Ipod turns itself on, even when 'hold' is toggled

I have a 120gb ipod classic that I have had for eight months. Currently the ipod will automatically pause itself sporadically while listening to music even though the "hold" button is toggled. Also when I am not using the ipod and it is stationary on a surface it will turn itself on and trigger the backlight. Once again, the hold button is toggled. When I try to force the ipod off by holding the play button it turns off and then immediately turns back on again. Because it is constantly turning itself on, I am unable to maintain battery life on the ipod.
I have tried resetting the ipod using the menu and center button but the problem persists. The Ipod turns itself on when not in use even if no headphones are plugged in. The two problems (turning itself on and pausing itself) happen sporadically without a discernible pattern and have been happening more frequently of late. I have been traveling for the last four months in South America without a computer and have not connected the ipod to a computer in the past four months, only charging by a wall charger.
Is this a known problem with Ipod classics? Can it be related to the high altitude (over 3300 meters)? Is there anything I can do to fix my ipod given my lack of computer and access to an apple store? My apple is formatted on a mac and I would rather avoid reformatting it as I would have no access to all my music, movies, and pictures until the end of the trip.
Thank you!