Fun Fact: The Sleepless Man

40 Years Without Sleep

So we all know that we should get an allotted amount of sleep per night. Now while not all of us do get the daily recommended amount, I don't think any of us could keep up with this guy. A man named Paul Kern never slept a single day after his WWI injury.

Who is Paul Kern?

Paul Kern, a Hungarian soldier, was shot in the head by a Russian soldier in 1915 during WWI. Right off the bat, it is amazing to have survived that type of injury. The bullet was removed from his frontal lobe and instead of killing him it left him unable to sleep. Numerous tests were conducted, unfortunately not resulting in any answers. He did try to coax himself into sleeping, but that only lead to hours of wakefulness lying in bed.

How is This Possible?

Sleep deprivation is a serious problem in a normal case. A chronic sleepless state could possibly lead to fatigue, daytime drowsiness, and extreme weight gain or loss. While it is well known that going without sleep is impossible, as microsleeps are unavoidable, I cannot recommend trying to beat Paul Kern because it can even cause death. Numerous lab animals have perished due to sleep restricted experiments. The amount of fatigue and stress going without sleep puts on the brain and body is often too much for one to handle. It is amazing that Paul was able to avoid any symptoms of fatigue while also avoiding any mental disorders that often associate with insomnia.

Paul Kern later moved to Budapest where he worked daily in the Pension Department. While working, his employers never noted any discomfort or exhaustion from Paul Kern. He continued this way until his death in 1955.

40 years without sleep, think any of you can beat that?

That's your daily brain gain!