A British woman with “sleeping beauty syndrome” sleeps 20 hours a day (4 photos)

The 24-year-old girl has suffered from lack of energy since adolescence and only found out a month ago that she has a rare disease - Kleine-Levin syndrome





The 24-year-old UK resident began suffering from bouts of uncontrollable sleep since she was a teenager. She could suddenly fall asleep during classes at school, at a concert, and even in the midst of celebrating her own birthday. The girl sleeps 20 hours a day for two weeks, and then can lead a normal life for some time, but then this condition returns. And so again and again. The Mirror writes about this.

Since 2016, Bella Andreu from Newcastle has been living with Kleine-Levin syndrome, known as Sleeping Beauty Syndrome. When she was a girl, the pediatrician told her and her parents that in this way she was simply looking for attention, which she lacked, and did not find any abnormalities. This is how Bella lived until she found out that she actually had a rare illness, due to which she had already lost about a year of her life.



“I knew that something was wrong with me. My parents described my condition: “The light is on, but no one is home,” Andreu shared her memories.

Nobody is at home

A truly young woman can suddenly fall asleep in the most inopportune place at any time. Sometimes Bella's condition worsens - then she sleeps soundly for 20 hours, which can last for, plus or minus, 14 days. After waking up from such a dream, the girl explained, her head seemed to be in a fog.

“You feel like you got up with a bad hangover,” says Bella.

Kleine-Levin syndrome prevented Bella from receiving an education; she cannot hang out and spend time with friends for a long time. She also failed to build personal relationships. And once, after moving to a new place of residence, I slept for 10 days in a row after that.

“She’s like a ghost and really doesn’t understand what’s going on.” Her eyes are open, but you can see through them,” said Meg’s close friend, who observed Bella’s episode of falling asleep.



Diagnosis

Modern medicine has not yet fully studied this disease, and at the moment there is no medicine that would help the British woman and other “sleeping beauties” lead a full life and feel normal.



The girl was examined for months by the best doctors; they conducted tests to rule out tumors, cancer, and epilepsy. She was eventually unofficially diagnosed with Kleine-Levin syndrome, or KLS. According to doctors, exacerbation of symptoms of SLS can be caused by a reaction to birth control pills, alcohol, stress, and hormones. According to Andreu herself, her first attack occurred at the age of 17, on the morning of her first hangover.