We know fairy tales aren't real, and it turns out we might not want them to be. According to the Daily Mail, a 22-year-old British woman has what's known as Sleeping Beauty syndrome — and trust us, it's not as glamorous as it sounds.
Beth Goodier reportedly fell asleep on the couch one day in November and did not wake up for six whole months, save for small food and bathroom breaks. Over the past five years, the Daily Mail says Beth's mom estimates she's been asleep 75% of the time, something that obviously derailed her education and career plans.
Beth has Kleine-Levin syndrome, also called Sleeping Beauty syndrome, after the Disney Princess who sleeps and sleeps until the kiss of a prince brings her back to life. According to the KLS Foundation the condition is a rare neurological disorder that causes its sufferers to sleep excessively, altered behavior and a different understanding of the world. Episodes may last days, weeks or months, but in between episodes, people with KLS appear to be in perfect health. The disorder typically strikes teens, but can also affect children or adults. People might have episodes for 10 years or more before the condition abates.
When Beth does wake up, her mother told the Daily Mail it's like nothing was ever wrong.
"It is like night and day," her mom Janine said. "She might wake up tomorrow and then it's a race against time to live the life she should have had. She rushes off to catch up with her friends and get her hair done. But no one knows when she might fall asleep again."
According to the Daily Mail, many sufferers, like Beth, have their goals and ambitions squashed by the disorder. Beth had hopes to go to university and become a child psychologist, but now she spends most of her life in bed. If she has to go to the doctor, she must be taken in a wheel chair because she's too tired to even walk.
This is super sad—we hope Beth wakes up soon so she can live out her dreams.
