The Longest Wake: Enduring Days Without Sleep

In 1964, 17-year-old Randy Gardner broke the world record for the longest amount of time a human has gone without sleep. Gardner stayed awake for 11 days, 24 minutes (264.4 hours), breaking the previous record of 260 hours held by Tom Rounds. Gardner's record was broken multiple times until 1997 when Guinness World Records ceased accepting new attempts for safety reasons. The current record holder is Robert McDonald, who went 453 hours 40 minutes (18 days 21 hours 40 minutes) without sleeping in 1986.

Randy Gardner broke the record for the longest period without sleep in 1964

In 1964, Randy Gardner broke the world record for the longest period without sleep. The 17-year-old stayed awake for 11 days and 24 minutes (or 264 hours), breaking the previous record of 260 hours held by Tom Rounds. Gardner's record attempt began in December 1963 and ended on 8 January 1964.

Gardner's sleep deprivation experiment was supervised by Stanford sleep researcher Dr. William C. Dement, and his health was monitored by Lt. Cmdr. John J. Ross. Two of Gardner's classmates, Bruce McAllister and Joe Marciano Jr., also kept a log of the experiment. The attempt gained widespread media attention, becoming the third most-written-about story in the American national press at the time.

During the experiment, Gardner experienced nausea and a decline in his cognitive and sensory abilities, including his sense of taste, smell, and hearing. He also suffered from hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and an extremely short attention span. Despite these challenges, Gardner was able to play basketball and beat Dr. Dement at pinball.

On the final day of the experiment, Gardner held a press conference, appearing in excellent health. After completing the record, he slept for 14 hours and 46 minutes, waking up naturally and feeling well. Follow-up sleep recordings taken in the weeks after the experiment showed no significant differences from his normal sleep patterns.

However, decades later, Gardner began experiencing serious insomnia and attributed it to his participation in the sleep deprivation experiment. He struggled with unbearable insomnia for years before eventually regaining the ability to sleep, although he now only sleeps for around six hours per night.

Gardner's record was broken multiple times after his achievement, and in 1997, Guinness World Records ceased accepting new attempts for safety reasons. The current record, set before the cessation, is held by Robert McDonald, who stayed awake for 18 days and 21 hours (453 hours and 40 minutes) in 1986.

Gardner stayed awake for 11 days and 24 minutes

In December 1963, 17-year-old Randy Gardner, a self-proclaimed "science nerd", broke the world record for the longest amount of time a human has gone without sleep. Gardner stayed awake for 11 days and 24 minutes (264 hours), breaking the previous record of 260 hours held by Tom Rounds.

Gardner's record attempt was motivated by his desire to make a splash at the 10th Annual Greater San Diego Science Fair. He recruited two of his friends, Bruce McAllister and Joe Marciano Jr., to help him stay awake by taking turns monitoring his mental and physical reactions and ensuring he didn't fall asleep. Gardner also kept himself awake by standing as much as possible and consuming citrus fruits to combat nausea.

Despite the challenges, Gardner maintained his physical health throughout the experiment. However, he experienced a decline in his mental faculties, including irritability, difficulty with memory and concentration, and an extremely short attention span. On the final day of the experiment, he displayed a short fuse, snapping at reporters for their repetitive questions.

After breaking the record, Gardner slept for 14 hours and 46 minutes, waking up groggy but not excessively so. He appeared to have fully recovered from his loss of sleep, with follow-up sleep recordings taken at one, six, and ten weeks showing no significant differences from baseline.

However, decades later, Gardner developed insomnia in his sixties, struggling with the condition for nearly ten years before regaining the ability to sleep, albeit limited to around six hours per night. While he is unsure if his insomnia was caused by his sleep deprivation stunt, he considers it "karmic payback" for going so long without sleep.

Randy Gardner's record-breaking feat, though broken multiple times since, remains a well-documented case of sleep deprivation that has contributed significantly to our understanding of the effects of sleep deprivation and the importance of regular, quality sleep for overall health and well-being.

Guinness World Records stopped tracking sleep deprivation in 1997

Sleep deprivation is harmful to the human body and mind. Scientific studies suggest that even small amounts of missed sleep can negatively impact our mental and physical health. In 1997, Guinness World Records ceased accepting new attempts for the longest time without sleep for safety reasons.

The record holder at the time was Robert McDonald, who went 453 hours and 40 minutes (18 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes) without sleeping in 1986. McDonald experienced weight loss and memory issues during his attempt. However, he did not appear to suffer any long-lasting negative effects and has continued to live a happy life.

The decision to stop tracking sleep deprivation was made due to the inherent dangers associated with sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation can cause serious cognitive and behavioral changes, including moodiness, problems with concentration and short-term memory, paranoia, and hallucinations.

Additionally, it is difficult to accurately determine the true world record because it is challenging to account for microsleeps, which are momentary lapses into sleep that last for just a few seconds. Microsleeps are impossible to accurately monitor without continuous physiological recording equipment.

By stopping the tracking of sleep deprivation records, Guinness World Records prioritised the safety and well-being of individuals, recognising the potential harmful effects of sleep deprivation.

Robert McDonald was the last record holder recognised by Guinness

McDonald's feat was achieved as part of a "rocking chair marathon" in the front window of a restaurant. As he neared the end of his attempt, the 27-year-old stuntman from Mariposa, California, told UPI, "It hasn't been easy. I'm ready to collapse because I have had a hard time keeping any food down." He also mentioned weight loss and memory issues as side effects of his endeavour.

Despite the physical and mental challenges, McDonald did not appear to suffer any long-lasting negative consequences. He has since lived a happy life, and in 2006, he built a life-size replica Viking ship from 15 million ice-cream sticks with his son, Robert Jr.

However, McDonald's record-breaking attempt highlighted the inherent dangers of sleep deprivation, and in 1996 or 1997, Guinness World Records ceased accepting new attempts for safety reasons. They recognised that skipping sleep is harmful to both the human body and mind, and that even small amounts of missed sleep can negatively impact physical and mental health.

While Guinness no longer monitors the record, it is believed that McDonald's achievement remains unbeaten. This suggests that the human limit for sleep deprivation may be around 19 days, although it is important to note that the existence of "microsleeps"—momentary lapses into sleep lasting a few seconds—could mean that the actual upper limit is lower.

McDonald stayed awake for 18 days and 21 hours

In 1986, Robert McDonald of Mariposa, California, achieved a world record for staying awake for 18 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes (a total of 453 hours and 40 minutes). McDonald performed this feat in the front window of a restaurant, as part of a rocking chair marathon.

McDonald's endurance captivated the world and pushed the boundaries of human endurance. However, it is important to note that sleep deprivation can have serious negative effects on both physical and mental health. Recognizing the inherent dangers associated with sleep deprivation, Guinness World Records ceased monitoring records for prolonged wakefulness after McDonald's achievement.

McDonald's pursuit of this record was not without challenges. As he neared the end of his attempt, the 27-year-old stuntman reported that it "hadn't been easy." He experienced difficulty keeping food down and lost weight. Additionally, he faced challenges with memory retention, a common issue among individuals undergoing sleep deprivation.

Despite the difficulties, McDonald successfully broke the previous record set by Maureen Weston in 1977, who stayed awake for 18 days and 17 hours. McDonald's record has stood since 1986, and no one is known to have broken it. This raises the question of whether it is truly impossible for a human to stay awake for 19 consecutive days.

McDonald's achievement highlights the incredible capabilities of the human body and mind, but it also underscores the critical importance of sleep for our overall health and well-being.

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