MODULE 9

STUDENT: Wendy Barrazueta Serrano

What would happen if you didn’t sleep?

When we don’t get enough sleep it cause a number of negative health outcomes. For
example:
1. Emotionally: not getting enough sleep has been shown to be a risk factor for
depression.
2. Intellectually: when we’re deprived of sleep it makes us harder for us to focus and it
can be a risk factor for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or exacerbate the
problem in someone who has this disorder
3. Physically: if we’re not getting enough sleep it can result in insulin resistance which
is a risk factor for diabetes, also it will raise our blood pressure, when we sleep our
blood pressure dips so if we’re not sleeping as much it’s could create extra pressure
on our cardiovascular system which over time can lead to hypertrophic remodeling
and reset the entire cardiovascular system to work at a higher level in hypertension.
It’s also been shown to increase levels of cholesterol.
In chronological order:
24 hours of no sleep is particularly bad, with effects ranging from mild symptoms to severe
ones. For example:
An overall cognitive impairment, increase blood pressure, increased thyroid-stimulating
hormone (TSH), increased cytokines which cause inflammation and a suppressed immune
system.
At 36 hours without sleep. You’ll see a lack of long-term memory.
At 48 hours without sleep, you’ll start to experience microsleeps, lasts only a few seconds
in which the brain seems to “disconnect”, also decreased insulin and several forms of ataxia
such as slurred speech.
At 72 hours without sleep, you’ll have observed hallucinations, a lack of memory, light
sensitivity, and increased intensity of previous symptoms, such as emotional moddines.
After three days without sleep, most people’s need to sleep will outweigh their need to eat.
At 100 hours without sleep, you’ll lack of ability to concentrate on anything for more than a
few minutes, also unpleasant hallucinations, paranoia, and even doubts about their own
realities.
Randy Gardner, the official Guinness record-holder for going without sleep, stayed awake
for 264 hours, or 11 days and 25 minutes.
Based on limited research, it seems that the willpower to be without sleep dissolves after
about 11 days. However, people forced to live without sleep may survive between three and
six months. Michael Corke is one of the most famous cases of Fatal Familial Insomnia,
which stems from an extremely rare genetic mutation. He died in 1993 after going without
sleep for six months.
How much sleep do you really need?
Amount of sleep needed depends on age and genetic makeup.
Adults should get seven to eight hours of sleep per night, kids, teenagers and young adults
need more sleep than older, they should get eight or more hours in average.
It’s very important maintain good sleep hygiene, habits and practices to sleeping well
regularly.