Longest time without sleep?

Subject: Longest time without sleep? Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:45 pm

What's the longest amount of time you've gone (voluntarily or otherwise) without sleep?

I think that the longest I have been without sleep was around 60 hours.

It was completely involuntary and caused primarily by fear and paranoia.

Anyone else care to share?

Subject: Re: Longest time without sleep? Fri Jan 18, 2008 6:51 pm

Wow, that's about right, hun. Mine was about that, too, and around three days...and for similar reasons! It's strange. I was thinking about how users of crystal meth can often go so long without sleeping...and it's interesting that a psychotic episode can have similar effects, too. I'm curious to hear what anyone else has done, too. Very Happy

Subject: Re: Longest time without sleep? Fri Jan 18, 2008 8:07 pm

For me, I think that the longest period of time that I was not able to sleep was about 2 1/2-3 days....I often go 24 hours without sleep....and it often comes in cycles for me...an average of 5-8 days a month I seem to have this inability to sleep...I have attempted to try OTC sleep meds...but do not like the crappy feel when I wake up...plus given my history with medications....I don't do well with them either...

An average nights sleep for me is 5-6 hours....unless, I am having the reverse cycle whereby, my depression or whatever has kicked in and I find myself sleeping 12-14 hours a day....this does not happen alot but averages 1-2 nights a month...

Wish a person could store up sleep for when we are unable to get it naturally...wouldn't that be a blessing??? lol!

Subject: Re: Longest time without sleep? Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:29 pm

For me it was 50 hours, completely voluntary. I'd just got the internet and stayed up 50 hours straight. Slept for 9 was up another 30 then had to go to an all-day acting workshop. I vowed never again! lol

I did go through a stage where I found it extremely difficult to go to sleep because I was convinced I was going to die in my sleep. That went on for a few weeks and I think it was only sheer exhaustion that finally brought my sanity back on that issue.

Subject: Re: Longest time without sleep? Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:55 pm

Justme...

I remember a time when I could not sleep because I thought that I would not ever wake up...or die in my sleep...it scared the living hell out of me....I think that the exhaustion also made me finally realize that I wasn't gonna be able to prevent it....

I also loose track of time when I am on the internet..I will be posting right along and look up at the clock and I have lost 4-5 hours in what seemed like a few minutes.. lol!

Now-a-days, though, the strain on my eyes would never allow more than....awww...12-14 hours at a time without some rest...I start looking like the Visine commercials...LOL Laughing

Love and Hugs

Subject: Re: Longest time without sleep? Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:58 am

Dethas wrote:: What's the longest amount of time you've gone (voluntarily or otherwise) without sleep?

I think that the longest I have been without sleep was around 60 hours.

It was completely involuntary and caused primarily by fear and paranoia.

Anyone else care to share?

Deliberate sleep deprivation for shamanism - a round 48 hours.

But otherwise, because of flashbacks and hypervigilance, I've gone about 70. Which was the upper end of my endurance, and I became physically ill for some weeks after that (eventually developing a serious case of bronchial pneumonia).

I've also been tortured into staying awake for extended periods. I still feel that food and water deprivation are nothing compared to serious sleep deprivation.

But all of them suck.

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