Even one night of lost sleep causes a suite of physiological disturbances, which can include: Changes in immune function that promote inflammation. Metabolic changes in the way sugar is processed, leading to a pre-diabetic state, where blood sugar levels remain elevated.
"Staying up all night just once doesn't mean you'll develop one of these health conditions, but engaging in sleep deprivation can encourage poor sleep habits, which, over time, could ultimately impact your overall health," says Dr. Ram.
After an all-nighter, you'll likely face a morning slump. If possible, you should try to take a quick 10- to 20-minute power nap to give yourself an energy boost for the day ahead. If you need a pick-me-up, consider taking a lower dose of 100 to 200 milligrams of caffeine (around one or two cups of coffee).
If you have ever pulled an all-nighter you may have asked yourself, “Is it better to stay up all night or sleep for an hour?” Well, in truth neither answer would likely serve you best. Completing a sleep cycle takes 90 minutes, which is when sleepers should find their most beneficial rest.
And while the occasional long sleep is generally nothing to worry about, oversleeping several days a week could be a sign that something more serious is going on.
You could gain Weight –
Staying up all night will meddle with the secretion of hormones that are responsible for the feelings of hunger and satiety. You are likely to feel hungrier if you are sleep deprived. And if you surrender to your constant hunger pangs, you will soon start putting on weight.
Screwing with your circadian rhythm
“If you stay up all night, these messages are out of whack, making you feel downright terrible.” So, you'll not only feel tired, but you'll be hungry, achy, and moody as all get-out.
It impairs your cognitive function
Sleep deprivation impacts your cognitive function by affecting your memory, ability to concentrate and your problem-solving skills. Put simply, you're not at your best after staying up all night, which means it's the worst time to take a test.
How long should I sleep after an all-nighter? Aim to go to bed about an hour earlier and sleep in up to an hour later the next day to start paying back debt without incurring too much circadian misalignment. Anything longer than that and you'll make it harder to get back to a normal sleep schedule.
I would consider sleep deprivation to be sinful when 1.) it is a choice or results from poor choices, 2.) the reasons for the choice are ungodly (including reasons that seem godly on the surface), and 3.) the benefits from it do not outweigh the potential costs.
Your body's internal clock—also known as circadian rhythm—helps signal when it's time to transition into sleep and when it's time to wake up through a 24-hour sleep-wake cycle. This sleep-wake cycle can be disrupted by various factors, such as pulling all-nighters or working late night shifts.
“Although this work is very preliminary, it is clear from the results that even a single night of sleep deprivation can trigger events that may contribute to the development of chronic disease,” said study author Siu-Wai Choi in a news release.
If you've ever laid awake at night and wondered, "why can't I sleep?" there may be several reasons. Some common reasons you can't sleep include poor sleep environment, sleep disorders, stress, and daytime inactivity.
Other weird records
Previously, Peter Tripp held the first record at 201 hours and suffered from hallucinations for several days after. Between Peter and Randy, Honolulu DJ Tom Rounds made it to 260 hours. Randy tapped out at 264 hours, and slept for 14 hours straight after.
In December 1963/January 1964, 17-year-old Gardner stayed awake for 11 days and 24 minutes (264.4 hours), breaking the previous record of 260 hours held by Tom Rounds. Gardner's record attempt was attended by Stanford sleep researcher Dr. William C. Dement, while his health was monitored by Lt. Cmdr.
When the experiment ended, Gardner had been awake for 264 hours and 25 minutes. He then had 14 hours of sleep before waking up to use the bathroom. We have no verified examples of anyone staying awake longer than Gardner, and we still don't know for sure how long human beings can survive without sleep.
Adults should stay awake no longer than 17 hours to meet the CDC's sleep recommendation. People tend to experience the adverse effects of sleep deprivation within 24 hours.