It started as a school science project—but what happened next baffled scientists and changed how we understand sleep forever.
In 1963, 17-year-old Randy Gardner stayed awake for 11 days and 25 minutes as part of a science fair experiment. Under the supervision of sleep researcher Dr. William C. Dement, Gardner broke the world record for sleep deprivation. Contrary to fears he might suffer permanent damage, Gardner experienced serious but reversible cognitive and sensory issues—hallucinations, memory loss, paranoia, and slurred speech. He recovered after just 14 hours of sleep, shocking experts and prompting new questions about the brain’s resilience and the mystery of sleep.
“After about four days, Randy was hallucinating. He saw a road sign person jump off a sign and run away.”
~ Dr. William Dement, sleep researcher
“It was scary. I kept thinking I was losing my mind. I forgot what I was doing even while doing it.”
~ Randy Gardner, interview with NPR
“We learned that the body can go without sleep far longer than we thought, but at great cognitive cost.”
~ Dr. John Harsh, psychologist
“His brain activity looked almost like someone with early dementia, but it bounced back quickly.”
~ Dr. Daniel Kripke, sleep researcher
“Sleep isn’t just rest. It’s active brain maintenance. Take it away, and systems start collapsing.”
~ Dr. Matthew Walker, neuroscientist
And the strangest part? Sleep deprivation research inspired the military’s classified interest in creating sleepless soldiers. DARPA later funded projects exploring how to sustain alertness for days—using everything from brain stimulation to genetically modified enzymes. Gardner’s teenage dare became the spark for decades of secret science.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.