Scientists have long studied sleep, a phenomenon that appears to be fundamental for life, yet one that in many ways remains mysterious. Almost every known animal sleeps or exhibits some form of sleeplike behavior. Without enough of it, serious consequences ensue. In humans, chronic insufficient sleep is associated with heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, depression, and many other conditions.
Previous research has shown that prolonged, total sleep restriction can lead to premature death in animal models. Efforts to answer how sleep deprivation culminates in death have primarily focused on the brain, where sleep originates, but none have yielded conclusive results. Spearheaded by study co-first authors Alexandra Vaccaro and Yosef Kaplan Dor , both research fellows in neurobiology at HMS, the team carried out a series of experiments in fruit flies, which share many sleep-regulating genes with humans, to search for signs of damage caused by sleep deprivation throughout the body.
To monitor sleep, the researchers used infrared beams to constantly track the movement of flies housed in individual tubes. They found that flies can sleep through physical shaking, so the team turned to more sophisticated methods. They genetically manipulated fruit flies to express a heat-sensitive protein in specific neurons, the activity of which are known to suppress sleep. When flies were housed at 29 degrees Celsius 84 degrees Fahrenheit , the protein induced neurons to remain constantly active, thus preventing the flies from sleeping.
After 10 days of temperature-induced sleep deprivation, mortality spiked among the fruit flies and all died by around day Control flies that had normal sleep lived up to approximately 40 days in the same environmental conditions. Because mortality increased around day 10, the researchers looked for markers of cell damage on that and preceding days.
Most tissues, including in the brain, were indistinguishable between sleep-deprived and non-deprived flies, with one notable exception. In the s a high school student named Randy Gardner set out to break the world record for the longest time spent awake.
During the experiment he contracted problems with eyesight as well as various cognitive deficiencies, such as speech and memory problems Ross, Towards the end of the experiment he also started to hallucinate. These symptoms emerged within just 11 days. What we do know is that it is unwise to ignore our need for sleep.
The negative side effects of partial sleep deprivation have been observed in in countless research studies and it is safe to assume that these would only be worsened by prolonged total sleep deprivation.
References: Everson, C. You don't need to put back all, or even most, of what you've lost. Over the long term, the effects of sleep deprivation are compounded, with chronic sleep loss playing a clear role in a number of physical diseases and mental health conditions. While the amount of sleep you need is highly individual - it will depend on your age, sex, health, lifestyle, etc - if you're not getting enough, you will know about it.
If prolonged lack of sleep is a problem, see your doctor, who will be able to give you an evaluation and may refer you to a sleep clinic if necessary. After all, lack of sleep may not kill you, but it's worth addressing as soon as it starts to affect your quality of life. What is biphasic or polyphasic sleep and is it good for you?
Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy.
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