Wondering how long you cango without sleep?
Is it three days, one week, or longer?
The answer depends on your genetics and overall health.
As you may know, most experts recommend at least seven hours of sleep per night.
What you may not realize is that your genes influence your internal clock, or circadian rhythm.
Other studies show that our genes may contribute to the onset of sleep disorders.
These factors have a direct impact onyour ability to fall and stay asleep.
While it’s possible to go without sleep for days, the side effects can be terrifying.
Being awake for 24 hours may affect your mood, alertness, energy, and mental focus, warnsHealthline.
Skimping on sleep for 36 hours can lead to behavioral changes, memory problems, and impaired immune function.
After 48 hours, you may experience increased stress and anxiety, fatigue, and depersonalization.
These problems become more severe after several sleepless nights.
With that being said, how long can humans stay awake?
Let’s find out.
The experiment was conducted on Gardner and sleep scientist William Dement agreed to help them out.
“Randy’s parents were very worried that this might be something that would really be harmful to him.
The previous record was held by Tom Rounds, who went without sleep for 260 hours, perKEDM.
What’s even more surprising is that Gardner didn’t use any stimulants.
But his success came at a price.
Later in life, Gardnerstruggled with insomniafor years, according to BBC.
During his experiment, though, the teenager showed signs of cognitive impairment.
He had a difficult time identifying objects, remembering things, and staying focused, according toScience Alert.
He also experienced mood swings, irritability, and hallucinations, but he eventually recovered after the experiment ended.
So far, no one has beaten his record.
