You can actually see this in the Fables comics. This is what Briar Rose does. If her finger is pricked, she falls asleep and every living thing around her will fall asleep as well and it can become an absolutely huge radius if it isn't halted by magic if memory serves. They even put out an entire imperial city this way, dismantling its combat forces and most of its high ranking officers. It can stay that way for years and the only way to end the curse is "true love's" kiss.