Sleep, nutrition, breathing - all these are completely natural things that are simply necessary for the normal functioning of the human body. But sometimes it becomes interesting: how many people can not sleep or, for example, not eat? After all, the body's capabilities have their own limits.
How many people can not sleep?
To begin with, it is worth noting that a normal healthy sleep is very important not only for the human psyche, but also for the normal functioning of the whole organism. At night, the work of all organs slows down, recovering in this way. In addition, a dream is a period of work of the subconscious, when everything seen, heard and thought for a day is somehow classified. The subconscious mind is actively looking for answers to questions, makes some conclusions from the information received, etc.
But how many people can not sleep? To begin with, it is worth noting that even if an individual does not sleep for more than two days, his body condition cannot be called normal, since all organ systems, including the brain, work literally to the limit.
The first record was set by Tony Wright in 1965, who managed to survive without sleep for 11 days. Of course, this was done intentionally, out of a desire to get into the Guinness Book of Records. Fortunately, a few years later the committee excluded the category of this peculiar “insomnia” from the list of records, not without reason claiming that such experiments are too dangerous for life. Of course, history knows many interesting facts. For example, Maureen Weston lasted 18.5 days without sleep, without taking any medications. There is also evidence of some special people who, as a result of an injury or clinical death, have stopped sleeping at all, or at least their brain is not resting as usual. There is even a genetic disease - family insomnia syndrome, when people simply cannot fall asleep. But these are exceptions. Such feats are beyond the power of an ordinary, average person.
A few days without sleep can lead to irreversible changes in the body or even death. For example, on the second day there is an increase in the level of hormones in the blood. Around the same time, neural connections in the cerebral cortex slowly begin to break down. Of course, a person does not notice this. The only symptom is lethargy, a feeling of intoxication, increased mental activity. Starting from 4-5 days, nerve cells are slowly destroyed in the brain , which is almost impossible to restore.
As a rule, at this time, a person begins to fall into the so-called quick, superficial phase of sleep. It can last only a few seconds, but the body has enough time to at least somehow support life. But "fast" sleep is dangerous for an individual. The fact is that he cannot be controlled - a person does not even suspect that he fell asleep for a second. What if you drive a car at this time? In a word, lack of sleep is a very dangerous condition.
How many people can not eat or drink?
Nutrition is another important part of our existence. Scientists believe that a normal, average person can live without food for an average of two months (sometimes this figure reaches 8), but only if he consumes a sufficient amount of liquid.
As for drinking, the body can exist without fluid intake for no more than 5-7 days. After this, the most severe stage of dehydration occurs, leading to death. Death from hunger and thirst is a very difficult, painful and painful process.
How many people can not breathe?
Another interesting question. Now you know how many people can not sleep and eat. But how long does the body last without air? Of course, we can’t consciously interrupt breathing at any time - after 2-3 minutes the respiratory reflex takes effect. Therefore, it considers conditions in which air is absent. If insomnia, starvation, dehydration can last for months, then here the bill goes for minutes. On average, a person can be without oxygen for no more than 5 minutes. Then acute cerebral hypoxia begins , after which the nerve tissue changes irreversibly. It’s even possible to return a person “from another world”, part of his brain will already be damaged.