In 1963, two high school friends, Randy Gardner and Bruce McAllister, embarked on a school science project focused on sleep, unaware of the profound and enduring impact their investigation would have.
After deliberation, the duo resolved to attempt breaking the world record for sleeplessness.
A disc jockey based in Honolulu set a record by staying awake for an astounding 260 hours, aiming to study the impact of sleep deprivation on the human brain.
“We were, you know, young and foolish,” McAllister remembered, reflecting on the endeavor.
Initially, the goal was to investigate how the absence of sleep affected paranormal abilities.
We recognized the impossibility of that task, leading us to settle on exploring the impact of sleep deprivation on cognitive abilities and basketball performance—essentially, anything within that realm that we could brainstorm.
After flipping a coin, it was decided that Gardener would bear the challenge of staying awake for as long as physically possible.
McAllister clarified that he remained awake to monitor his friend, and after ‘three sleepless nights,’ he awoke to find himself ‘scribbling notes on the wall’.
Realizing the difficulty of their endeavor, the duo sought the assistance of sleep researcher William Dement from Stanford University.
Recalling the experiment, the deceased man from Washington mentioned, “[Randy’s parents] were deeply concerned that this might cause serious harm to him. The unresolved question was whether prolonged sleep deprivation could lead to death.”
Certainly, those experiencing sleep deprivation may face risks such as heart disease, impaired balance, and elevated blood pressure.
Though Gardner and McAllister’s experiment began promisingly, it yielded unexpected outcomes.
Reportedly, Gardner experienced mood swings, paranoia, and hallucinations. Dement noted, “Despite his excellent physical condition, we could easily rouse him with activities like basketball or bowling. However, if he shut his eyes, he’d instantly fall asleep.”
Subsequent brain scans unveiled that Gardner’s brain had been intermittently dozing throughout the experiment—some parts asleep while others remained awake. Astonishingly, the teenager managed to remain awake for a staggering 11 days (264 hours).
After surpassing the Hawaiian’s record, he was transported to a naval hospital, marking the conclusion of the experiment.
In an interview with NPR, Gardner commented, “I slept a little over 14 hours. Upon waking, I felt groggy, but not more so than an average person.”
Fortunately, the teenager appeared to experience no significant short-term repercussions from completing his scientific endeavor.
However, he later disclosed that he had endured intolerable insomnia for decades.
He elaborated, stating, “My behavior was terrible. Everything bothered me. It felt like a continuation of what I underwent 50 years ago.”
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