An A-level student from Willington who had to take a nap between exams because of a rare sleep disorder has achieved top grades and is off to Cambridge University.

Beth Kemp, 18, who lives in Willington, was diagnosed with narcolepsy when she was in year 10 at Derby High School after she had been struggling to stay awake in lessons for more than a year.

She has overcome the odds and received impressive results in her A-levels, achieving A*s in biology and PE and an A in German, even though she had to take a nap between two of her exams that took place on the same morning.

She will start her studies in modern and medieval languages at Cambridge University in September.

She said: "I had my medication changed just before my exams because although my old medication was working it was making my a bit hyper.

"I did have to have a nap at school between by German and PE exams as they were both scheduled for the same morning and I needed extra time in my exams too.

"I'm usually okay but I tend to get tired in the afternoons or around lunchtime. I sleep twice a day for about 20 minutes and I go to bed late because if I go early I just can't sleep. That seems to work better for me.

"During my time in the sixth form, I had to nap at lunch and break, and that could be in the common room with people around me and music playing; that didn't bother me. My friends would wake me up for the next lesson and my teachers were very supportive too.

Beth was a student at Derby High School in Littleover

"I'm looking forward to going to Cambridge and they know about my condition and have been really helpful. They have agreed to let me record some lectures just in case I drop off."

Beth knew there was something wrong when she started falling asleep in lessons in year nine and she was eventually sent for monitoring at a specialist sleep clinic in Oxford before she was diagnosed.

She said: "I started struggling in year nine; I was struggling to stay awake in lessons, especially in the afternoon. I did fall asleep but people probably couldn't tell that I was asleep as it just looked like I had zoned out, but sometimes I closed my eyes.

"I was doing a lot so we all thought I was just tired but it carried on so I went to hospital in Derby and was sent to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, which specialises in sleep disorders. It took a long time to diagnose; it wasn't until the summer after year 10 that I was told what it was.

"I was monitored for three nights in the hospital there and I was covered in wires and after that they said I had narcolepsy. I didn't want to be diagnosed with that because it means I have to take medication but I was glad to finally know what it was."

Derby High School head teacher Denise Gould was thrilled with Beth's results, and said: "We are very proud of Beth's achievements and her place at Cambridge is very well-deserved.

"Beth has been a super student and her excellent results are testament to her resilience and self-awareness in the face of a difficult diagnosis, which has managed proactively and maturely. She is an excellent example and undoubtedly has a bright future ahead."

Beth wasn't the only high achiever at Derby High School, where students have achieved a 100 per cent pass rate across all subjects.

What is narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that affects the control of sleep and wakefulness.

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder which affects the control of sleep. People who suffer with the disorder often experience excessive daytime sleepiness and even uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the daytime. These sudden sleep attacks may happen during any time of the day, and during any type of activity.

In a typical sleep cycle, it usually takes around 90 minutes for a person to enter the deep sleep stage, known as rapid eye movement sleep. For people suffering from narcolepsy, this stage occurs almost immediately in the sleep cycle, as well as during waking hours.

In many cases, narcolepsy is undiagnosed and, therefore, untreated.

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