Insomnia: This man has been unable to sleep for 50 years after contracting a fever

A good night's sleep is considered one of the most vital ingredients for a healthy life. But imagine being unable to get any sleep not for a night or two, but for decades!

Yes, a case emerged that's so bizarre that sleep specialists have been left flummoxed. A man in Vietnam has reportedly not slept a wink in 50 years!

This is even more bizarre than the Sleeping Beauty Syndrome.

81-year-old hasn't slept for decades

As reported by Yahoo News, a 81-year-old farmer Thai Ngoc, who lives in the Quang Nam province of Vietnam, has claimed that he has been struggling with a life-long bout of serious insomnia.

But despite his inability to sleep, he still has a very active lifestyle. He tells Vietnamnet,

I can still carry 50 kilograms of fertilizer over a 4-kilometer distance from my house to the field without feeling tired.

Ngoc contracted a mysterious fever in 1973 and since then, he hasn't been able to sleep!

He already consulted with various doctors and medical professionals in Vietnam, but there has been no cure or established cause for his long bout of insomnia yet.

He tells Vietnamnet about the challenges of living with sleep deprivation,

It's frustrating and exasperating. What a peculiar ailment. Seeing others sleep, I envy them. On moonlit nights, I usually go out to weed and till the soil because sitting still is unbearable. It's strange that I work twice as much as others, yet my life is still not that prosperous.

The effects of sleep deprivation

As Yahoo reports, sleep deprivation has massive physical and mental impact on people. Symptoms that can arise include irritability, impaired cognitive function, reduced concentration and extreme fatigue.

Ngoc's strange case has attracted attention from both national and international media houses. One possible theory for this extreme case of sleep deprivation is post traumatic stress.

As per the report, Ngoc was in the Vietnam War where he also injured his hand. This might have left him with trauma that surfaces in his inability to sleep. However, this theory has not been proven yet.

For now, Ngoc has chosen to live a quiet life away from the media glare, and continues to work in his farm.

Read more:

⋙ Science reveals this common habit could make your insomnia worse

⋙ Sleep: Here's why you feel like you're suddenly falling when you're dozing off

⋙ Talking in your sleep: Here's what it could mean for your health

Sources used:

Yahoo News: ' 81-year-old Vietnamese man claims he has not slept in 50 years'

Vietnamnet