Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: sionnsar

I heard there was some guy who never needed sleep. 1800’s I think.

Do you think that’s possible?


1,623 posted on 12/14/2007 5:31:12 PM PST by fanfan ("We don't start fights my friends, but we finish them, and never leave until our work is done."PMSH)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1621 | View Replies ]


To: fanfan; sionnsar
"I heard there was some guy who never needed sleep. 1800’s I think. Do you think that’s possible?"

Lack of sleep will kill you faster than lack of food.

That said, it may be possible for some unfortunate souls to go without sleeping. Certain quirks of technology suggest themselves;

We actually have two brains. Separated by the corpus collosum, these cerebral halves normally communicate and cooperate, and of course stay in the same sleep/wake cycle.

Epilepsy patients, and others, who may have had their corpus collosums severed, could theoretically have different processes going on in the two halves. The sleep cycle is pretty basic, however, having much of its function controlled by chemicals.

I should also point out that the body needs rest as well.

To be quiescent for hours is not easy for most people. When I have sleepless periods, I remain at rest, and write books in my mind. This is probably why I don't dream much.

1,628 posted on 12/14/2007 5:53:31 PM PST by NicknamedBob (I had the solution for everything, but it got out of its container.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1623 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson