No Sleep, But Will You Faint?

Sleep deprivation can have serious health consequences, and fainting is a possible outcome of going without sleep. The current world record for the longest time without sleep is held by Randy Gardner, who stayed awake for 264 hours (just over 11 days) in 1964. However, it's important to note that sleep deprivation can have negative effects on the body much earlier than this extreme duration. After just 24 hours without sleep, individuals may experience symptoms such as impaired decision-making, vision and hearing impairments, and increased muscle tension. As the duration of sleep deprivation increases, the side effects become more severe and can include hallucinations, cognitive impairments, and a weakened immune system. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize adequate sleep to maintain physical and mental well-being.

After 24 hours without sleep, you may experience impaired coordination, memory issues, and reduced performance at work or school

Sleep deprivation can occur after just 24 hours of no sleep. After a day without sleep, you may experience impaired coordination, memory issues, and reduced performance at work or school.

After 24 hours without sleep, you may find yourself with trouble concentrating and problems with cognition and thinking, such as short-term memory loss and brain fog. Your performance at work or school is likely to decrease, and you may have increased problems with social cues. You may also experience behavioural issues, and changes in visual perception, such as objects appearing different from how they are.

These effects occur because the brain attempts to conserve energy by entering a state that doctors refer to as "local sleep". During local sleep, the body temporarily shuts down neurons in some regions of the brain but not others. As a result, your ability to perform complex tasks will significantly decline.

Sleep deprivation after 24 hours also disrupts the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, affecting hormones that regulate important functions. This includes raised levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, as well as increased blood sugar levels.

The longer you stay awake, the more severe these symptoms become. After 36 hours without sleep, you may start to experience microsleep, and after 48 hours, your perception of reality may be distorted.

At 36 hours, you may begin to hallucinate, and your body will experience higher levels of inflammatory markers

Sleep deprivation can have serious consequences on a person's health and can even be fatal in certain circumstances. After 36 hours without sleep, the effects of sleep deprivation intensify and can have a profound impact on both the body and mind.

At 36 hours of sleep deprivation, a person's body experiences higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood. This indicates an increased stress response and a heightened level of physical stress on the body. The body's natural sleep-wake cycle, which helps regulate the release of hormones such as cortisol, insulin, and human growth hormone, becomes disrupted. As a result, going without sleep for an extended period can alter several bodily functions and have a detrimental effect on overall health.

In addition to the physical impact, sleep deprivation of this duration can also lead to alterations in brain function and cognitive performance. A person may experience increased mood changes, reduced concentration, and impaired decision-making abilities. They may also have difficulty thinking creatively and be more prone to illusions, such as misidentifying common objects or sounds.

Furthermore, at 36 hours without sleep, there is an increased risk of hallucinations. Hallucinations are when a person sees, hears, or feels things that are not actually there. These can range from simple visual hallucinations, such as seeing something growing from the floor, to more complex hallucinations involving fully formed images or auditory sensations.

It is important to note that the effects of sleep deprivation can vary from person to person, and individual tolerance may differ. However, the potential consequences of prolonged sleep deprivation on both physical and mental health are significant.

After 48 hours, you may experience microsleep, a brief period of light sleep that can last up to 30 seconds

After 48 hours without sleep, you are likely to experience microsleep. Microsleep is a reflexive action of the brain to protect itself. During microsleep, your brain forces you to fall asleep by briefly going "offline" for a moment. This phenomenon can last up to 30 seconds, and you may not even be aware that it happened. Alternatively, you may wake up feeling disoriented. While fascinating, microsleep can be dangerous, especially if you are driving or in a vulnerable position, as you could unintentionally harm yourself or others.

Microsleep is a significant indicator of the severity of sleep deprivation at the 48-hour mark. By this point, the negative effects of sleep deprivation are intensifying. Your cognitive performance will worsen, and you will become very fatigued. Your brain will be struggling to perform complex tasks, and your ability to think clearly and creatively will be impaired. You may experience switches between feelings of apathy and euphoria, as well as auditory disturbances, such as difficulty recognising where a sound is coming from.

The longer you go without sleep, the more severe the consequences will be. After 72 hours, for example, your ability to regulate your emotions and accurately perceive reality will be severely compromised. You may experience complex hallucinations, illusions, delusions, and symptoms similar to acute psychosis.

It is important to prioritise sleep and practice good sleep hygiene to avoid the negative consequences of sleep deprivation.

At 72 hours, your perception of reality may be severely distorted, and you may experience symptoms similar to acute psychosis

After 72 hours without sleep, your perception of reality may be severely distorted, and you may experience symptoms similar to acute psychosis. This includes complex visual and auditory hallucinations, such as seeing fully formed images or hearing a dog bark, and delusions, such as believing someone has sent you on a secret mission. These symptoms are a result of profound effects on your mood and cognition, causing you to struggle with executive functioning and thinking.

At this point, your ability to regulate your emotions is severely compromised, leading to irritability, anxiety, depression, and paranoia. Research has also shown that sleep-deprived individuals have difficulty processing others' emotions, such as recognising angry and happy facial expressions.

Additionally, several days of sleep deprivation can alter your perception, leading to illusions where you misinterpret something that is real, such as seeing a sign and thinking it is a person.

The effects of sleep deprivation at 72 hours are intense and can be dangerous. Your body will experience an overwhelming urge to sleep, and you may be unable to stay awake without assistance. Your cognitive performance will be impaired, and you will have difficulty multitasking, concentrating, and communicating.

It is important to note that the effects of short-term sleep deprivation should go away once you get sufficient sleep. However, chronic sleep deprivation, or repeatedly not getting enough sleep, can have more severe and long-lasting consequences on your health.

Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to long-term health complications, including high blood pressure and a higher risk of certain cancers

Sleep is essential for maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health. Even after just 24 hours of no sleep, you may experience symptoms like daytime sleepiness, anxiety, irritability, and impaired cognitive functioning. The longer you go without sleep, the more severe these symptoms become. After 36 hours without sleep, you may start to hallucinate, and after 48 hours, you can experience symptoms of depression. Going without sleep for 72 hours or more can lead to complex hallucinations, delusions, and symptoms similar to acute psychosis.

While there is not yet enough research to establish a clear link between sleep and cancer risk, chronic sleep deprivation can still lead to long-term health complications, including an increased risk of certain cancers and high blood pressure. Studies suggest that disruptions in the body's "biological clock," which controls sleep and other functions, may raise the odds of developing cancers of the breast, colon, ovaries, and prostate. Exposure to light while working overnight shifts over several years may reduce melatonin levels, creating a conducive environment for cancer growth.

Additionally, sleep deprivation can result in increased sympathetic nervous system activity, which is associated with higher blood pressure. Acute or chronic elevation of blood pressure can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and heart failure. The exact mechanisms linking sleep deprivation and high blood pressure are still being elucidated, but the association is well-established.

Frequently asked questions