Archive · 17 Jun 2025
The 11-Day Wakefulness Experiment: Effects of Sleep Deprivation
A teenager named Randy Gardner tried to stay awake for 11 days as part of a science project.
His friends helped him stay awake, but he had trouble focusing, remembering things, and his mood changed.
A scientist watched him, too.
Afterward, he slept for a long time, but he later had trouble sleeping.
This shows how important sleep is for our bodies and minds.
Randy Gardner stayed awake for 264 hours (11 days) in 1964 as a science fair project.
Gardner's friends monitored him, administering tests during the experiment.
He experienced concentration issues, memory lapses, mood swings, paranoia, and hallucinations.
Sleep researcher Dr. William Dement observed Gardner during the final days.
Gardner later suffered from chronic insomnia, which he linked to the experiment.
- Who
- Randy Gardner
- What
- Randy Gardner stayed awake for 264 hours.
- When
- 1964
- Where
- San Diego, USA
- Why
- To test human endurance for a science fair.
- Subject
- Randy Gardner
- Age at Experiment
- 17
- Duration
- 264 hours (11 days)
- Location
- San Diego
- Researcher
- William Dement
- Aftermath
- Chronic Insomnia
