We've all likely been spooked by stories that suggest all sorts of creepy crawlies enter our noses, ears and even mouths while we sleep, the bugs eager to find a warm and cozy place to spend the night. But does it actually happen? Do we actually eat insects while we sleep? And do the bugs that roam around our houses really convert our other orifices into hotel rooms? The answer to all of these questions is, unforunately, yes.
As reported by ABC, Australian man Hendrik Helmer was startled awake early last Wednesday morning by a sharp pain in his ear, and he immediately suspected that an insect was to blame. Racked with overwhelming pain, Helmer made several attempts to remove the potential bug from his ear canal, including using a vacuum cleaner to try and suck it out, all of which did nothing but drive the creature further into his ear.
Out of options, Helmer had his roomate take him to the hospital, where initial attempts to drown out the bug also failed. It began to burrow deeper and deeper into his ear, forcing the doctor to grab a pair of forceps and dig it out. Turns out, it was a cockroach that turned Helmer's ear into a literal Roach Motel, and the sucker measured in at 2 centimeters long.
Free of pain, Helmer says his sleeping habits will not be changed because of the incident, though some friends of his have begun sleeping with headphones on. Not a bad idea, if I may say so myself!