Sleep takes a third of our lives, provided that we get enough sleep. However, with the modern pace of life, few of us spend enough time sleeping. Many mistakenly think that prolonged wakefulness gives many opportunities: more time for work, entertainment, outdoor activities. And some, just for fun, want to know how long you can live without sleep. But systematically replacing sleep time with other personal matters, you can face very unpleasant consequences. What happens if you don't sleep for a long time? This will be discussed in this article.
Why does a person sleep?
The exact answer to this question has not yet been found. However, scientists have presented facts confirming that sleep is extremely important for humans. At this time, the work of all organs and systems of the body slows down. Even the heart rate slows down, which makes it possible for the heart muscle to relax. During sleep, cell regeneration occurs most actively. It has been established that during this period, the ordering of emotions and memories received during wakefulness occurs.
The brain does not sleep
In the human brain there is a center that controls the biological clock. When the time for sleep comes, this center is triggered, and consciousness begins to gradually turn off. First of all, there is a slowdown in the work of neurons that are responsible for associative connections. The deep sleep phase begins. Along with the disconnection of consciousness, the transmission pathways from the sense organs (vision, hearing, smell) are disconnected. All mental processes are regulated by a special mode of interaction and functioning of certain groups of neurons. Thus, when the period of sleep comes, the human brain begins to work in a different mode. Moreover, the intensity of these processes is different at different stages of sleep. So sleep is quite an active and important process.
Why can't a person sleep?
It happens that a person does not have sleep of their own free will. Sometimes it is impossible to force yourself to fall asleep for hours, or there is an awakening in the middle of the night, and wakefulness lasts until the morning. This insomnia is the most common sleep disorder. What provokes such a phenomenon? A person cannot fall asleep for various reasons, the main ones are as follows:
- fear;
- emotional overstrain;
- information overload;
- hyperexcitability;
- self-doubt;
- physiological problems.
All causes are interconnected, one may be the result of another, sometimes a person may be disturbed by several at oncethe above phenomena. Such conditions, lasting for a long time, can provoke a complete lack of sleep. And this threatens with irreversible consequences. Up to death.
Lack of sleep: consequences
On average, for good he alth and ability to work, a person needs to sleep at least 7-8 hours a day. Of course, there are people for whom 3 hours is enough, but this is an exception. So what happens if you don't sleep?
- After spending one sleepless night, a person gets tired, concentration and memory decrease.
- 2-3 sleepless nights threaten with impaired coordination of movements, deterioration in concentration of vision, speech, nausea and a nervous tic may appear.
- After 4-5 nights without sleep, increased irritability and hallucinations appear.
- If a person does not sleep for 6-8 nights, then gaps in memory appear, trembling in the limbs, speech slows down.
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What happens if you don't sleep for 11 nights in a row? In this case, a person becomes numb and indifferent to everything, fragmented thinking develops. Death may eventually occur.
Chronic lack of sleep is no less dangerous
Systematic lack of sleep has a detrimental effect on a person's memory. There is an accelerated aging of the body, the heart rests less and wears out faster. Disorders of the nervous system are observed, and after 5-10 years of chronic lack of sleep, it becomes more difficult for a person to fall asleep. Besides,immunity decreases. Due to the low duration of sleep, T-lymphocytes are not produced in sufficient quantities, with the help of which the body resists viruses and bacteria. It has also been found that people who experience a constant lack of sleep become more irritable.
How long can you live without sleep? Interesting Facts
To get an answer to this question, many experiments were carried out, both by scientists and just curious enthusiasts. Below are the most amazing facts.
- To date, the officially recognized record is wakefulness for 19 days. That is how much time the American Robert McDonalds spent without sleep.
- An amazing record was also set by schoolboy Randy Gardner, who was able to stay awake for 11 days.
- Tai Ngoc from Vietnam has not slept for 38 years after suffering a fever.
- Vietnamese Nguyen Van Kha has not slept for 27 years. According to him, it all started on the same day, after he closed his eyes and felt a strong burning sensation in his eyes. Moreover, he clearly saw the image of fire. He hasn't slept since.
- Farmer Eustace Burnett from England has not slept for 56 years. One night he just couldn't sleep. Since then, instead of sleeping, he solves crossword puzzles every night.
- Yakov Tsiperovich is a man with phenomenal abilities, the cause of which is the clinical death he experienced. After that, he does not sleep, his body temperature does not rise.above 33.5 ºС, and his body does not age at all.
- Ukrainian Fyodor Nesterchuk has been awake for about 20 years and reads books at night.
So, how many days can a person live without sleep? An unequivocal answer has not yet been found. Someone may not sleep for 5 days, someone for 19, and for someone, staying awake for 20 years does not affect their he alth in any way. Here everything is individual and depends on gender, age, physical condition of the body and many more factors. Without sleep, the average person can live from 7 to 14 days, provided that he leads an inactive lifestyle.
Benefits of daytime sleep
Daytime sleep has the most positive effect on a person's well-being. If for some reason a night's sleep was short, then an afternoon nap will help improve well-being. Scientists have found that just 26 minutes of daytime sleep significantly increase the ability to work and mindfulness. This effect can last up to 10 hours. Scientific studies have shown that napping just 2 times a week reduces the chances of developing coronary heart disease by 12%. If you devote time to daytime sleep 3 times a week, then the risk of this pathology is reduced by 37%.
Benefits of short naps:
- 11% uplifting;
- improves physical condition by 6%;
- 11% more productivity;
- reduces by 10%drowsiness;
- improves attentiveness by 11%;
- increases brain activity by 9%;
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reduces insomnia by 14%.
without sleep
Note to motorists
With prolonged lack of sleep, the driver's condition is equated to alcohol intoxication. If the driver has not slept for 17-19 hours, his condition is similar to the state when the blood alcohol level is 0.5 ppm. 21 hours of being awake equates to an alcohol level of 0.8 ppm. This condition gives the right to recognize the driver as drunk.
From this article, you learned about what will happen if you do not sleep for several days. You shouldn't experiment. Take care of your he alth, despite the lack of free time, try to get enough sleep every day and have a good rest. The time spent on sound sleep will definitely pay off with interest. You will always be cheerful, cheerful and he althy.
