Longest sleep deprivation- a rejected world record

[May 25] London - A British man who went without sleep for 11 days claimed Friday to have broken the world record for sleep deprivation, but his feat will not be registered in the Guinness Book of Records because of the associated health risk.
    World Records Academy went a step further and don't even mention his name, to prevent others from risking their lives to get fame. Despite scientific excuses claims, Mr."X" did his record attempt in a bar...without any real scientific supervision.         

     During his effort, which came as part of his research into human sleep, "Mr.X" relied on a diet of fruit, salad, seeds and nuts to keep him awake.

    Drinking herbal tea, playing pool, keeping a diary and chatting to friends also helped to fight tiredness, "Mr.X", looking suitably knackered, said Friday.

    After five days he recorded in his online diary visions of "giggling dancing pixies and elves" appearing on his computer screen, such was the impact that going without sleep had on the 42-year-old.

   Mr."X", 42, from Penzance, in south-west Britain, said he was trying to beat the Guinness world record of 264 sleepless hours set by US student Randy Gardner in a science project in San Diego, in 1964.
    Monitored by webcam and CCTV, his daily routine consisted of eating a diet of raw food - including fruit, salad, seeds and nuts - drinking herb tea, writing his blog for BBC Cornwall and chatting with friends.

   At other times, he appeared to be suspiciously motionless, prompting concerns for his safety and sparking rumours that he had nodded off.
    
   Jessica Alexander, from The Sleep Council, said: "This type of experiment is not something we would recommend people try at home." She said that not sleeping could have symptoms such as feeling paranoid and finding it difficult to make decisions.

   Dr Chris Idzikowski, director of Edinburgh Sleep Centre, said Mr Wright's achievement did little to aid the study of sleep and sleep disorders.
    "Unless it is properly conducted with equipment to monitor brain activity and to prove the subject is awake, studies like this add little," he said. Dr Idzikowski said that sleep needs varied from person to person. "The amount of sleep you need is the amount it takes so you are not tired the next day," he said.

    "I feel pretty good, It's been a bit of a slog, but I got there," he told the BBC. "I do not feel tired yet, but there is a bit of adrenaline pumping around at the moment," said the qualified horticulturist. He said that his "Stone Age" helped parts of his brain to stay awake and remain functional for long periods. "It makes it much easier to switch from one side of the brain which is really tired, to the other. But both are pretty tired at the moment."

     The Guinness Book of Records said it had withdrawn its backing of a sleep deprivation category class because of the associated health risks. During the record attempt, "X" noticed his speech becoming incomprehensible at times and colours appearing very bright. The attempt was part of his research into the body's relationship to sleep, and was preceded by more than 100 similar experiments lasting between two and eight days.

    "Mr. X" argues that parts of the human brain require a different amount of sleep and it is possible to stay awake and remain functional for long periods. He said the hardest part was staying in one place - Penzance's Studio Bar - in order to prove that he was not popping out for a sleep.

     "Mr.X"believed he was battling to beat a record of 264 hours set by American Randy Gardner in 1964, as part of a high school science project into sleep patterns.
     Since then, Guinness has refused to endorse sleeplessness marathons because scientists say they can result in depression, dizziness, hallucinations, irritability, nausea and loss of memory.      But before the ban was enforced, there was time for Toimi Soini, of Hamina, Finland, to set a new best of 276 hours recorded in the Guinness Book of Records from 1965 until 1990.
    A "Mr.X" friend said: "We have never heard of this. We have not come across it and as far as we knew the only record was the one set by Randy Gardner. "It is interesting but has not cropped up at all in our research and is not mentioned in any of the books about sleep and sleeplessness."

    "People who attempt records should make sure their research is accurate or they may be very disappointed."-GWR





  Source: DPA, BBC