# Lack of sleep **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2006, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536 "2006-11-08T12:04:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![indierock82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f14d63/32.png) [@indierock82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/indierock82)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536/1 "2006-11-08T12:04:58Z")
So why is it that when I stay up all night that the next day I suffer from diahrrea? I’ve been on the shitter like 3 times already since I’m at work for another 4 hours. I’m not all that bothered by being tired, which I’m surprisingly not, but the fact that I feel like I need to shit constantly. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536/2 "2006-11-08T14:13:27Z")
Been drinking much beer while you were up late? I find the two have a cumulative effect on me. ---
**Author:** ![indierock82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f14d63/32.png) [@indierock82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/indierock82)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536/3 "2006-11-08T15:10:43Z")
I thought about adding the fact that I did not have any beer or alcohol the night before. Then at least I’d understand why I was having the runs… But the fact that I havent slept in 30 hours and counting seems to have the same effect. Maybe beer isn’t the reason you get the shits the day after; it’s the lack of quality sleep. Who knows? ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536/4 "2006-11-08T15:42:16Z")
I’m at a loss then 🙂 WAG that you’re not giving your body a chance to relax and digest properly? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536/5 "2006-11-08T15:52:46Z")
Are you drinking coffee to stay awake? It says [here](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diarrhea/DG00017) “Caffeine and alcohol stimulate the passage of stool.” ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536/6 "2006-11-08T16:01:16Z")
If I stay up late (say, till 4 or 5am) and then have to get up at 7.30 to go to work, I also get stomach cramps the next day. I put it down to my stomach not having a chance to digest food properly while I sleep, but I don’t know if there’s anything to that. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536/7 "2006-11-08T18:59:02Z")
I get the same thing except I get plenty of sleep. Mainly because I drink plenty of beer everyday (I’m retired) and have a damn poor diet. The trots are just part of my normal routine. 🙂 OH! And explosive diarrhea too. Lots of fun when you live alone and have immediate access to the toilet! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536/8 "2006-11-08T19:21:08Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] If I stay up late (say, till 4 or 5am) and then have to get up at 7.30 to go to work, I also get stomach cramps the next day. I put it down to my stomach not having a chance to digest food properly while I sleep, but I don’t know if there’s anything to that. [/QUOTE] IANAD, but I seem to recall learning that while you’re sleeping, your digestion mostly shuts down. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536/9 "2006-11-08T20:24:56Z")
I used to stay up for 2 - 3 days at a time in college. I did fine except I would throw up in the early morning hours without fail. It still happens today whenever I try it. Maybe those are related. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lack-of-sleep/379536/10 "2006-11-08T20:25:55Z")
Shit happens.