The soldier who hasn't slept for 40 years. Daytime naps make it harder to fall asleep at night

In our modern world science has advanced very, very far in its development, and every day continues to learn something new and analyze existing information about human body, about its capabilities and limits. However, no matter how far we have gone along the path of progress, we still do not know more about what else our body is capable of in stressful situations and how he can express himself.

A year passed, Kern was transferred to another company, where he fought against the Russians. Then that fateful incident occurred, which entailed a series of amazing and inexplicable events. Paul was wounded in the head, after which he was taken to the Lemberg hospital. The wound that Kern received would normally have led to the inevitable death of the victim. The bullet entered the temple area and destroyed part of the frontal lobe of the brain. However, to everyone's surprise, he was able to survive. The day Paul woke up turned out to be significant for him and for the doctors who treated him, since he had never slept again in his life, and this is neither more nor less than 40 years old. Dr. Frey, who was the attending physician, was no exception and could not do anything to help Kern live normal life. All have been tried possible methods to solve this problem, but neither sleeping pills nor sedatives helped.

Paul lost more than just sleep. As it turned out, the bullet was the reason that part of the nervous system. This circumstance led to the fact that he never again felt pain, exhaustion and fatigue. According to him, he felt quite healthy, he did not feel any discomfort and the doctors did not find any violations. After the end of the First World War, he continued to work in an organization that helped pensioners.

During his life and even after his death in 1955, no one was able to figure out how he managed to survive after such a dangerous wound, and what this phenomenon of “lifelong wakefulness” was, which, fortunately, passed without any damage. or negative consequences for Kern.

We will never cease to be amazed by our body, which is capable of amazing things. More than once, science will encounter inexplicable incidents in the lives of ordinary people.

An X-ray woman, a bodybuilder with muscles like the Hulk, a man who can eat a plane - it seems that we are talking about comic book heroes. But it turns out that such people exist in real life. In our review 15 are incredible strange people who have something to surprise others.

1. The man with the longest hair in the world

Although the length of his hair was never measured (the hair was too intertwined and caked for this), the Vietnamese herbalist Tran Van Huy was known as a man with the most long hair in the world. Presumably their length was 6.8 meters. According to his wife, Tran had not cut his hair in more than fifty years and had washed his hair only a few times - the last time 11 years before his death in 2010.

2. The man with the biggest mouth in the world

Francisco Domingo Joaquim is a common person from Angola with unusual ability- he has the biggest mouth in the world. An Angolan can stretch his mouth 17 cm and calmly fit a can of cola in it.

3. The most tattooed woman in the world

On June 29, 2011, a 53-year-old woman named Cynthia Martell was found dead in her home. Only after her death it turned out that 97 percent of her body was covered with tattoos.

4. Iceman

Wim Hof ​​- Dutch world record holder and adventurer who earned the nickname Iceman for his phenomenal ability to withstand low temperatures. For example, he once sat in ice water for one hour and fifty-two minutes.

5. A person who constantly holds his hand up

Sadhu Amar Bharati first raised his hand in 1973 in honor of the god Shiva and has not lowered it to this day.

Michelle Kobke, a 26-year-old woman from Germany, managed to reduce her waist from 65 to an incredible 40 centimeters by wearing a corset around the clock for three years. Even though her waist is already much smaller than most catwalk models, Michelle wants to reduce it to 35cm.

7. The woman who remembers everything

Jill Price claims that she remembers every detail of her life, down to what time she woke up, what she had for breakfast and who she met near the house on any day of her childhood. The woman herself considers this a curse, because she remembers all the things that she would really like to forget.

8. Half-cyborg woman

Eileen Brown, from Boldon, England, has had more than a dozen surgeries over the past two decades. She only has real “natural” joints in her left hip and left elbow.

9. The Soldier Who Hid in the Jungle for Almost Thirty Years

Forty-three years ago, Japanese soldier Hiroo Onoda, who fought in World War II, was found in the jungles of Guam. For three decades, the Japanese, unaware of the end of the war, fought alone, attacking American bases and the Philippine police. Onoda surrendered only after his commander contacted him and gave the order to stop resistance.

10. The Incredible Hulk

Brazilian builder Romario Dos Santos Alves wanted to be like the Hulk so much that he began fatally injecting himself with dangerous mixture from oil, alcohol and lidocaine. As a result, the 25-year-old Brazilian nearly had both of his grotesquely swollen arms amputated.

11. Grandma "Devil's Horn"

In 2010, the world was shocked by the news that a 101-year-old Chinese woman had a real devil's horn growing on her forehead above her left eye. Also, a second horn soon began to grow above his right eye.

12. Girl with X-ray vision

Natasha Demkina is known in Russia as the "X-ray Girl". She claims to be able to see people's insides through their skin. Natasha put even the most notorious critics to shame with absolutely accurate medical diagnoses, which she played for people.

13. Omnivore

Over the course of forty years, Frenchman Michel Lotito ate about nine tons of metal. At the age of 9, Lotito ate a glass glass. According to doctors, the walls of the stomach and intestines, which are 2 times thicker than those of an ordinary person, allowed Michel to have such an unusual hobby. Every day he consumed about a kilogram of inorganic items. And once Lotito ate an entire Cessna plane in 2 years.

Usually a person can spend 5 days without sleep, otherwise the body may experience irreversible changes. In the Vietnamese province of Quang Nam there lives a man who has attracted the interest of scientists from all over the world. Hai Ngoc claims that he has not slept a wink since he fell ill with fever in 1973.

The world is diverse and full of secrets. There is at least .

Vietnamese peasant Ngoc Thai, born in 1942, has not slept for 42 years.

According to him, in 1973 he suffered from a fever and now does not want and cannot sleep. Such insomnia does not affect the life of a Vietnamese in any way and he can carry 50 kg bags as before. From your farm home, do fishing, leatherworking, enchanting..., no, this is from World Of Warcaft, chop wood, and do farming.

At the beginning of his insomnia, Ngoc was very irritable and would get wound up in a hurry. He tried to fall asleep with the help of sleeping pills, and also tried to fall asleep by drinking a lot of alcohol, but to no avail - he could not sleep. Over time, his brain adapted to the insomnia.

Ngoc Thai likes to work at night. He has four children who are completely normal and sleep at night. And Ngoc also has a happy wife that Ngoc can ***** about all night long. They say that his wife even began to change her gait.

Doctors who examined Ngoc did not find any illnesses in him, except for minor abnormalities in liver function caused by lack of sleep.

It is recommended to sleep 7-8 hours a day. If an ordinary person does not sleep for a long time, his memory decreases, brain activity. Next may appear nervous tic, irritability, hallucinations begin, tremors appear in the limbs, memory lapses, some parts of the brain stop functioning, appetite increases, speech slows down, indifference to everything appears, the person periodically falls into micro-sleep. That is, a person begins to lose consciousness and fall asleep short periods(from 2 to 5 seconds) and he does not remember and is not aware of these micro-dreams. It seems to him that he is not sleeping.

There is also a disease called fatal familial insomnia, which is an inherited disease in which people die from insomnia. About 40 families are known to be affected by this disease.

If a person has fatal familial insomnia, there is a 50% chance that his children will inherit it. The disease manifests itself between the ages of 30 and 60 years and lasts from 7 months to 3 years, after which the person dies.

If you've passed the 40-year mark and still want to get a good night's sleep, you'll have to make an effort to do so. extra effort. Most people experience this change - difficulty falling asleep. Let's find out how your sleep transforms.

And although you may find that you feel good with less than 7-8 hours of rest per night, this confidence can be deceiving. According to some scientific research, the sleep needs of middle-aged individuals remain constant.

You need more physical activity

If the time you spend playing sports has decreased compared to 10 years ago, this may be one of the reasons for your insomnia. Sedentary image life impairs blood circulation and causes insufficient oxygen flow to the brain.

Sleep and wake times become more consistent

Young people in their 20s and 30s tend to study and work hard to build a foundation for a successful future career. Guys and girls who are not burdened with a family try to take everything from this life, so they prefer not to adhere to a regime. At 40, things change.

Caffeine may have a stronger effect on sleep

Even if you drink a lot of coffee day after day, this does not mean that at 40 you will not feel any changes. Now, caffeine may affect you more, so avoid drinking your favorite latte in the afternoon.

Disruption in circadian rhythms

As people get older, there is some disruption in circadian rhythms. This explains insomnia, mood swings, forgetfulness and loss of concentration.

Your sleep may not be as deep

Night sleep is divided into repeating cycles consisting of 5 stages. And although total time night's rest may remain unchanged, more frequent awakenings may be associated with a decrease in phase deep sleep and an increase in the rapid eye movement phase responsible for vivid dreams.

Chronic health problems affect sleep

If you have some medical problems(arthritis, osteochondrosis, hypertension, menopause, etc.), you will have more problems with falling asleep. For example, women during menopause experience hot flashes and hot flashes at night, and hypertension is associated with snoring.

Medicines have side effects

Medicines you use on on a regular basis, also interfere with the calm flow of your night's rest.

Decreased satisfaction with sleep quality

Several surveys have shown that as people age, they report less satisfaction with their sleep quality.

Frequent trips to the toilet

Nocturia is a condition that is more common in men and is caused by frequent urges to the toilet. Nocturnal polyuria is another disorder common in women. This increases the volume of urine in bladder, which also provokes frequent night awakenings.

Getting used to the climbs

If you get up and go to the toilet at the same time every night, it becomes a habit and is observed even when you do not feel the urge. Another problem is having the lights on, which weakens the production of the hormone melatonin.

Daytime naps make it harder to fall asleep at night

Many people in their 40s strive to make up for the lack of night rest with the help of daytime sleep. However, if you devote an hour during your lunch break or two hours on a weekend to this activity, you will make it much more difficult to fall asleep at night. But a 20-minute nap at lunch will be beneficial for you.

Heartburn can cause sleepless nights

Heartburn on two or more days a week may be symptom of GERD. If you want to avoid discomfort that interfere with sleep, refrain from eating spicy and fatty foods.

Stress and anxiety are true friends of insomnia

Financial difficulties, conflicts with superiors, quarrels with your partner and everyday troubles arise in your head. anxious thoughts. Anxiety is activated when you are at rest and prevents you from falling asleep.

Snore

Snoring is the leading cause of sleep disturbance in adults. This condition is most often seen in people with overweight and hypertension.

Sleep apnea

If chronic snoring is left unattended, it leads to a disease called obstructive snoring. sleep apnea. During the night, people susceptible to this disease have interrupted sleep and numerous brief pauses in breathing, which slow blood circulation and oxygen supply to the brain.

Insomnia

Medical and psychiatric conditions may trigger chronic insomnia in middle-aged and elderly people.

Restless legs syndrome

Syndrome restless legs- This neurological disorder, causing an involuntary desire to move the limbs. The prevalence of this disease increases with age.

Pets keep you from sleeping

If you like to take a nap cuddling with four-legged friends, after 40 years, this habit can lead to certain inconveniences. Meowing, dogs barking and moving pets interrupt your sleep more often than before.

Temperature sensitivity

As you age, your body temperature decreases, making you more sensitive to heat or cold. Stock up on a heavy blanket, which will provide comfort and help retain heat.

Provide a comfortable sleeping area

They'll let you sleep better comfortable conditions: wide bed, orthopedic mattress and new comfortable pillow.

Check testosterone levels

As men age, testosterone levels decrease. And if you can't sleep, it's time to visit a doctor and get tested.

Neck pain

Up to 50 percent of the adult population experiences neck pain. And the older you get, the more acute the problem becomes. An orthopedic pillow and optimal body position during sleep can solve the problem.

You may need socks for sleeping

When blood circulation is difficult, people's extremities become very cold. To fall asleep faster, wear soft socks.

Alcohol causes frequent awakenings

As you age, you become more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol on the brain. Want to get a good night's sleep? Avoid wine at dinner.

High quality sheets

As people age, their skin becomes prone to dryness and flaking. Therefore, you should avoid low-quality bed linen.

Slow digestion

If, after 40 years, you still make dinner your main meal, it will have a bad effect on your digestion and make it difficult to fall asleep.

You will become more sensitive to dust mites

Regular wet cleaning and washing clothes at 60 degrees will solve the problem of sensitivity to dust mites.

Men may sweat less

With age sweat glands atrophy, so you sweat less when you sleep than before.

Women experience increased sweating

Women, on the other hand, often wake up with sheets damp from sweat. It's all to blame hormonal imbalance And a sharp decline production of the hormone estrogen during menopause.

Choosing the right laundry detergent

Because of hypersensitivity skin, you will have to choose a hypoallergenic powder for washing clothes.

Noises at night will disturb you more often

Snoring partner, creaky doors and noisy neighbors will provide you with more sleepless nights.

Injuries will take longer to heal

Cell aging and decreased efficiency sweat glands help slow wound healing. As a result, even a trivial shaving cut will prevent you from falling asleep.

And some more nuances

Intimacy improves your chances of falling asleep.

You will have a harder time calming your wandering mind.

You will have to change your sleeping position due to back pain.

Your legs will need stretching exercises.

You will start waking up earlier.

Lack of sleep will cause weight gain.

To get enough sleep, you will have to improve the quality of your sleep.

Dear Gossip Girls! I decided to continue the topic unusual people. And the next hero that I simply cannot help but tell about is Tai Ngoc - a man who has not slept for 40 (!) years. I really love to pamper myself in my crib and, in general, for me a sound eight-hour sleep is a great joy :) Therefore, when I read about a man who lived without sleep for 40 years, I didn’t believe it!

It all started when an ordinary farmer from Vietnam, Thai Ngoc, was 30 years old. In 1973, he suffered from a common flu (some sources write about fever). Some time later, Thai Ngoc, tired from farming, came home and went to bed, but never fell asleep. After several sleepless nights, the farmer turned to the doctors. But they did not find any complications and concluded that Tai Ngoc was absolutely healthy. In the first sleepless years, the farmer felt great. Tai walked 4 kilometers every day with two 100 kg bags to feed the pigs. However, in 2006, in an interview, he admitted that he was very tired, felt weak, and lack of sleep became a serious obstacle for him. “I’m like a plant without water,” Ty said in an interview. Despite this illness, Tai Ngoc still has a large farm and works tirelessly. At the same time, this person never complains or takes advantage of his position.

Tai feeding the fish

Tai with his family on the farm