcolepsy it still took a while before getting diagnosed, and the doctor who initially oversaw her treatment didn't provide effective care. Today, Nicole has a great sleep specialist. Because of her arduous experience, Nicole is passionate about advocating for CWN.

Nicole in early 2020 was diagnosed with MS. This has brought about new questions on whether MS caused her narcolepsy. Nicole has invested in herself through fitness and a healthy lifestyle. She offers insight into the importance of working out for health reasons and learning to love yourself.

You can follow Nicole at @fitniknarcoleptic on Instagram. You can read her memoir here Part 1 and Part 2. You can also read her blog here.

You can follow Wake Up Narcolepsy at @narcolepsy_360 on Instagram, @wakeupnarcolepsy on Instagram and Facebook and @wakenarcolepsy on Twitter. Let us know your thoughts about this episode by using the hashtag #narcolepsy360 and please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.