A Shade of Sleep

Hello Everyone!! Happy Friday!

I’ve tried all different types of coffee in order to stay awake, before and after I’ve been diagnosed with narcolepsy. I’ve tried Starbucks, Dunkin, Chick fil a, Mcdonalds, ect. I can’t seem to get caffeine to work for me.

I know that caffeine blocks adenosine, a chemical in your brain that makes you tired as the day goes on, so why doesn’t caffeine work on me? I should be building up tons of adenosine from all the lack of sleep I’m getting. Do I just need a ton of caffeine?

Turns out that although caffeine blocks adenosine, it cannot make up for the lack of orexin in my body. Orexin works by stimulating wakefulness, and without it, narcoleptics aren’t as likely to feel more awake even with caffeine.

Not gonna lie, it does disappoint me a little that caffeine won’t keep me awake especially as a high achieving college student. What if I need to pull an all nighter? I just can’t. It is a blessing in disguise though, because most of the time I’ll feel rested and ready for class and learn to manage my time better so that I can sleep earlier. It just means I have to adapt.

Have you tried excessive caffeine to stay awake? When did you realize it didn’t work for you?

Thanks for reading! August 14, 2026.