What would happen if you don't go to sleep for a whole week?

[myjaja]

It's probably not possible. Has anyone done it before?

 

[compnovice]

I have gone without sleep for 2.5 days.... then I slept for 15 hrs....

 

[Ika]

I think your body would simply shut down.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

Didn't someone stay awake for a little over a week and then died?

 

[judasmachine]

I was having audio hallucinations when I stayed up for three days straight (actually about 55hours). And yes I was sober, and was staying awake for a combination of work, and family emergency.

 

[invidia]

you die of fatigue/failure of bodily functions if you can't sleep, like severe insomnia. you'll just pass out when you just force yourself not to sleep.

 

[Beev]

Your brain can't regenerate neurons or something (I saw it on House, so now I'm like, a doctor and stuff, ok?) which makes you actually go insane.

 

[imported_Devine]

Worst case you die Best case you sleep for a day or two the first chance you get. There comes a point when your pretty much a zombie but hey, if your gonna do it try to take like a 30 min nap here and there so at least you can function somewhat

 

[Skeeedunt]

You usually start fight club, but sometimes you just die.

 

[stars]

I went without sleep close to 5 days once. I began hearing voices and seeing things. I sleep around 27 hours straight when I laid down.

 

[TheStu]

I have seen some studies about this, and what Sraaz said is mostly correct. You body itself does not need that much rest in order to maintain functions, it is your brain that really needs the sleep. Throughout your day your subconscious gets full of stuff, and when you sleep your brain vents those by the way of dreams. Son in actuality, it is not sleep, but rather the REM cycle that your brain needs.

The study that I read entailed having two groups of 10. They each slept for 8 hours a night, but one group was woken up just as soon as their REM cycle started, and the other group was woken up just after REM ended. The group that was not allowed to have REM sleep started experience hallucinations and other psychological problems after 5 or 6 days.

So, your body can do it (it only really needs about 30-60 minutes of downtime a day apparently) but your brain won't be able to handle it. Especially if you spend that time studying, or whatever... things that really work your brain will shorten that amount of time that you will have before your brain goes on strike.

 

[jmdeathsquad]

never been on a week long meth bender?

 

[Zolty]

Meth addicts regularly go 10-12 days with no sleep.

 

[platinumike]

a few years ago at the burning man festival.

 

[Aimster]

ask some of the previous prisoners released from guantanamo. They will know