In 1963, two students embarked on a daring science project with a goal to stay awake for as long as possible, unaware of the long-term effects it would have on their lives.
It was a pivotal year in history, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, Beatlemania took over, and President JFK was tragically assassinated in Texas. Amidst all this, 17-year-old Randy Gardner and his friend Bruce McAllister set out to break the world record for staying awake, which was set at 260 hours, by pushing themselves to stay awake for an astonishing 264 hours.
Their plan? To smash the record, impress their teacher with their science project, and discover the real effects of sleep deprivation on the human brain.
McAllister later reflected on the original idea behind their experiment, noting that they had initially wanted to explore how sleeplessness affected paranormal abilities.
“After some thought, we realized that was impossible,” he said. “So, we switched gears and decided to focus on how sleep deprivation impacted cognitive function and performance, like how it affected things on the basketball court. Whatever we could come up with.”
To determine who would take on the challenge of staying awake, Gardner and McAllister flipped a coin, and it was decided that Gardner would go without sleep for the sake of their experiment. McAllister stayed awake alongside him to monitor the progress.
However, after three sleepless nights, McAllister found himself writing notes on the walls, signs that the experiment was becoming far more difficult than they had initially anticipated. Realizing the situation was more serious than they had thought, the duo reached out to sleep researcher William Dement from Stanford University for assistance.
Dement recalled the concerns of Gardner’s parents during the experiment, explaining that they were deeply worried about the potential harm. At the time, it was still unclear whether prolonged sleep deprivation could lead to death.
While the risks of sleep deprivation are now well-documented, such as increased risk of heart disease, poor balance, and high blood pressure, the full effects were still a mystery.
As the experiment progressed, Gardner began to show signs of severe sleep deprivation. After just three days without sleep, he experienced concentration problems, short-term memory loss, and mood swings. He also started exhibiting paranoia and hallucinations.
Dement observed that, despite these issues, Gardner remained physically fit and could be temporarily revived through activities like basketball or bowling. However, when he closed his eyes, he would instantly fall asleep.
Later brain scans revealed that during this period, Gardner’s brain was essentially “catnapping”, with parts of his brain asleep while others remained active.
Incredibly, Gardner managed to stay awake for an astounding 11 days (264 hours), surpassing the previous record of 260 hours held by a Honolulu-based disc jockey.
After the experiment concluded, Gardner was immediately taken to a naval hospital. Reflecting on the experience, he later told NPR, “I slept just over 14 hours. I remember waking up feeling groggy, but not any more so than a normal person would.”
Fortunately, there didn’t appear to be any significant short-term effects from the experiment. However, Gardner eventually revealed that he had struggled with chronic insomnia for decades after the event.
He shared, “I was awful to be around. Everything upset me. It felt like a continuation of what I went through 50 years ago.”
