UK man claims he has not slept for two years because of mysterious condition

A 32-year-old UK man claims that he has been living in a constant state of alertness for nearly two years.

Oliver Alvis, who previously worked as a train conductor, said that the problem began suddenly one night when he was unable to fall asleep. What he thought was a temporary bout of insomnia turned into an ongoing struggle that has persisted for 21 months, during which he says he has not been able to rest, even under strong sedatives prescribed by doctors.

“I don’t just have a lack of sleep; it’s the total disappearance of sleep,” Alvis said. “I don’t feel sleepy. I don’t fall asleep. I’m in a permanent state of alertness. Endless days turn into endless nights, and it’s torment. The lack of sleep not only causes exhaustion, but it crumbles the spirit.”

He said that the condition has taken a devastating toll on his health and life. “I have lost almost everything. The person I once was is gone,” Alvis said.

“How can it be that something so natural, so essential as sleep, is completely taken away from me? I used to wonder what pain could lead someone to wish for death. Now I understand. I don’t want to die, but I can’t take this torture much longer. I would give every last penny I’ve worked for just to be able to close my eyes and sleep.”

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Alvis said that he experiences severe pain and fatigue, describing his muscles and bones as constantly sore, his vision deteriorating, and his balance affected. “It feels like wearing an iron suit,” he said, adding that his digestion has also suffered.

In his search for answers, Alvis sold his home and moved back in with his mother to fund consultations and treatments around the world.

He says he has traveled to India, Italy, Turkiye and Colombia, trying conventional and alternative therapies, including medications and herbal remedies, but nothing has worked.

“I wander around at night, envious of the homeless who can sleep on the porches of shops. I would rather trade places with them, just to fall asleep – something I would trade all my possessions for,” he said.