# Comas & sleep

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comas-sleep/161883>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 17, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comas-sleep/161883 "2003-03-17T00:26:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Flying\_Monk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/48db29/32.png) [@Flying\_Monk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flying_Monk)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comas-sleep/161883/1 "2003-03-17T00:26:00Z")

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I have a relative who recently went to sleep and never woke up again. He’s not dead, he’s asleep, and no one can wake him up. I’m not sure if the doctors are calling it a coma, but how often does something like this happen?

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**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comas-sleep/161883/2 "2003-03-17T06:30:15Z")

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Hmm… bumping this for more information.

How recently did he fall asleep? How old is he? Does he have any other medical problems? What do the doctors say about it? Is he in the hospital? Is he breathing on his own (IE: without the benefit of a respirator)? Is there measureable brain activity? Did he have any recent head trauma?

More info, please!