'Sleeping Beauty Syndrome' causes teen to sleep for 64 days

By ,

Published October 26, 2015

For one Pennsylvania teenager, Sleeping Beauty isn’t just a fairy tale.

Seventeen-year-old Nicole Delien slept for 64 days straight, from Thanksgiving to January, due to a rare sleeping disorder, the Examiner reported. Diagnosed with “Sleeping Beauty Disorder” or Kleine-Levin syndrome – a neurological disorder that causes Nicole to fall asleep up to 19 hours a day.

According to the National Institutes of Health, Kleine-Levin syndrome is characterized by abrupt "episodes" of sleep, which can last for days and sometimes weeks. Symptoms can also include excessive food intake, disorientation and hallucinations. People with Kleine-Levin typically do not remember what happened during their episodes.

At first Nicole’s parents figured she was a typical teenager, staying in bed for longer periods of time. But as months elapsed and she slept more and more, they soon learned that something was wrong. Doctors at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh diagnosed Nicole and said the condition is manageable with proper medication.

Now Nicole and her family are promoting awareness of sleeping disorders by making an appearance on Jeff Probst’s talk show, according to the Examiner. Her parents said that Nicole will often sleep through holidays and even a Katy Perry concert she wanted to attend. Luckily Perry surprised Nicole backstage at another event later.