Kazhakstan's 'Sleepy Hollow': Villagers are falling asleep en masse, and it may be related to the weather
Digital Reporter
Wednesday, December 17, 2014, 3:27 PM - Residents of a small village in Kazakhstan are falling randomly asleep en masse for no apparent reason. So far, doctors aren't sure what's causing it but they have noticed a spike in cases when the weather shifts from cold to warm.
The problem was first reported in the village of Kalachi in the spring of 2013 -- and it appears to be getting worse over time.
The latest wave was from August to September, and over 60 people -- or roughly ten percent of the town's population -- was affected, as reported in a documentary released last week by RT.
The unexplained illness appears to strike at any time with residents falling asleep at random -- sometimes for days.
Some villagers will simply drop, mid-movement. Others report a feeling of weakness or loss of motor control. Meanwhile, others have reported hallucinations. Most age groups have been impacted.
According to Vice.com, one old man was in such a deep sleep he was assumed to be dead.
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Doctors haven't been able to link the phenomenon with other sleep sicknesses and they've ruled out a few parasitic and bacterial infections.
The only clue health officials have right now is the weather.
And temperature isn't the only suspected cause: Some believe the sleepiness may be linked to wind-borne toxins from a nearby abandoned uranium mine.
But as of right now, all doctors have are theories.
The complete documentary can be viewed at RT.com.
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