Whats the longest you have gone without sleep.

[Rev Blair]

Without chemical aids? I guess about two days.

 

With chemical aids? Four days. Six dozen beer. One car crash (I wasn't driving). A massive nosebleed, which would have gotten me pity sex, but I finally passed out.

[Donut.Hole]

Eh, I'm a lightweight compared to you guys, the most I've ever stayed up is around 30 hours.

 

Pfft, the longest I have is only 25 hours. But that was without any chemicals or supplements.

[dozyman]

I have been looking for answers as to why I am unable to sleep for years now.

 

I have read that the longest sleep record for a person is about a week or so.

 

And the longest that a person has been unconcious is someone who's

been in a coma for 44 years.

 

My situation is different. In 1993 I contracted Lyme Disease. I was misdiagnosed several times and my condition became chronic.

 

In late 1993 I woke up one morning two days after removing an engorged

deer tick from my leg. I had the typical flu-like symptoms many Lyme patients

describe as their first symptoms, which only got worse in the days ahead.

 

From that day on, the minute that I would start to fall asleep I would immediately stop breathing and get what I would refer to as jolted.

 

Over the years and much long-term treatment for chronic Lyme I would get to the point where I would rarely ever even approach the state of starting to doze off. I would just rest in nap like fashion, without ever falling into a state of unconsciousness.

 

I can rest in this way, but never fall asleep. This has been going everyday

for 12 and a half years.

 

I have given up even trying to figure out why my brain will no longer allow

me to fall asleep. Although I do suffer from neurolgical damage from refractory illness. All I know is that I am never in an unconcsious state.

I go to bed at night like everyone else, except I lay awake all night long.

 

To those who say this is impossible, I say it is not. I am living proof that you can exist without sleep for years on end as long as you give your heart a rest by getting off your feet.

 

I am looking for any other people who have had similar experiences, even if they are now able to fall asleep again.

 

It's exhausting and very frustrating not to be able to fall into a state of unconsciousness.

 

Over the years I have actually had family test me to see if this was true,

by coming over to me as I appear to be sleeping. One night I heard one of them say "you see I told you that it was impossible for anyone to not fall asleep for that long."

 

And then I answered them saying but I am not asleep and can hear every word you just said..

 

They were surprised to say the least.

 

I have no doubt that at this time I have stayed awake longer than any person on this planet. I would just like to find others who have had to deal with this.

 

I have also taken sleep meds in the past and while they make me very groggy

have yet to enable me to reach an unconscious state..

Dear Lyme man

what you describe are hynogogic clonus or spasm. This is normal for many people in the population. As the brain goes to sleep there is a period of increased arousal (not what your thinking..) when small impulses can be magnified and the body spasms. Some people used to think this was related to epilepsy - but really it is normal.

 

Hypnopompic clonus occurs on waking, similar thing really.

 

Hope your Lyme disease was sorted by a good dose of doxycline or cefuroxime.

[Isla]

SleeplessONE,

 

Your posting so reminds me of my situation. And I feel some sense of relief that I'm not the only one!! I really thought I was alone in this and no one believes me either!

 

I too seem to suffer from a prolonged insomnia going on for about 3 months that continues night after night. My insomnia seems to have been brought on by a recent onset of general anxiety disorder and depression.

 

I have always been a light sleeper and would get 8 hours sleep a night, but over the last several months, gradually my sleep went from several hours a night to just resting and hearing everything and knowing that I don't doze off.

 

Just as I feel myself starting to drift off, I'm awoken by a full body jerk. It started out with many worries at night leading me to not fall asleep for very long and then I started having panic attacks (racing heart) just as I would get into bed.

 

Initially, I would enter REM sleep but one night while in a dream I had a panic attack because I thought I was having a hullucination from lack of sleep and I woke in the dream paralyzed in a panic and my subconscious said to me "never again will I fall asleep".

 

Its so scary and incredibly frustrating. I feel like I'm tortured night and day. I look forward to the night so I may sleep. And every night I'm convinced that tonight is the night I will sleep.

 

I really am trying to find a fix to this because I'm not in any chronic pain and there's no real reason for it.

 

I know many people have suffered from anxiety and depression and get sleep, so why can't I?

 

I'm on zoloft and I've tried OTC sleeping pills that make me feel relaxed but not fall asleep. I'm 32 years old and I can't imagine going another day without sleep!

 

I can only say I am one in a million on this planet suffering like this and its hard to fathom.

[Tolmosoff]

Our bodies were made for REM spleep for repairs.

 

Not to spleep will shorten our life.

 

Remember that a flower in the morning waits for sunrise ans follows the sun to maximize growth until evening as the sun sets.

At night the flower heat then turns all the way back at night to wait for the riseing sun.

That nature at work for plants are smarter that man as we Kill ourselves.

 

Take an example from the liveing testamony around us and you will live longer.

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Merged post follows:

Consecutive posts merged

Also if you had a bad dream at night , you can actually change your dream cause I can do it at will.

[Dudde]

2 40 hour/week jobs + girlfriend with 1 year old = I used to stay up from Sunday afternoon until saturday night weekly for about 5 months

[Tolmosoff]

Your going to live a very short life so enjoy the days you have for they are numbered.

[Dudde]

Your going to live a very short life so enjoy the days you have for they are numbered.

 

haha, nice, I appreciate the advice sir

 

no really, I get at least 5 hours of sleep everyday I'll thank you to know! That was like two years ago, not something I plan on reliving. I should live at least til I'm 50 I say

[Isla]

Dudde-

I believe Tolmosoff was talking to my post.

Whereas I don't think you can die from lack of sleep, it certainly has

effects on the body and can shorten my life span. I have noticed it takes

a toll on cognitive ability and on stress hormones.

The body still heals just fine , I had several bruises that healed up in a normal time. But the brain needs rest.

[Sparkle]

The longest I have ever gone without sleep was over 80 hours. After the 80+ hours I fell asleep for 3 hours and ran to class because I was VERY late for a test. These days I glad to get 3 or 4 hours of sleep a night, because I don't really have the time for sleep or anything, but that is life.

[Schrödinger's hat]

About 50 hours, a few times. Two were from insomnia, one was on purpose-ish (no-where to sleep and didn't feel like paying for a taxi).

Was pretty delerious by the end of it, the weirdest thing is my memories of events (both short term at the time, and long term) were not in the correct order. I don't know if this is because I was micro-sleeping or if it was something else.

[pony]

about 76 hours, although i went 8 days with less than a combined 7 hours of quick naps in the army 'hell week' as others have described.. on day three i was so tired i nodded off for 30 minutes in the middle of a mock battle and my position was overrun. i woke up behind enemy lines lol! the strangest thing is after day 6 i wasnt tired anymore and when i got back to the barracks i still wasnt tired but then just collapsed in a black out. I think its dangerous if i could fall asleep in the middle of a battle and collapse while feeling fine i think you might crash a car or something i wouldn't recomend it.