can not sleeping be bad for you?

[lazy smoker7]

Well, I have problems sleeping at times .. well most of the time.. for the past 6 months or so .... I get on this very weird fucked up schedule of sleeping. Like some times ill be up for 2 days then fall a sleep and be up for 1 day and then sleep and then be up for another 2 days and this goes on about every week for espically the past 6 months and the weird thing is I am actually use to this sleeping schedule now... I can stay up for 2 days no problem at all.. very easily ... its like i set my body clock to think that I am awake for 2 days and sleep for one day. and latley i was wondering if this is bad for my health at all or am i putting my self at risk for this non sleeping habbit i got? i mean i dont want to just end up dead one day because i dunno what happens to the body if not given enuf sleep for long periods of time? any one know? EDIT: I also stayed up for like 2 an a half days smoking bud mostly the whole time with out passing out which was crazy lol... am i suffering from a lil bit of insomia?

[WakingDream]

I've read a book called Sleep Thieves. Good book.

Simple answer. The human body needs sleep.

If your body is deprived of too much sleep you can expirience whats called Micro Sleep. For a few seconds parts of your brain will shut down. This can happen while your driving or flying.

Sleep deprivation causes stress on the human body. which can lead to a whole world of truble. Check out Stress: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Effects (http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm)

Intellectual signs

Memory problems.
Difficulty making decisions.
Inability to concentrate.
Confusion.
Seeing only the negative.
Repetitive or racing thoughts.
Poor judgment.
Loss of objectivity.
Desire to escape or run away

Emotional signs

Moody and hypersensitive.
Restlessness and anxiety.
Depression.
Anger and resentment.
Easily irritated and â??on edgeâ?�.
Sense of being overwhelmed.
Lack of confidence.
Apathy.
Urge to laugh or cry at inappropriate times.

Physical

Headaches.
Digestive problems.
Muscle tension and pain.
Sleep disturbances.
Fatigue.
Chest pain, irregular heartbeat.
High blood pressure.
Weight gain or loss.
Asthma or shortness of breath.
Skin problems.
Decreased sex drive.

Behavioral symptoms

Eating more or less.
Sleeping too much or too little.
Isolating yourself from others.
Neglecting your responsibilities.
Increasing alcohol and drug use.
Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing).
Teeth grinding or jaw clenching.
Overdoing activities such as exercising or shopping.
Losing your temper.
Overreacting to unexpected problems.


Deprive yourself of sleep for 40-60 hours and you start to hallucinate. Keep on going and you become more useless then a Drunk.

People have locked themselves in chambers for weeks to see how long the body would sleep if unaffected by alarms or work. About 9 hours of sleep is ideal. I would suggest no less then 8 on an average basis since the sleep cycle is 4 hours. Try an expirament. Sleep for 7 hours and wake up. see how you feel. Then the next day sleep 8. You will probably feel better since your sleep cycle was able to complete itself. Keep in mind the most restfull sleep is REM which is in the last stage of the sleep cycle.

[Matt the Funk]

I dunno if my sleep cycle is caused by mental disorder, or if the mental disorder is caused by lack of sleep. I also have a fucked up sleep schedule. Yesterday I didn't sleep for 2 days and just today I managed to fall asleep and I slept for 12 hours, which isn't that much, but a lot more than usual. Other days I sleep like 18 hours, or 20 hours. And yeah yesterday I could see myself going over the edge a little more than usual, I was tripping out over running out of lucky charms :p

[reprisler]

sleep is vital. think of your body as a cell phone and sleep as a charger. a cell phone won't work if it isn't charged up. :)

[WakingDream]

In the study where a bunch of people lived underground so as not to be influenced by natural light their bodies synchronized to a schedule a few minutes short of 24 hours. Is there any relation to the fact that thousands of years ago when human's first emerged the earth's days were slightly quicker. The earth's rotation is slowing down. The need for sleep is embedded in us and cannot be changed so this could be why the natural human sleep cycle is shorter then our current 24 hour day.

Just an idea.

[napolitana869]

teenagers need more sleep that other people. If you're worried about your health you should really try to get 8 hours of sleep a night. I used to be just like you, staying up for a few days and it not being a problem. Then I found out what it was like to have a normal sleep pattern. I was less stressed out and less emotional. I also started eatting less because lack of sleep can make you eat more (I think its because your body is trying to make up for a chemical you produce while you sleep but I'm not sure about that). My whole outlook on life changed. Oh, and I need better in school.

[lazy smoker7]

yea i nottcied my lack of sleep does cause me some of these symtoms as laughing out of no were, getting angry easily, and alot more of them.. thanks guys for your info :)

[mrdevious]

Yeah, sleep is pretty important for your health, especially mental. I'd list some symptoms, but I'm sure WakingDream's post has it all covered. Overall though, insomnia is not good for mental stability. My theory on dreaming is that it works as a sort of defrag program by running all the days information through your head and organizing it into stories and events to make sense of it all and keep everything stored in an organized fassion.

I'd recommend getting some melatonin. It's a sublingual (under the tongue) hormone you can buy at any health food store. Melatonin is responsible for making you sleepy and relaxed, not to mention i helps destroy cancer cells, and your body produces it naturally to fall asleep. If you can't fall asleep easily, you most likely lack melatonin.
An interesting note too, smoking weed causes a 5,000% inrease in your melatonin levels. This is largely what causes the initial relaxation and sedation, and is especially responsible for the burnout at the end. I have a strong suspicion, though, that the increase is much more mild when your tolerance goes up since experienced smokers tend to not be so heavily sedated. Heck, when I get high I feel more inclined to go out and do stuff, or walk my dog or work out.

[Matt the Funk]

For sleeping I take anti-psychotics. I take em for a number of reasons but the main reasons are because I can't sleep, my thoughts just go racing for hours.

[halfassedjediknight]

i dunno what everyone else said, but i know that lack of sleep will depress your immune system.

[lazy smoker7]

Yeah, sleep is pretty important for your health, especially mental. I'd list some symptoms, but I'm sure WakingDream's post has it all covered. Overall though, insomnia is not good for mental stability. My theory on dreaming is that it works as a sort of defrag program by running all the days information through your head and organizing it into stories and events to make sense of it all and keep everything stored in an organized fassion.

I'd recommend getting some melatonin. It's a sublingual (under the tongue) hormone you can buy at any health food store. Melatonin is responsible for making you sleepy and relaxed, not to mention i helps destroy cancer cells, and your body produces it naturally to fall asleep. If you can't fall asleep easily, you most likely lack melatonin.
An interesting note too, smoking weed causes a 5,000% inrease in your melatonin levels. This is largely what causes the initial relaxation and sedation, and is especially responsible for the burnout at the end. I have a strong suspicion, though, that the increase is much more mild when your tolerance goes up since experienced smokers tend to not be so heavily sedated. Heck, when I get high I feel more inclined to go out and do stuff, or walk my dog or work out.

Same here I dont get lazy when I high... i get motivated and write storys and build shit and cook lol.... or water plants etc... lol ty for all u help guys...

[Nailhead]

I use to work about 70 hour work weeks, and once you figure in an hour drive of commuting to and from work, that only left a few crappy hours in the middle of the day to get some sleep.

By the end of the week I would find myself falling asleep while driving.....not my car, a 40 ton big rig....scary stuff huh? At my worst point I just remember being on the freeway, then closed my eyes, opened them and I was all the way over in the onramp getting on the freeway....thank god that onramp was there!!

I took the side streets all the way back home and almost quit that job....you need your sleep!!!!

[TheSmokingMonkey]

Okay, yes, it is potentially bad for you. Sleep is a very healing and healthy thing.

But... if you are accomodating to the schedule and you feel rested, then maybe your needs are just different than most.

[pass_the_dubbie]

I couldnt go so long without sleep going to sleep after a great weed session is the best thing ever....Bed feels so good when im high.

[pass_the_dubbie]

I couldnt go so long without sleep going to sleep after a great weed session is the best thing ever....Bed feels so good when im high.
I couldnt go so long without sleep. Going to sleep after a great weed session is the best thing ever....Bed feels so good when im high.

I fucked up the first post....tried to edit it but it was too late, sorry im not used to having this 5 minute editing limit.