A VIETNAMESE seamstress has made the staggering claim that she hasn’t slept for 30 years after realising she didn’t need to.
Nguyen Ngoc My Kim, 49, proudly asserts her health hasn’t been affected at all by staying awake 24/7.
She has earned the nickname “the seamstress who never sleeps” in her home province of Long An, southwest of Ho Chi Minh City.
My Kim’s unusual “skill” doesn’t come from a superpower or endless supply of Vietnamese coffee, however.
She claims to have simply trained herself to ditch the need for recovery completely.
It began as a child when she got into the habit of staying up late reading books and comics, she told local media.
As an adult, she started staying up all night sewing to smash through orders.
My Kim says she has run her own clothes-tailoring shop since 1994, sewing day and night.
She used to fall in and out of consciousness while sewing, conceding her lack of sleep initially led to dizziness, falling and even traffic accidents.
But she claims her body eventually adapted.
She told Vietnam Net: “I sew and don’t dare sleep because I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep up with the progress.
“The first time I stayed awake sewing clothes, I encountered many difficulties.
“Not only did I constantly fall asleep, many nights I worked unconsciously. At times like that, I make a lot of mistakes.
“Not sleeping also made me dizzy, falling constantly, and even having traffic accidents on the road.
“But after staying awake for many months or years, my eyes and body got used to not sleeping. From then on, I couldn’t sleep anymore.”
Now she insists she has been awake, non-stop, for three decades.
And she doesn’t understand why people are so shocked.
She said: “I haven’t slept for 30 years, but my health is still normal, my brain is alert, my eyes are bright, although a little yellow.
“I don’t see my lack of sleep as unusual or strange.”
My Kim has blown up on social media, with her sewing shop now attracting huge interest as people come to watch the sleepless seamstress in action.
My Kim’s claims that she never sleeps are of course unverified.
Trying to evolve from the need for your mind and body to rest is also not recommended by health experts.
Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep on average, according to the NHS, while kids need nine to 13.
The NHS says a lack of sleep over longer periods can affect mood, bring about anxiety and send your immune system crashing down.
Not enough rest is also associated with obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension, according to Australia’s government-run Better Health Channel.
If you struggle to sleep, developing a consistent routine is recommended by the NHS.
The NHS adds avoiding stimulants like caffeine and alcohol for at least a couple of hours before bedtime can also help.
And like all health issues, an improved diet and more exercise is said to help eliminate insomnia.
