Do you get anxious when you can’t sleep at night? Even missing a single night’s rest can leave you irritable the next day. Now, imagine going without sleep for 62 years. That is precisely what a Vietnamese
farmer, Thai Ngoc, claims.
Awake For Six Decades
At 81 years old, Ngoc asserts that he has not slept for a single second since 1962, following a high fever. He neither naps nor experiences deep sleep; he simply remains awake at all times.
Doctors are astounded, as science dictates that humans cannot survive more than a few days without sleep. Yet Ngoc is not only alive but continues to work on his farm, performing heavy labour and managing daily chores.
His extraordinary story has gone viral on social media, leaving millions in awe.
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A Fever That Changed Everything
Born in 1942 in a small village in Quang Nam province, Vietnam, Ngoc fell ill with a high fever at the age of 20 during the Vietnam War. While the fever eventually passed, his sleep never returned.
Ngoc recalls, “I took medicines, tried home remedies, even drank alcohol to sleep, but nothing worked.” His claim is corroborated by his wife, children, friends, and neighbours. No one has ever seen him sleep.
A Night With Drew Binsky
In 2023, YouTuber Drew Binsky travelled from Arizona to Vietnam to meet Ngoc. He stayed with him overnight, yet Ngoc remained awake, sometimes tending the fields or making rice wine. Despite numerous medical examinations, doctors found no major illnesses. His blood pressure, heart, and brain function are all normal.
This defies conventional understanding, as sleep is considered essential for memory, immunity, and overall brain function. Without it, the brain should fail, yet Ngoc remains remarkably healthy.
Micro-Sleeps Or Miracle?
Some experts speculate that he may experience micro-sleeps — tiny, unnoticed periods of rest — but no one has ever witnessed this.
Ngoc’s daily routine is extraordinary: he labours in the fields by day, lifts heavy loads, and at night, while others sleep, he continues working, makes wine, or simply reflects. He reportedly consumes a bottle of 40-proof rice wine daily and smokes around 70 cigarettes.
