If I have been up for a very long time, say 20 hours or more, I fall into a condition most often refered to as being “overtired”. When I’m overtired I’m so tired I can’t get to sleep. I toss and turn for hours.Luckily there are very few times when I’m awake for so long. Does anyone know why this condition occurs, and is there a medical name for it. My guess is that it is some sort of defense mechanism the body kicks in. Sort of like fight or flight. After being awake for so long it thinks it needs to be for survival reasons, and doesn’t allow you to sleep. Anyway, that’s just my guess. Can anyone confirm this or show another theory?
I confirm it. I don’t know the medical terminology, but when you eventually run out of adrenalin you will crash. You can help this process along with any of the -pam meds.
I always thought it was caused by all the coffee I consumed to stay up that long., or all the signs that tell my body it’s morning (birds singing, sunlight, neighbor driving off to work…) Do people get “overtired” without these factors?
Yes.
I work shift work and also experience the “overtired” thing.
At about 20 hours I “wake up again”, but at about 36 hours I fall asleep no matter what I’m doing (even driving)!
I’ve experience the same thing, but in waves. After 16 ours, I’m tired, after 20 or so I’m not any more, later I’m tired, then not, etc. My limit is around 40 hours, after which I’ve got to sleep. I haven’t been able to find much related information on the web, but sleep deprivation raises blood pressure during the waking period and into the next day. It also disrupts hormone balances.
http://www.heartinfo.org/reutersnews/t0218-3f.htm
There was also another link, but it doesn’t want to work for me.
In my hometown, we have a trivia contest every year. Not some weak Trivial Pursuit/Jeopardy! type trivia contest, but 54 hours straight of The World’s Largest Trivia Contest! (Click here for full rules and such, my team was 98th this year…)
But anyways, since it runs straight thru Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, you get to see some pretty interesting sleeping problems. Best I’ve ever done is 7:00 a.m. Friday until 5:30 p.m. Sunday. I experienced the overtired phenomenon twice over this period.
I’ve often wondered why scientists don’t come and study the town of Stevens Point every third weekend in April. I mean, 50,000 (our population doubles for Trivia) half awake people, how’s that for a sample? 
One of the few remaining Wisconsin towns that still makes good beer.
They used to make lots of good brew here in Milwaukee, but, uh…you know what happened.:rolleyes: