The Consequences Of Going Without Sleep For A Week

Sleep is essential for our physical, cognitive, and mental well-being. While the amount of sleep required varies from person to person, the recommended amount for adults is between seven and nine hours per night. Not getting enough sleep can lead to sleep deprivation, which can have numerous negative consequences. So, what happens if you don't sleep for seven days?

After 24 hours, you'll experience impaired coordination, memory, and judgment

After 24 hours of sleep deprivation, you will experience a reduction in your coordination and memory, as well as impaired judgment. This means that your ability to perform complex tasks will be significantly impacted, and your risk of accidents will increase. You may feel that you are functioning normally, but your body will be taking shortcuts to conserve energy. This is known as "local sleep", where the body temporarily shuts down neurons in certain areas of the brain.

During local sleep, your ability to coordinate movements will be reduced, and you may find yourself clumsier than usual. Your memory will also be affected, with short-term memory in particular taking a hit. You may find it harder to form new memories, and your ability to recall information could be diminished. Your judgment will also be impaired, and you may find it more difficult to make decisions or solve problems. You are also likely to experience an increase in stress levels, as your body produces more cortisol and adrenaline.

The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function are well-established and can be dangerous. Your risk of being involved in an accident increases, and your ability to drive safely may be compromised. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), staying awake for 24 hours is similar to having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.10%, which is above the legal limit for driving in the United States.

It's important to note that the effects of sleep deprivation can vary from person to person, and individual differences in response have been observed. However, the longer you go without sleep, the more severe the symptoms are likely to become.

After 36 hours, your physical health will be negatively impacted, with high levels of inflammatory markers in the bloodstream

After 36 hours of sleep deprivation, your physical health will be at risk. High levels of inflammatory markers will be present in your bloodstream, which can eventually lead to cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. During a typical healthy night of sleep, blood pressure drops by around 10 to 20 per cent. However, if sleep is chronically interrupted or not happening at all, remaining at an elevated blood pressure may be a risk factor for hypertension, according to research.

Hormones will also be affected, which means your emotions can be all over the place. As your body keeps pumping cortisol into your bloodstream, raising your heart rate and blood pressure to keep you alert, the continued stress can increase feelings of anxiety and mood swings.

You may also start to have microsleeps without realising it. Microsleeps are 3- to 15-second bursts of rest during which your brain switches off. Your eyes don't necessarily close, and you may not be consciously aware of what's occurring, but your brain is going offline for seconds at a time.

After 24 hours of sleep deprivation, research has found that you may begin to hallucinate. This occurs when you see, hear, or feel things that aren't actually there.

After 48 hours, you'll experience microsleeps and disorientation

After 48 hours without sleep, you will enter a state of extreme sleep deprivation. At this stage, your brain will start to experience brief periods of complete unconsciousness, known as microsleep. These episodes can last for several seconds, and you may not even realise they are happening. You might nod off or keep your eyes open, but your brain will not be processing external information as it usually does.

Microsleep is characterised by changes in behaviour. You might briefly close your eyes or experience lapses in attention. You might also experience a nodding head, excessive yawning or blinking, or a reduced response to external stimuli. Researchers can detect microsleep by measuring brain activity, observing facial and body movements, or testing psychomotor performance.

During microsleep, your brain waves noticeably slow down. Brain scans show that the brain activity during microsleep differs from that found in regular sleep. Parts of the brain that are usually deactivated during sleep remain activated, including areas dedicated to keeping you awake. Your brain also responds differently to sound during microsleep than when you are awake or asleep.

Microsleep can be dangerous, especially if you are driving or operating heavy machinery. It can increase the risk of accidents and cause you to be less responsive to stimuli. In one study, participants who experienced microsleep showed a decrease in driving performance.

If you are well-rested, you can still experience microsleep when performing monotonous tasks. However, if you are experiencing microsleep despite getting adequate sleep, you should consult a doctor.

After 72 hours, you'll have major cognitive deficits, and your hallucinations will become more complex

After 72 hours of no sleep, you will experience major cognitive deficits and your hallucinations will become more complex. This is the fourth stage of sleep deprivation.

At this stage, your urge to sleep will be incredibly strong and possibly uncontrollable. You will likely experience microsleeps, which are 3- to 15-second bursts of rest during which your brain switches off. These microsleeps will increase in length and frequency.

Your perception of reality will be severely distorted, and you will experience complex hallucinations. Your hallucinations will likely be visual, but they can also manifest in other ways, such as hearing voices or feeling things that aren't there. You may also experience illusions, where you misinterpret something that is present.

Your cognitive function will be significantly impaired, and you will have trouble with concentration, motivation, perception, and other higher mental processes. Your thinking will be disordered and fragmented, and you will have difficulty forming thoughts, finding words, and composing sentences. Your memory will be impaired, and you may experience memory loss. You may also feel dissociated and depersonalized, with a sense of being separated from yourself or others.

Your emotional state will be fragile, and you will be irritable, anxious, and depressed. You may also experience euphoria, anger, and hostility. Your ability to regulate your emotions will be severely compromised, and your perception of the world around you will be affected.

It is important to note that the effects of sleep deprivation can vary between individuals, and you may experience symptoms earlier or later than others. However, by the fourth stage of sleep deprivation, the consequences of sleep deprivation are severe and can be dangerous.

After 96 hours, your perception of reality will be severely distorted, resembling acute psychosis

After 96 hours without sleep, your perception of reality will be severely distorted, resembling acute psychosis. This means that your brain will struggle to interpret the world around you. You may also start to hallucinate, seeing or hearing things that are not there. You may also experience illusions, where you misinterpret things that are there. For example, you may struggle to read other people's emotions or identify whether something you see is human.

Your body will be under extreme stress, with high levels of inflammatory markers in your bloodstream, which can lead to cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. Your hormones will be imbalanced, and your metabolism will be slowed. Your body will be pumping out cortisol, the stress hormone, and your heart rate and blood pressure will increase as your body tries to keep you alert. This continued stress can lead to increased feelings of anxiety and mood swings.

Your cognitive performance will be significantly impaired, and you will struggle with executive functioning and thinking. Your ability to regulate your emotions will be severely compromised, and you will likely feel irritable, anxious, and depressed.

Microsleeps, which are brief periods of complete unconsciousness, will also increase in length and frequency. These can last from 3 to 30 seconds, and you may not be aware that they are happening. Microsleeps can be incredibly dangerous, especially if you are driving or operating heavy machinery.

Chronic sleep deprivation can have severe consequences for your health and can even be fatal in certain circumstances. It increases your risk of dangerous accidents and can lead to serious medical conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Frequently asked questions