The curious case of Sleeping Beauty: How one woman sleeps for weeks at a time

'I have missed out on so much...'

Twenty-four-year-old Jody Robson woke for the first time in two weeks, only to discover she had given birth. She had no memory of the event and believes she has Kleine Levin Syndrome, also known as "Sleeping Beauty syndrome."

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Robson reported to have "sleeping episodes" that last as long as eleven days at a time, leading the young woman to believe she has Kleine Levin Syndrome (KLS), also called "Sleeping Beauty syndrome."

While sleeping, Robson is unable to full awaken but can be roused to snack and go to the bathroom. When she wakes, she claims to be in a trance-like state in which she must recall who she is and where she is in life.

Robson's first episode occurred when she was 12-years-old and went to spend the night at a friend's house. After eventually falling into a deep sleep, she did not awaken until eight days later.
When she woke, she was confused and failed to recognize those around her.

"When I was coming out of the episode, everything was dreamy. I couldn't remember anybody, I couldn't even remember who I was."

The mother-of-two told Daily Mail that she once woke with no recollection of ever giving birth to her now three-year-old son:

"One moment I've closed my eyes and the next I've woken up and it's two or three weeks later. I've missed holidays and my sister's 18th birthday because I was in an episode.

"It upsets me because I don't remember giving birth and it's supposed to be a precious moment. I think that's the most upsetting episode I ever had. It gets me emotional because I missed it."

When she delivered her youngest son, she was in a sleep-like trance. Though she was conscious, she could not decipher the words nurses used. Two weeks later, she woke and realized her pregnant belly had emptied.

Robson relies on her husband, Steven, to fill her in after she wakes. She has slept through Christmas before and woke only days before their wedding.

"It's upsetting that my children are in the living room or a relative's house opening presents and eating Christmas dinner like a normal family and I'm on my own asleep in bed," she explained.
She worries and claims: "I honestly feel that I am sleeping through my children's lives. I have missed out on so much. The first year with your first child is really special and I missed out on it. I had seven episodes the first year Harley was born. 

"I was asleep pretty much most of that year. It is very frustrating."

Professor Matthew Walker, of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, said her symptoms match those of KLS, saying: "KLS is a very rare condition. Having episodes lasting up to 11 days where you sleep continuously then having weeks between another episode is quite typical. 

"It is perfectly possible to go into an episode of KLS and then to have no recollection or very little recollection of what occurs during that episode. And very often what people say is that it's almost like being in a dream.

"They just have images that they can remember. So the fact that she went into the episode during pregnancy is perfectly possible. And the fact that she would have no recollection of childbirth itself is possible as well. 

"And the recollection that she may have may just be like snippets of a sort of dream like state. What Ms. Robson describes would be completely in keeping with KLS. And I think it is an indication of how real this is.

Unfortunately, Walker added that people were capable of sleeping through nearly anything, which could result in devastating effects on their lives.

Despite the obvious medical issues, doctors have yet to officially diagnose her with KLS and Robson claims one doctor had to Google the disease during a consultation.

"When I have my episodes our lives are on hold," Robson lamented. "My children are so young and I get frustrated that I'm sleeping through their childhood. I just want a diagnosis so I can get some help."

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