How can an extended period with no sleep kill you?
In: Biology
[A 2020 study](https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/06/study-reveals-guts-role-in-causing-death-by-sleep-deprivation/) found the following:
>In a study on sleep-deprived fruit flies, published in Cell on June 4, researchers found that death is always preceded by the accumulation of molecules known as reactive oxidative species (ROS) in the gut.
>When fruit flies were given antioxidant compounds that neutralize and clear ROS from the gut, sleep-deprived flies remained active and had normal lifespans. Additional experiments in mice confirmed that ROS accumulate in the gut when sleep is insufficient.
This was studied in much simpler organisms compared to humans; however, fruit flies are noted to “share many sleep-regulating genes with humans”.
>The guts of sleep-deprived flies had a dramatic buildup of ROS — highly reactive, oxygen-containing molecules that in large amounts can damage DNA and other components within cells, leading to cell death. The accumulation of ROS peaked around day 10 of sleep deprivation, and when deprivation was stopped, ROS levels decreased.
>Additional experiments confirmed that ROS builds up in the gut of only those animals that experienced sustained sleep loss, and that the gut is indeed the main source of this apparently lethal ROS.
TL;DR sleep deprivation results in buildup of ROS in the gut that can become immensely harmful. Sleep deprivation is more survivable with the aid of antioxidants.
Disclaimer: These results were found in creatures with a simpler physiology but with the same sleep-related genes as humans, so please *do not* assume you can stay up forever if you eat fruits and vegetables and XXX-flavored Vitamin Water. The human gut is larger and seems vastly more complex between its microbiome and direct link with the brain, meaning that we probably have more unique variables at play when dealing with sleep-related health
Schizophrenics often can’t sleep. This does not kill them. It does lead to a compelling question. Will not sleeping eventually make you insane?
We don’t know if it can. we don’t even know if there is permanent damage from it. The cases where someone did stay up very long, damage reversed after they slept and their routine went back to normal.
We have done experiment on rats where they were kept up and they ended up dying. But we don’t know if that was because they were not allowed to sleep or because they were constantly woken up from their sleep and the stress of that killed them.
Based on current theories:
sleep is when your body does most of its maintenance to combat every day wear and tear. This is why you get tired when you’ve been more physically active.
When you go for too long without maintenance the little things start to add up.
Not really. Your body will engage in what is called microsleep where you sleep for incredibly brief periods of time – only a matter of seconds – and you may not even be aware that you’re doing it. But it’ll be sufficient to ensure that the vital sleep functions are carried out.
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