Sleep: Why We Need It and What Happens Without It

What happens when you don't sleep? And why do we need to do it anyways? Hank explains the science of sleep: the cause, the benefits, and who holds the record for going without it!
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Thumbnail credit: Mark Sebastian
Sources for this episode:
healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/h...
healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/h...
faculty.washington.edu/chudler...
www.sleepfoundation.org/articl...
www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbod...
healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/i...
www.nhahealth.com/science.htm
blogs.discovermagazine.com/cru...
phys.org/news/2011-02-why-do-w...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic...
www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc97/5...
harvardmagazine.com/2005/07/de...
health.howstuffworks.com/menta...
www.scientificamerican.com/art...
www.indiana.edu/~p1013447/dict...
www.sciencenews.org/view/gener...
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/...
science.howstuffworks.com/life...
www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/episode...
ngm.nationalgeographic.com/201...
www.sleepfoundation.org/articl...
discovermagazine.com/2006/oct/...
harvardmagazine.com/2005/07/de...

[@zephyrfyr]

So basically, I shouldn't be watching this video at 3am right?

[@Deandrax]

Lmao same :'(

[@kibitz4618]

Same here

[@ThekoolestAWOL]

4am for me, lol

[@OmegaCraftable]

Yeah 3 am here too :P

[@angiedarst6820]

6 AM for me =_=

[@artypreventscamping1645]

"this is what makes you feel rested when you wake up".....bro when i wake up i feel like i just came back from the dead

[@lucien6375]

Derrick Ranshaw Same 😂😂

[@pravinrao3669]

Well you did come from dead. Sleep is just death being shy.

[@succ5666]

ArtyPreventsCamping that’s the side effect of sleep inertia. When you get less sleep, you tend to get more sleepy when you wake up in the morning.

[@jessicaevans7847]

That is more rested than staying dead

[@statueofliberty1132]

i don't wake up rested either

[@solum_mirari5925]

Once, after not sleeping for a night, after making cereal, I put the cereal in the fridge and the milk in the closet. As soon as I realized, I took them out.... Then I put them in the wrong spot... Again.

[@Lena-ld1qc]

Melissa Geckensmerf hahahahahahahaha!!! :D After more than 24h awake, I once went to get some fruits from the fridge, and instead I opened the fridge, put the knife inside and went back to work.Took me a while to even realize it lol! Your story beats it, though! Thanks for the laugh!

[@orbemsolis]

Melissa Geckensmerf its that thing with your hands switching thingy

[@NightHawkX321]

+Melissa Geckensmerf I made a mountain pie and realized I forgot the bread. It was only pepperoni, cheese and mushrooms in the pie iron, and ruined it.

[@iSugarHeart]

+Melissa Geckensmerf Yeh i dont even need 24 hours of not sleeping i just had shitty dream and tossed through night did get soem sleep though. But fallowing day i cut myself peice of cake and threw knife into trash bin xDDDDD and then it felt like i snapped out of autopilot and asked myself conciously "The fuck did you just do" took me few seconds to realize , picked it out of trashcan and threw into the sink...

[@miriamjimenez7579]

I know the solution for that smart words smart words puns spanish words hoped the helped

[@Yetaxa]

I'm sitting in my bed, very thirsty (and so probably dehydrated) at 3 am finding out all the ways I'm gonna die a slow and horrible death. This is great for my anxiety.

[@fattyjill5082]

+Yetaxa Youra jolly one now aren't you?

[@mr.tomredtomcat4324]

have fun with that

[@klaud1]

Did you try checking for spiders under your bed? That may help with the anxiety.

[@superjojo555]

wat anime is ur avatar

[@Rockzilla1122]

hey also remember youre slowly rewiring your brain to the tiny animal bead of it that says everything is going to kill you, instead of the big meaty hunk that says to try to rationalize things so have fun with that one

[@AnthonyTrifoglio]

BuzzFeed's video "What It's Like To Have Insomnia" at 1:31 says "Science has not proven the biological need for sleep." ...this is yet another reason I hate BuzzFeed

[@awcreamsoda7978]

Anthony Trifoglio YES! I fucking hate Buzzfeed. They upload nothing but ignorance. If you have time, comment "a Buzzfeed a day keeps the intelligence away". This pisses them off.

[@iSugarHeart]

+Madoka Kaname But its accurately true. Buzfeed is not created to inform your brain but to spark second worth curiosity and since we're lazy fucks decission doesnt take long to make " Dooo i wanna see this" "I will have to click " "That wont take long" And there goes your 2hours of quality time with computer wasted on shit. You learn nothing but your stupid brain is entertained staring at idiots.

[@pocok5000]

+Anthony Trifoglio Unfortunatelly it's always more profitable to tell people what they want to hear instead of the truth.

[@apenasmeucanal5984]

In short it's a network of clickbaits and that's why i hate it

[@marcusbritt483]

Really? Buzzfeed come on now man do a little more than that

[@combatboots3517]

I'd say, being sleep deprived is just as bad as being drunk.

[@Physical-Philosophy]

Way worse, the visual hallucinations and psychotic ideas are not part of a typical night at the bar. Well... Actually where and how do you drink my friend? 😂

[@combatboots3517]

Tjebbe Ibsen I don't drink at all when I'm living at home but I do when I'm living on campus. Lol I'd be drunk over being sleep deprived anyday. I've been both regularly and at least youre having fun and laughing when youre drunk af. But when you're sleep deprived everything is just awful.

[@gosick442]

Tjebbe Ibsen Lack of sleep has similar symptoms of having a hangover, excluding the hallucinations and psychotic ideas part, like headaches or migraines, dehydration, loss of energy, being sensitive to light and sound and feeling foggy. I would list more things but due to having lack of sleep I can't think straight XDD

[@w33dnose]

Try both

[@rey_nemaattori]

Worse, because when drunk, 90% of the time it's hilarious even the simplest tasks are impossible or hard to do. When sleep deprived however, nothing is fun and you're generally not aware of how bad your condition is...

[@dxburner222]

Whenever I stay up past 24hr, I get really paranoid. I always think I see something out the corner of my eye.

[@alexdariar1950]

***** I thought i heard The Grudge O-O

[@Zyborgg]

dxburner222 same here. I can also relate to the thing he mentioned about speech. It gets really hard to convey thoughts. It also feels weird and "scary" to try to sleep when you've been awake for 24h+

[@dxburner222]

Ole Aron Aarseth idk what it is. I see something moving... Like a dark blur

[@TheEliteDodo]

dxburner222 lol me too... im 26 hrs with no sleep now :)

[@danteat8]

Yeah same thing for me I saw a white dot and when i look at it disappears it's scary as fuck and i got annoyed by it

[@AdobadoFantastico]

I stayed awake for about 5 days once. It was surreal. Brain became increasingly dysfunctional and there were times while I was working that I wasn't really sure if I was conscious or not. But I was submitting work about every two hours during the five days, so apparently I was conscious. After the first full day I took a break from working to work out(not sure why I didn't opt to sleep, that was incredibly stupid), but I couldn't muster the energy on subsequent days. I definitely lapsed involuntarily on several occasions during days 3 and 4 for brief periods of time(5 or 6 minutes at the most). It took about three days to get back to sleeping a normal amount(slept about 14 hours, then 12 hours, then 10). Which is apparently about how long it took Gardner. But it took another day or two to not feel emotionally and psychologically drained. I wouldn't recommend it.

[@AdobadoFantastico]

***** Yikes. How did that feel?

[@dextermorgan1785]

I usually sleep 4-5 hours and i feel perfectly fine. I can function properly without feeling dysfunctional. I feel rested when i wake up. What bothers me is the myth/fact that you have to get atleast 8 hrs which in my case appears to be false. Dunno if i should consult a doctor

[@AdobadoFantastico]

Dexter Morgan I had a period of time where I slept around 6 hours on a regular basis and felt fine. Spoke to a doctor and he said that sleep need can vary a lot and people in their advanced age(60+) often only sleep 5 hours. If it takes you less than 20 minutes to fall asleep, I'm told that's a strong indicated you're not sleeping enough. But if you aren't passing out immediately and feel fine, I'm told it's nothing to worry about. Your homicidal tendencies, on the other hand, are definitely something to seek help on. However, I don't know if much advance has been made on treatment. So you can probably expect life in an institution of some sort.

[@dextermorgan1785]

***** Maybe anxiety, stress ort depression

[@AdobadoFantastico]

***** yeah, that definitely sounds like a stress response. Seek a counsellor or psychiatric professional. If the first one doesn't help, don't be discouraged. There are bad ones and there are some whos approach just won't work for you. It's definitely important to have someone to talk to and feel comfortable being open with, especially someone who can give *good" advice. At your age, lack of sleep is highly atypical. Teenagers are typically expected to sleep *more* than the standard 8 hours because of growth and such.

[@anzwertree]

Have you ever been so tired you could not sleep? Strange feeling. Anyway, here I am once again past 1AM in the morning watching a video outlining the importance of sleep. Go home, irony. You are drunk. Or possibly sleep deprived. Now that I think about it, somebody should get the keys from irony. He should not be driving right now.

[@OccasionalHaHa]

computer = light

[@LadyLahdeedah]

My boyfriend is a bit of an insomniac. He found a program on the internet called Flux. It's a program that changes the colours displayed by your monitor when the sun goes down. He has told me it has helped him sleep better and go to bed at a better time. As, yes, the bright monitor will keep you awake a lot longer than you would have otherwise. Give it a try maybe?

[@anzwertree]

Thanks for the comments and feedback. I've had insomnia ever since I was a kid. Compound that with my deeply introverted overly analytical disposition, along with Tourette syndrome and severe OCD. Any hope in augmenting my sleeping prowess is probably an unrealistic expectation. The doctor gave me some drugs that works great for inducing a mild coma. Unfortunately, they also leave a dulling side effect on my ability to over analyze things. That seems to last for days afterwards. To most people that might be a good sacrifice. But I actually make a living from that ability. In this case, sacrificing my psychosis through prescription drugs isn't an option. Admittedly though, there is one drug that helps my Tourette's. It even helps my insomnia, and it doesn't adversely affect my creativity. But perhaps that is best kept to myself. In any case, I will look into the application. It's not like they are mutually exclusive. Probably be extra trippy and cool, now that I think about it.

[@norahalajmi8543]

it's 1:51AM here so yeah ... i think i should sleep like NOW ! (or maybe not)

[@honeyboyyoongi2515]

It's 4:30 am where I live right now, and I should probably sleep xP

[@ReoHimZ]

Im watching this to go to sleep.

[@derekgoodejr8788]

Me too

[@Youmu_Konpaku_]

Me three

[@Azrage]

FunWithReo Funny, I'm doing this for the completely opposite reason. Now that I've finished, I shall sleep.

[@director00donut39]

Was about to say, I fell asleep to this XD

[@Just_Moon2004]

Me four

[@carlosbaldellou]

Nothing like watching this after a restless night.

[@diro1610]

haha...

[@freakyfreak7777]

It's 1am and I have to get up at 8... Time to watch another video.

[@OriginalSuper]

Yep................I am tired.....

[@javascriptsophie4958]

lol

[@Mathkinz]

carlosbaldellou me rn

[@jrock1592]

Try having insomnia, I once stayed up for 5 days and by the end of it I was convinced I was part of the MKUltra experiments and that I was the one who killed JFK

[@TinRapper]

5 days? woa 0.o

[@jrock1592]

You have no idea what your talking about. I went 5 days without getting a wink of sleep. I've gone without sleep countless times for 2 or 3 days and I've never experienced "micro sleep". By the way the official world record is 264.4 hours, that's 11 days. There's no way he would have gotten the record if he took micro naps that you've mentioned.

[@niclouds5292]

+J Rock I am similar, but i don't get paranoid.

[@TheGorillamilitia]

+J Rock do you know what a micro sleep is? its essentially a skip in your brain function, half the time people are not even aware it ever happened. 5 days without sleep? without a doubt its doable, but micro sleeps would have hit you whether you like it or not.

[@TheGorillamilitia]

+J Rock as to your point, they allow for micro sleeps because, as the name suggest, they last for a very short time, and they are a biological response that cant be ignored.

[@davidgoldenrose]

Wait - you feel *rested* after you've slept? I've been doing something wrong 😂

[@Aeturnalis]

Turn your phone off. Even if it doesn't wake you up, the noise disturbs your sleep. I haven't had my phone on while I'm sleeping since 2006 and I almost always get good, restful sleep, and that's despite having a lot of caffeine throughout the day. Seriously, whatever they're calling you for can wait a few hours. Poor sleep leads to an early death.

[@MareaRayneOleander]

It would be really interesting if they did a memory study comparing those who prefer to be awake at night and those who prefer to be awake during the day.

[@Polaris_was_in_Denial]

*[manages to fall asleep during video]* *God damit*

[@autumns9766]

watching this at 2 am. anyone else?

[@SciAntGaming]

5:30 AM.

[@shanecoyle3676]

4:30AM for me

[@mast3r_waf1z]

22.30 here

[@22MrBigdog]

im going to sleep now

[@Mistecho]

2:40

[@oxy6233]

I haven't woken up and felt "well rested" in years, I wake up feeling worse than when I went to bed. anyone else like this? I only fully wake up at about 6PM

[@bensonmutuvi8429]

See a doctor.

[@Bazilisk_AU]

Sounds a lot like the symptoms of glandular fever or chronic fatigue syndrome.

[@jarmo_kiiski]

Well, I fully wake up at 6AM ...

[@stef6952]

Do you go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day? If you don't have a normal sleep schedule that could be why

[@DozerD11jr]

Few days ago I didnt go to bed until 4:45ish and woke up at 6:40 and it's been the best I felt during the day in a while. Very strange

[@pollacksify]

I'm a recovering heroin addict and when i finally quit cold turkey i didn't sleep for 20 days straight. I think the only thing that helped me was resting pretty much the entire time. I would lay down to go to sleep, but my mind/body wouldn't let it happen (and RLS). BUT, i was still laying their barely thinking just lost in thought for the entire night. Granted i was a tragic mess it never felt like my body was about to turn off. Albeit it was the worst experience of my life and wouldn't wish it on anyone, I got through it and finally slept a few hours on the 21st day of sobriety.

[@gamechangerbro777]

I wish you well in your recovery

[@legostarwarsrulez]

I'm not sure that is survivable. If it's true you should find a way to prove it so you could claim the world record.

[@MuzikBike]

In order to break a world record, you must first break the law.

[@pollacksify]

shut your face! I have no interest in breaking the record. I thought about going to the hospital every day during withdrawal, but i never did go. Was not in a position to have a medical bill, my addiction had already put me in debt. Call it stubborn but at that point i would rather have died to be honest. My mindset was as low as someone can get.

[@tinybullfrog1955]

Congrats on quitting! And good health wishes to you in the future :)

[@DanielRenardAnimation]

Makes me think about the 18 year-old Taiwanese guy, who sat and played Diablo III for 40 hours straight... got up, and died on the spot. The urge to be *ahead* of all his fellow mmorpg players ended up putting him... well, dead *last* (or make that 'dead first'?)

[@victoriadeandrade7770]

im 50 hours no sleep now im alive edit: slept for two days straight worth it

[@David-ud9ju]

40 hours isn't really that long not to sleep for. The guy must have had some sort of congenital heart problem that probably would have killed him sooner or later anyway no matter how much sleep he got.

[@dan240393]

David, I believe it was DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) from being sat still, in the same position, for pretty much the whole time. If he'd gotten up and shaken his legs out every few hours he'd probably have been fine.

[@samrowe2889]

I know when. Skyrim first camn out I played for several days without sleeping but i ate and got up and stood for a while too

[@phaserisclasic8825]

I’ve done that survived but had an arrhythmia and seizures short answer I got lots of sleep in the hospital

[@winstontoskavich9047]

Girl: Do you want to go out with me? You: Wait hold on. *1 hour of sleep* You: Sure!

[@VienerSchnitzel69]

Change girl to guy and make Sure! to No!

[@jalieyahwilliams3941]

me etheir

[@samanthacollins5610]

+Nathan Patrick Basically this decision is "so important" that he needs to sleep on it. However, 1 hour is a terrible idea. A full sleep cycle is 90 minutes, and it takes about 25 minutes to go into stage 2, which is when you get the best sleep. So 90 or 25 minutes would by a better idea.

[@MinecraftEpicPlayer]

+Winston Smith More like 1 hour of being awake, since the only time a girl would ask you out is if you're dreaming

[@winstontoskavich9047]

True, true. :D

[@Bat0541]

....I'm going to bed.

[@HiAdrian]

This was a really good summary, not too dumbed down. Thanks!

[@Nemoticon]

Sleep, why do we need it? Because inflicting my self upon the world for more than 12hrs at a time would just be unfair to all and everything! A necessary evil easily avoided.

[@MyDiamond99]

Firebrand 😂😂😂

[@Wubstep13]

Me watching this @ 3 AM knowing i have to get up for work at 6 AM ....

[@shawnsterress]

+Grizzly lol i watch this guy all the time and my teacher for my collage gave us this video to watch to discuss tomorrow. Im pretty fuckin stoked honestly.

[@nitesh903]

+Shawn Shanks ME WATCHING 1:36 AM LOL

[@felipeoyarzun5424]

n00bs, I'm watching this at 7am I haven't sleep a little, so unhealthy

[@mr.tomredtomcat4324]

Felipe Oyarzún have fun

[@Nuke_Skywalker]

+Felipe Oyarzún "n00b", a bunch of amphetamines kept me up for 4 days.

[@SuperParkour3]

I should be sleeping now but this video seemed interesting.

[@markvmammoth]

I think I remember that the Guinness Book of World Records noted that there was an elderly man in New Jersey that was studied in a sleep clinic who didn't sleep for 6 months. Some types of birds that have to migrate long distances over vast deserts have also been noted not to appear to sleep but apparently they engage in uni-hemispheric sleep (one side of their brain sleeps while the other is awake). Interesting topic.

[@RyanStorey1231]

So, you're supposed to feel rejuvenated and well-rested when you wake up, but I feel even more weary and tired than when I initially fell asleep the night before. What is the cause of this? Is this a symptom of oversleeping? Because admittedly, if I could get away with sleeping a full 24 hours and then some, I totally would.

[@FutureChaosTV]

+RyanX1231 Too long is as bad, if not worse as too short. At least in my experience. 2-4hrs of sleep: I am fit until later afternoon when I really start feeling weared out. 4-6hrs of sleep: sleepy and tired.

[@stuvs830]

Have you ever been tested for sleep apnea? It can have those symptoms. Hope you're able to see your doc to find out what's troubling you.

[@lucien6375]

RyanX1231 It happen's to me too.

[@___LC___]

If you haven't found a solution, yet, look into how much of each sleep stage you spend per night. For example, I have no REM and little stage 3 or the recuperative stage of sleep. I wake up more fatigued and I find that substances, like caffeine, only drain the limited energy more quickly.

[@theincarnationofboredom207]

I usually am tired when i first get up, but then get over it in a few minutes of standing up.

[@shahrazade26]

Never underestimate the power of good sleep habits. For many years I had a backward sleep cycle. I could only sleep during the day and then stayed up all night. It was really hard to get out of it. I thought I had a sleep disorder. I usually slept enough hours overall but it was never in a single batch. It was more like three hours here and three hours there. Anyhow, the interesting part is that three months ago I got a day job and I was forced to sleep at night for seven straight hours. It took a full month for my body to learn to sleep all night. And this was accompanied by amazing psychological changes. I went from being depressed to super happy. The mood change has no other explanation than the change in sleep schedule. Now I'm afraid of going back to my old ways and the only way to accomplish this is keep the day job until I die.

[@georgenelson9211]

Im with ya Hank! Im a fellow Night Hawk!! Mornings are for the birds!!!

[@taylorhansen2872]

+George Nelson Uhh... Not to be that guy but... uhhh... Hawks are birds...

[@georgenelson9211]

Night Owl then.

[@user-ng6xy6bq9v]

+George Nelson lmaoooo are you serious niggaaaaa owls are birds

[@Te_Elaine]

+George Nelson OMG!!! LMAOOOOO!!!

[@mostafajawad8249]

+George Nelson I think you need some sleep friend.

[@AbdulazizUgas]

I'm so greatful that my search engine actually is aware of me this much to suggest stuff like this that I have now broken down and am crying. tears of gratitude.

[@boogernights1]

I'm watching this at 1:30 in the morning. Rock on.

[@tarajoy5905]

JD Miller 6:30Am, without sleep

[@jatz1689]

6:42 am

[@crispii1606]

Tara Joy 5:39 am

[@EbrahimRoss123]

Exact same time how ironic

[@dtrizzle67]

+xxxPimpyxxx lol

[@mokin-rui717]

This series has been so incredibly helpful to my family. We all wish to thank you for all the hard work you do.

[@codpyry]

What happens without sleep you ask? A KZbin video watching marathon, that's what happens

[@juliahcornell]

Hank, you say it's bad to stay up all night, but you and John make so much awesome video that I just HAVE to stay up all night watching them.

[@glorvalmacglorvas171]

Sleeping for the brain to reorganize? So your basically saying that it writes all to ram during the day and then transfers to the hard drive at night? Or mebbe it just defrags the hard drive at night?

[@glorvalmacglorvas171]

Whoops, watched 10 seconds more and you said defrag XD

[@yakarotsennin3115]

Yes

[@FloozieOne]

I think defrags is probably more like it. The data is there but its all mixed up and needs to be weeded and organized. I expect the ram writes to the hard drive almost right away.

[@mikedench1110]

I get a lot of information and enjoyment from these short videos but Hank is the man whose presentations I enjoy the most because of his energetic delivery. I would have really enjoyed him as a student when I taught CDT he'd have kept me on my toes!

[@lob19]

You speak so quickly you should consider rap career :D

[@mycorrvptmind919]

So I wasn't the only one comparing him and Tech N9ne? Good...

[@erics5059]

Actually, you just talk really slow

[@nooneissmiling877]

Does he really talk that fast cuz I personally dont think soo

[@det.halligan]

I think he talks fast but not uncomfortably so; I talk at approximately the same speed assuming I have my thoughts in line (usually I think faster than I can write, act, or talk which can make me stumble, making me look stupid).

[@CrazyDW00]

Well that cancels my ideas for watching every episode of Doctor Who from start to finish which would take around about 15 days.

[@alexblack4048]

OMG thank you!! Now i know im not the only one XD

[@CrazyDW00]

Hehe. I also thought I was the oly one.

[@alexblack4048]

:)

[@halomanofdoom]

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be watching Doctor Who anymore by then

[@CrazyDW00]

Casey O'Neil Actually I have watched every episode at least twice. That shows how much of a fan I am. I'm pretty sure that watching them all again for a third time in a shorter period of time wouldn't stop me from watching them again.

[@FreeMan4096]

what a fantastic channel. thanks for this quality content.

[@justinnorwood5477]

This video did a great job explaining sleep from a different perspective. There are a lot of aspects involved with sleeping than I would have ever assumed. Just one night of no sleep can throw your mind into goo the next day. I am currently working 40+ hours a week while being a full time student, so I don't get much sleep at all. I'm, exhausted from working all the time so by the time I study it's already late. On average I sleep probably 4-5 hours a night and don't feel stress, hallucinations, etc. It makes me wonder what day all of this stuff is going to add up. I know its not healthy to get less than 5 hours of sleep, but so far it hasn't affected my body in a negative way. Hopefully it stays like this!

[@GregTom2]

Wait you're saying I'll die if I go two weeks without sleeping? Oh. I need to rethink that time management for my exam week...

[@jnobile22]

Now i have so many "reasons" to sleep all day

[@abbaday0237]

Thanks for all the info! I'm on a paper about sleep and your sources are rich and interesting. Keep on the good work!

[@rush2246]

I actually tried beating that record when I was 15, lasted 9 days without sleep and it's very accurate as to what he said. I experienced hallucinations and I kept thinking people were talking when they in fact weren't. Couldn't focus well and very blurry vision, I was told I kept swaying my body side to side when I thought I was sitting still.

[@nischalcuber4149]

Tell me more about it , bro!

[@rugbyplayer9100]

One time I was driving home from a night out (probably 22 hours without sleep) it was 4 am and as I’m driving down my street, I swore I saw little kids playing on the sidewalk.

[@starless4146]

11 Days with out Sleep? Good Grief..I ..can't..even..imagine...that. OMG...

[@derekgoodejr8788]

Right 11 days!!! The longest i went was 3 days.

[@starless4146]

Derek Goode Really? What was That like? How did you feel?

[@quiayratreadwell6313]

Kenny Lee I'll try it and see if I die OK 😆

[@starless4146]

I can have all your stuff in case you don't make it, right? :-D

[@pranamd1]

I've gone 3 days without sleep, due to a change in medication. I don't remember much about it beyond anxiety, specifically about not being able to sleep.

[@judithdowsett9509]

We where very happy to see this video, my 7yr old son Tristan was telling me how his brain worked then we watched you and you said the same thing , he was amazed hat his guess was right . thank you for sharing your knowledge in a way kids can relate x

[@andwilsaw]

I really needed this. I have had problems sleeping and this just made it a little easier

[@PromethorYT]

havent slept all night, i really should get some rest now...

[@ThePCguy17]

um...teens may need more, but they probably get less. just because they have to get up for school. So hey school! Stop being so early!

[@chriscory2049]

No, I think it's because teens go to bed late. I mean, school is early, but teens could chose to go to bed at 10 or 11 instead of 1:30 am, but (at least for me) night time is the best time for alone time, so the instinct to stay up late to watch shows or read books is really hard to ignore.

[@_0______00__________0_______0]

I think I've heard about studies done before where high schoolers grades go up about 10-15 percent across the board when they start school an hour later than usual. A lot of schools are starting later to get grades up, I know my own high school has kids going closer to 9 now rather than 8 when I was there. I usually spent first period sleeping anyway, so I'd say it's a smart move.

[@ThePCguy17]

Raylyn Smith this is exactly what I mean. I know I could go to bed early...but why should I give up the free time lateness offers?

[@chriscory2049]

ThePCguy17 Eeeexactly!

[@chriscory2049]

Ohhh, are some schools starting later? YAY!

[@annjean4369]

Excellent video! Thanks for sharing.

[@HalimahNiaM]

Excellent video. Thank you!

[@danielbekkelund2760]

If i sleep 7, 8 hours, no way ill stand up on the next day, sleep 2, 4 hours, best feeling ever!!!

[@manwithtwowives]

interesting. i have insomnia... longest i have gone without sleep is 4 days and 3 nights... horrible feeling. i started to hallucinate (i was at work at the time too). it was horrifying. i didnt know it caused immune system issues.. that might actually explain a lot.

[@manwithtwowives]

***** depends on the situation... once when i was at work, i saw a person (even started to talk to them for a second). once when i was on the way home from work (as a passenger in a car) i saw a bull in a field. scary stuff, really, when you're not expecting it.

[@MostlikeToast]

KandaPanda Maybe you should ask take a taxi home

[@manwithtwowives]

MostlikeToast i wasnt driving and dont when im sleepy

[@killa432546]

I know how you feel. I also suffer from insomnia and have gone a week without sleep on two different occasions, three to four days without maybe once or twice a year, and two days without on a weekly basis. Strangely my hallucinations are relatively tame, I see spots, hear birds, and sometimes begin talking animatedly to myself.

[@Damnationization]

KandaPanda Do you exercise? I go to the gym and lift weights. I sleep great and have never had an issue with sleep. If I don't get enough sleep I do get a head ache and am a dick.

[@neilkadu]

you may do speak very fast...... but i can understand each and every word of your video without any subtitle help...... that's a huge compliment to you bro...... good job.... all the best..... i like you.

[@s3r3nity17]

this is the best show i ever discovered. makes me remember how much i am a curious minded kid again. thanks!!

[@supernenechi]

NO!?!?! WHY WOULD IT BE THAT TEENAGERS DON'T GET ENOUGH SLEEP!?!?!? FOR FUCK SAKE... SCHOOL!! OMG... THAT F*CKING SCHOOL AGAIN... I HATE IT SOMETIMES!! CAN'T IT JUST START 2 HOURS LATER!?!?!?

[@ThallanarRabidtooth]

+Quenten Schoonderwoerd It's to prepare you for working as an adult. My mom wakes up at 3:30 AM and goes to work at 5 AM, and comes home at 4 PM. She has to take a nap for a few hours after she comes home from work to have enough energy to be awake until she gets tired again by about 10 PM. Waking up at 6 AM and coming home at around 2 PM is a good deal compared to what my mom does.

[@EbrahimRoss123]

I blame KZbin

[@EbrahimRoss123]

And I blame my dumbass for watching KZbin

[@DontRobMe13]

+Quenten Schoonderwoerd dude you hit the caps lock button

[@Ranger1812]

+Thallanar Rabidtooth No. It really isn't. The education is severely messed up. It doesn't prepare for adulthood. What a ridiculous comment.

[@Matoaka01]

So is this the reason i come up with my best ideas at 3am when i cant sleep? The defragging part i mean.

[@24pickles24]

It takes about 5-6 of these videos to get me sleepy, not that they're boring, I just find them soothing

[@leonard1871]

I acquired a lot form this , and the important lesson i learned from this the most was to slow the heck down when addressing people socially.

[@MrBolyo1]

Thumbs up if you're watching this 24 hours in without sleep.

[@themasterofswag1971]

+Nightcore DirtyJokerz & DgHGerman I used to be able to go that long without sleep... When I was younger

[@MizukiAkemi]

Over 48 hours

[@aw3961]

+Nightcore DirtyJokerz & DgHGerman 27 hours

[@nicalex2279]

+Nightcore DirtyJokerz & DgHGerman Please don't be proud of that...

[@MizukiAkemi]

Manos Nah I'm good love ya too

[@ApolloBeatz1]

Strange that I'm watching this. It's 6:33 AM where I'm at and I didn't even sleep yet. Lol

[@johanngrant]

very helpful great job to the people at scishow!

[@jojoh265]

Fell asleep watching this 2 weeks ago. I saw it again and had to comment it. This video is 2 years old.

[@MrNutter]

Did anyone else feel tired after watching this?

[@West_Kagle]

So sleeping is like de-fragging the hard drive inside our skulls?

[@West_Kagle]

Well, I did it again. I decided to comment on a video before I finished watching it, and found that the host says the exact same thing I just commented. I will never learn. :P

[@alterperversersackkk]

West Kagle BLUT UND EISEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@West_Kagle]

alterperversersackkk Is that you Chancellor Bismarck?

[@alterperversersackkk]

West Kagle JAWOHL!!!!!!

[@West_Kagle]

alterperversersackkk LOL ;P

[@freyaguppy]

I'm doing a one page paper on this topic for school, great vid hank!

[@AndiTheValkyrie]

My longest going without sleep was 72 hours (lan party, need I say more) but I once went with an average of 2-4 hrs of sleep for almost two month (some swollen thing next to my ear hurt so bad I couldn't sleep) and I had so much fun because it was amazing observing how my own behaviour and perception of the world around me changed quite radically.

[@KabukeeJo]

I remember a documentary about a man named Michael Corke, who could not sleep after developing a severe case of Insomnia at age 40. He eventually went into a Coma, & died 6 months later at a Hospital. So yes Science Fans. Not sleeping can indeed kill you.

[@KabukeeJo]

Aisha AlZarouni thanks!

[@gavers101]

That giraffe looked so fucking tired

[@johnharris7353]

Really good...Hank's awesome.

[@griffincampbell6197]

I...I just can't stop watching these videos.

[@CuriousCreatures]

I'd be interested to learn about the causes of insomnia - why sometimes you can't sleep even though you *want* to sleep and feel really exhausted. I go through phases sometimes lasting up to a week where despite being so very, very tired, my brain refuses to 'switch off'', and usually I only manage to drop off an hour or two before I have to get up again.

[@Haise-san]

If you can't shut it off, then put that brain on ambien, it helps a lot. Btw nice channel

[@7249xxl]

I sleep only 4 hours a day. I dont feel sleepy during the day or at night. The longer i sleep the more exaushted i feel the next day. Whats wrong with me xD

[@LittleCazzy]

I have a similar problem only I always feel very sleepy during the day but when I is dark I feel very awake

[@NYbeastx]

I believe another KZbinr answered that type of question. Sleep is basically a cycle and if you are forced awake amidst the "Deep" sleep stage, you will feel much more tired.

[@atyfanable]

CazzyLove Vampire -.-

[@arazmate]

You need to go camping for a week with no technology so the sun can reset your natural body clock!

[@rmyd027]

Oversleep definitely can cause you to feel tired, this is why its not suggested to sleep more than the recommended 8 hours... but obviously there is some area of leeway that you can do (+/- an hour id say). But from what ive understood the most important part of sleeping is REM sleep which is also referred to as "Deep sleep." This is when the aforementioned neurons are being strengthened and/or weakened depending on importance (Mentioned in video). Couldn't say why sleeping more than 8 hours could cause drowsiness but it certainly does, I just have never gone out of my way to look it up as it seems like a universal problem for people who have extended sleep (myself included).

[@FloozieOne]

I've always been a night owl, although watching these videos at 5 am is a bit of a stretch, and this is why I've always worked evenings or nights. However, there are times when you simply HAVE to get up early in the morning (say 10 am) and try to stumble through the morning. So many times I have forgotten the water or the coffee or to turn on the coffee machine that I now say "I can't do anything before I have coffee, not even make coffee". I seem to get by on 5 hours or so for one night and still make it through a day, but that evening I will often wake up face-planted on my desk while sitting at my computer. The body wins, free will loses.

[@RandomfitsofPanic777]

That explains a lot. While I was working nights I got about two to three hours of sleep per day, staying awake the entire day, working 11:45 pm to 4:45 am sleeping until seven and then doing it all again. I felt awful and was actually starting to have more physical and mental issues than usual. Now that I'm actually resting again almost all of it has cleared up. The more you know.

[@cyriewilson3170]

Ironically the last video before I go to bed.

[@HQ_Default]

0:34 (passes out)

[@tantroe-biff696]

Amazing video. How do you know so much about sleep? My hat gets off for you good Sir

[@linrm7]

I thoroughly enjoyed this

[@YouSuck921]

Is this Hank from Crash Course?

[@duwak3359]

yes

[@samseidel9917]

+YouSuck921 and from vlog brothers

[@stxnw]

I actually thought they were two different people that look similar xD

[@dylanhernandez2103]

They are brothers.

[@LTdrumma]

yeah, Hank and John Green are the vlog brothers and they produce many youtube channels (CC, scishow, etc.)

[@redzeroo6068]

This was interesting... I am now going to sleep

[@olaf9062]

interesting. thanks found your channel reccently, good stuff.

[@dara2m4]

I love the way Hank talks :)

[@ookaookaooka]

Dangit, I'm trying to study!

[@mikkicarr5717]

I know that feel. Science videos on KZbin are way too interesting. I really need to do my history project.

[@TAPriceCTR]

are you some kind of masochist? my record is 80 hours and I intend to never do that again (but I would do it for 5 grand)

[@OilSpill10]

I don't know about you all but his fast talking wore me out. I need a nap.

[@fakechanel666]

Great vid!

[@matthewreynolds8068]

Scishow was one of the determining factors in me becoming a science oriented person and I just can't show enough appreciation

[@matthewreynolds8068]

I love the intro so much, and Hanks mannerisms never disappointed. Especially the most dangerous chemicals on earth vid ✊😂

[@david199508]

That explains why I suddenly felt scared one night when I was taking a walk after being up for about 35-40 hours. I knew something was wrong but I felt like something was after me.

[@ThallanarRabidtooth]

Lol yeah... I went 28 hours without sleep just last night and I thought for a brief moment that the empty soda cans next to me were out to attack me.

[@theimprobableone8635]

We sleep to forget how pointless life is.

[@ginopark16]

theimprobableone you made my day

[@JaneDoe-ti9fr]

👍

[@combatjm89]

Being in the Army we had periods of severe sleep deprivation. I remember hallucinating at night, wired on instant coffee packets, seeing all kinds of stuff in the woods/jungle. Then humping a ruck for miles and stopping for a map check and closing my eyes for 10-15 minutes - best rest I've ever had. Only now I realize the effect that kind of thing has on the body over the years.

[@ntembenkausu]

Great show

[@spineshivers]

I wonder how much did that kid sleep after those 11 days. I remember that I couldn't sleep for about two days (48 hrs) cause of my job and when I finally got home I was actually drowsy an sick to my stomach. Turned off my phone and slept for about 15 hours. Fell asleep at about 9 PM and woke at about 12 or 1 PM the next day. I think I remember getting up to pee, but to this day I don;t remember if I was dreaming or it really happened.

[@memencream4315]

I'm not sure if this is true but my parents told me that I went to the pee in the bathtub with my eyes open and I know I was not awake ps I sleep with my eyes open sometimes

[@KierstynElyse]

hanks intelligence attracts me

[@StopTheImpossible]

Now i feel bad for him...

[@alexshaban8543]

Beholden Honda Hahaha!

[@StopTheImpossible]

***** You, you my friend get humor.

[@StopTheImpossible]

***** You have an elegant way with words. Today's modern technology has corrupted most of the humans intelligence. Nice to see 'one of us'.

[@StopTheImpossible]

***** The repetition of multiple words somewhat boggles my mind.

[@ftwftw4304]

the best channel for me

[@charlypetra191]

How about a segment on the different types and effects of Fasting... I have read that when you go without eating, it is perhaps when healing enzymes are released and other benifits. TY

[@cbremer83]

longest I have been up was 40 hours. I was working the ND oil patch at the time. 36 of those hours was working. sad thing is those kinds of work days are not uncommon out there. Normal was 16 hours. Sometimes more. And once in a while jobs take way longer then expected and you are out on those 24-36 hour days. Pipe recovery you are out for days some times. but you can get naps in here and there.

[@jhonjohnjonjondoe5011]

mine was about 40 hours playing poker since that is what I do for a living. that was the last time I will ever do that again as I never felt the same again.

[@cbremer83]

My sleep is all messed up. If I sleep more then 5 hours I feel like crap. But then every once in a while I need a 8-10 hour night. Then I am good for weeks again. Oil field work Jacks you up. At least the type of work I was doing.

[@jacklawrence7331]

It's currently 4am so I clearly don't understand this concept of sleep.

[@mymyrrah]

I sure love watching sci videos at 12:00pm :)

[@HalcyonSerenade]

I was in kind of a rough time when I got, on average, two hours of sleep during the weekday, persisting for several months. With that much sleep deprivation built up, I couldn't have stayed awake for 11 days even if my life depended on it. I essentially became narcoleptic, blacking out at random times during all but the most engaging of activities. I would constantly jolt awake without ever remembering being in a head-down position. Web surfing, reading, drawing, homework, exams, meals, playing drums, and even a couple of times while *walking*. Lemme tell ya, it's a bizarre feeling not only to wake from a nap you didn't realize you took, but to do so while still walking forward and not remembering the last ten steps. I probably caused some pretty bad neurotransmitter imbalances, too. Unmotivated, unenergetic, unhappy, and unable to be satisfied even by sleep. It's like that feeling of skipping a meal then eating too quickly in the next one; you're stomach is pretty full so you can't eat any more without barfing, but you're still hungry because nothing has actually digested yet. Get your sleep, kids. If nothing else, do it regularly. I not only got too little sleep, but at inconsistent and non-consecutive times as well. Even getting a full 8 hours won't keep you healthy if it's at drastically unstable times, and especially if it's all split up. Four two-hour naps does not add up to 8 hours of sleep, at least by your body's measure.