"A Girl Who Slept for 9 Years and Nobody Knew Why"

In the picturesque village of Turville, England, the year is 1871. On a seemingly ordinary street stands a house that attracts the attention of curious onlookers. Rumors have been circulating, and today, something extraordinary is about to unfold. The doors of the house swing open, revealing a group of astonished adults. They confirm that the rumors were indeed true. Stepping out onto the porch, a woman beckons a few more people to enter, and you find yourself among them. As you step inside and enter a room, your eyes fall upon an eleven-year-old girl sleeping on a bed. She appears pale and frail, seemingly untouched by the loud conversations taking place around her. Her mother reveals that it has been six months since she fell into this deep slumber.

This is the tale of the most prolonged sleep in recorded history—a record held by a girl named Ellen Sadler, who slept for a staggering nine years. Ellen was born into a large family in the English village of Turville during the latter half of the 19th century. Her parents, working tirelessly to make ends meet, instilled a strong work ethic in their children from an early age, and Ellen was no exception. At the age of eleven, she left home to work as a nanny in a nearby town. However, amidst unfamiliar surroundings and separation from her family, Ellen's health began to deteriorate. She experienced severe headaches, discomfort, and overwhelming drowsiness. These symptoms grew so severe that she was unable to perform her duties effectively, prompting her to return to her family's house in the village.

Concerned for their daughter's well-being, Ellen's parents sent her to the hospital. However, the doctors were unable to diagnose her condition, and despite spending eighteen weeks trying to find a cure, they could not help the poor girl. Discharged from the hospital, Ellen returned home, but her headaches and drowsiness persisted. One day, she quietly laid down in her bed and fell into a deep slumber. Ellen Sadler would not awaken for nine long years.

Throughout this time, Ellen's devoted mother took care of her, providing nourishment through milk and tea. The sleeping girl gradually lost weight and strength. Soon, news of Ellen's prolonged slumber spread throughout the village, drawing people to her house to witness this remarkable phenomenon. They would gaze at her, attempting to rouse her from her slumber and share stories of her with others. The news of the sleeping girl's existence quickly spread across the country, and visitors from all over England journeyed to see this extraordinary person who had slept for years. The house where Ellen's family resided became known as "Sleepy Cottage," attracting doctors and reporters alike. Journalists, including one from The Daily Telegraph, described the girl's weakened and fragile state—her icy-cold feet, blue lips, and barely discernible breathing—as if life were gradually slipping away from her body.

Ellen's family relied on donations to support her care, leading some to speculate that it was all a performance for financial gain. Her mother, for reasons unknown, refused to allow doctors to spend an extended period with Ellen. Rumors circulated that the mother administered sleeping pills to Ellen daily to prevent her from waking up. There were even claims of witnesses seeing Ellen awake and conscious by the window. Furthermore, her mother declined the offer of a medical examination in a London hospital, leaving the full truth about Ellen's condition shrouded in mystery. With no official diagnosis from doctors,

the exact nature of her condition remains uncertain. It is possible that Ellen fell into a coma or suffered from an unidentified illness, as medical knowledge in the 19th century was limited. It could have been a chronic sleep disorder, where uncontrollable bouts of drowsiness overcame her, causing her to fall asleep involuntarily even while walking down the street. Ellen grew up in a large family, accustomed to hard work from a young age. The extreme fatigue and lack of sleep she experienced may have triggered narcolepsy. Nevertheless, the story of Ellen Sadler ended on a positive note. One day, she finally woke up, unaware of the nine-year-long dream she had endured. Although her growth was stunted, and her eyesight weakened, her overall health remained relatively good. Ellen went on to get married, have six children, and lived until around 1911, reaching approximately 50 years of age.

Now, let's shift our focus to a completely different story—an account of an individual who set a record for the longest period without sleep. In January 1964, seventeen-year-old Randy Gardner, a high school student, embarked on an ambitious sleep deprivation experiment. His goal was to explore the limits of human wakefulness for a science school project. Randy aimed to stay awake for as long as possible, with the assistance of a vigilant friend tasked with ensuring his continuous wakefulness.

The experiment began in December and stretched into January. Initially, Randy seemed to handle the sleepless nights well. He remained constantly on his feet, resisting the urge to succumb to slumber. However, after three days, his cognitive and sensory abilities began to decline. By the fourth day, he experienced sickness and resorted to sniffing citrus fruits, particularly lemons, and oranges, to alleviate the discomfort. During the day, Randy engaged in physical activities like basketball and bowling with his friends, but the nights proved to be a challenge due to the lack of planned activities.

As a week passed, Randy's basketball performance remained impressive, displaying no notable decline in his physical abilities. His speech remained clear and logical. By this time, news of Randy and his sleepless experiment had spread throughout the country, elevating him to celebrity status. Scientists took an interest in Randy, subjecting him to various intellectual tests, including mathematical questions. It became evident that his intellectual abilities had deteriorated, as he would solve a problem and then promptly forget what he had been doing. Researchers, attaching electrodes to his head, observed his brain activity when he finally succumbed to sleep after 264 hours of wakefulness.

After a few hours of sleep, Randy woke up briefly to use the restroom before returning to bed for a more extended period of rest—approximately 14 hours. Astonishingly, when he finally emerged from his slumber, he arrived at school in high spirits, leaving everyone astounded. It appeared that his brain-heavy experiment had left no lasting negative consequences. Randy continued his studies, played basketball, and spent time with his friends. Scientists studied the results of their brain scans, discovering that Randy's brain had experienced brief moments of light sleep known as micro sleep throughout the sleep deprivation period.

Several years passed, and the memory of Randy's record-setting feat faded into the background. However, during an interview with a reporter, Randy revealed that the experiment had not left him unscathed. He had experienced severe insomnia for many years, a condition that greatly affected his well-being. Over time, through considerable effort and determination, Randy managed to overcome this sleep disorder by establishing a consistent sleep schedule. He now slept six hours a day, a duration sufficient for his needs.

Repeating such an experiment is ill-advised, as even a couple of days without sleep places immense stress on the human body. While humans have endured hunger

and arduous work conditions throughout history, our bodies were not designed to endure prolonged periods without sleep. Evolution has not equipped us to withstand sleep deprivation without consequencesforo our health.

In conclusion, these remarkable stories of extreme sleep—Ellen Sadler's prolonged slumber and Randy Gardner's sleepless experiment—shed light on the extraordinary capacities and limitations of the human body. They serve as reminders of the critical role sleep play in maintaining our well-being and the risks associated with prolonged sleeplessness or deprivation.