Randy Gardner Sleep Deprivation Experiment

Introduction

• Randy Gardner (b. 1946) from San Diego, California, held the record for the longest time without sleep.
• Between December 1963 and January 1964, at 17 years old, stayed awake for 11 days and 24 minutes (264.4 hours).
• Broke the previous record of 260 hours by Tom Rounds.
• Record broken multiple times until 1997 when Guinness World Records ceased accepting new attempts for safety reasons.
• As of the last record, Robert McDonald held it at 18 days and 21 hours (453 hours and 40 minutes).

Experiment Details

• Attended by Stanford sleep researcher Dr. William C. Dement.
• Health monitored by Lt. Cmdr. John J. Ross.
• Classmates Bruce McAllister and Joe Marciano Jr. kept a log.
• Widely known in the sleep research community.

Observations and Effects

• Claims of Minimal Effects: William C. Dement reported Gardner was able to beat him at pinball on the tenth day.
• Reported Severe Effects: John J. Ross reported serious cognitive and behavioral changes:
  • Moodiness
  • Problems with concentration and short-term memory
  • Paranoia and hallucinations
  • On the eleventh day, Gardner forgot a simple arithmetic task.
• On the final day, Gardner appeared in excellent health at a press conference.

Sleep Recovery

• After the experiment, Gardner slept for 14 hours and 46 minutes, followed by another ten and a half hours the next day.
• Follow-up sleep recordings showed no significant differences.

Later Life

• In 2017, Gardner reported experiencing severe insomnia starting around 2007, attributing it to the experiment.

Subsequent Records

• Gardner’s record was documented extensively, making it notable.
• Toimi Silvo: Reportedly broke Gardner’s record in 1964, with 276 hours.
• Maureen Weston: Guinness World Records set at 449 hours in 1977.
• Tony Wright: Reported to have exceeded Gardner’s feat in 2007.
• Guinness no longer records voluntary sleep deprivation records.

Conclusion

• Gardner’s experiment remains significant in sleep research.
• The experiment highlights differences in reported effects and long-term implications of sleep deprivation.

References

• The transcript includes references to multiple sources, articles, and journals discussing the experiment and its implications.