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Many of us have all at one stage "Burnt the candle at both ends", meaning we have pulled an All - Nigher. Gone to work, home, changed and partied all night and returned the next morning to work, Blurred eyed, bad tempered, tried but nerveless no visible or long-term damage.

The 1964 copy of the Guinness Book of World Records state that seventeen-year-old Randy Gardner won his place of fame for staying a wake for eleven days or 264 hours. During this time, it as been recorded that although he had not suffered long-term damage but he did experience slurred speech, lapses in memory and hallucinations. In 1989, the executives of the Record Book deemed this activity dangerous and removed this category entirely.

Sleep is vital, some need less and others more than the recommend six hours a night, to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
It is also recorded during the nightly slumber the subconscious mind brings us counsel. Joseph Murphy Ph D; D.D has written extensively on this subject in his book and as recorded many stories of people who have found answers to their daytime worries.

The National Highway Traffic Control reported over 200,000 road accidents related to drivers who doze at the wheel. They say, "Some motorists experience fleeting naps called "mircosleep" this can happen two to four times during a period of an hour. The person's lids close and the brain waves slow down, this lapse may only last a few seconds. Then it only takes that length of time to cause mayhem on the road.

Research also shows that many Medical and Mental conditions such has physical problems such as Back or Muscular pain, personal worries, marital problems even an uncomfortable sleeping environment or anxiety or depression can cause disruption to normal sleep patterns.

But what happens if we deprive ourselves of this vital activity for long periods of time, well from experience many found themselves, moody, bad tempered, irritable and unable to make rational decisions, poor memory so we may find we wake in the morning to find the car keys in the fridge. However, what are the consequences of one-step further, when a good night's sleep evades us on a longer time bases.

However, what are the effects in the case of severe insomnia, when the body is deprived of sleep for a longer span of time, well our mental health can deteriorate to an extent the brain is so damaged and the person can suffer psychotic breakdown.

It seems there is a vicious circle; certain Medical and Mental illnesses can cause sleep deprivation and insomnia. Then this lack of sleep for long periods of time can increase the risk of more serious Mental issues.

Dr Tom Mackay, a consultant respiratory physician at the Scottish National Sleep Center at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, as said "In many cases the quality of sleep was more important that the quantity to" help maintain a healthy lifestyle.

http://health.howstu ffworks.com/sleep-deprivation. htm
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/pe ople/injury/drowsy_driving1/li stening/AppendixE.htm
http://ww w.xanga.com/child_like_empress /623353340/lack-of-sleep.html

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