How long is the longest you have ever stayed awake in one stretch?

[MichaelCorfman]

This past week, like many folks, I was at the London Affiliate Conference, plus I was also at the ICE conference before that. Throw in transatlantic plane flights and late nights, and the conference scene is one that is generally on the sleep-deprived end of the spectrum for me. And I'm certainly not alone on that front.

So, for this week's poll question, I thought I'd ask how long is the longest you have ever stayed awake in one stretch? And be sure to post why you did it and how bad the price you paid was afterwards.

Michael

[davenewgates]

I've done staying awake for almost 24 hours straight working, and i will try not to do that again. that gave me severe headache the following day.

[Renee]

I think the longest I've ever stayed awake was around 43 hours.

I had woken up at 5.30am to drive to work (at the time it took me 2 hours to get here). Worked a full day and drove home (another 2 hours). Went out with my cousin and decided at 3am to drive back to Sydney to meet up with a comedian I had seen a couple of years before.. Drove back home at 7am (so got home just before 9am). Tried to sleep for a few hours but couldn't because my mother kept coming into my room, so bit the dust and just got up. I had a hens night that night so I basically stayed up the entire day then went out to dinner for the hen's night at 7. I managed to stay awake until 1am then had to go back and sleep..

Let me say that I do not take drugs, so the staying awake was not helped by anything but adrenalin and second winds.

I will never do that again. It totally wrecked me.

Id we are talking conferences though, I think last year both London and Prague I only managed to sleep around 1 hour each night. This time I got much more sleep. Plus I managed to sleep the whole 22 hour flight there and home.. No jetlag whatsoever.

[TheCanadianGambler]

Over 2 days for me (by a few hours) "camping" at a lake during a long weekend when I was 18, hard to believe that was 10 years ago now. If a party died down at a campsite, we just went to the next one.

After about 24 hours had passed I decided it was the perfect day for a swim, it was early May in northern Saskatchewan so there was still ice on the lake. The swim definitely woke me up but I had too much fun with the ice. If you went out far enough, you could get on top of the ice and then break through, for "fun" I guess? It turns out ice is sharp, and I ended up with hundreds (if not thousands) of little cuts all over myself. Plus a sunburn on top of that.

I only remember parts of the next day, it involved me getting in a fight with my buddy (who was also my ride home which was a couple hours away) and him almost hitting me with his van as he left me and a few others behind. We got a ride home with another friend's grandmother (LOL) who had a cabin at the lake. My parents were quite shocked at the sight of me (cuts, sunburnt, torn clothes, etc.) but I didn't have it in me to tell them what happened until I had over 12hrs of sleep.

Definitely did not feel very good for the next few days, and definitely did not do that again.

[jarvi]

40-48 hours on a Contiki tour in 1992. I was young and it seems when on holidays your body can cope with a lot more. It was a 14 day tour and we'd go six nights big and on the seventh we'd rest.

[ElaineGardiner]

40-48hours for me.

I was traveling back from NY, woke up at 7am in NY on Thursday, done some packing and went to the airport. Our flight was delayed a few hours, finally landed in London around 10am Friday without sleeping on the plane. We then missed our connection flight because of the delays in NY and had to wait until 8pm for the next flight to Malta, finally arrived at 1am on Saturday morning, but I was over tired and didn't feel remotely tired so I went out to a friends birthday party till 5am.

The waiting in the London was the hardest part because I was just sitting there with nothing to do, but I couldn't sleep as I was worried someone would steal my luggage!

[alexpratt]

Love to know who did 4 days! That is incredible! and @TheCanadianGambler love the story!

[Christoff]

Well..........in my younger days I've done all nighters which lead into breakfast and then more drinking till early evening. I did that in 2002 when England played Argentina (and won 1-0).

I was in an Irish pub in Madrid (so lots of English and Argies) - I got to the pub at 6am to help with setting it up (I fancied one of the bartenders hence why I went) and was in there till 4pm the following day - I pulled a sickie for 2 days when I got home. Never again!

Alex, you must of pulled some all nighters will the little one?

[GPWA Aaron]

I've been up about 30 hours to play poker for 24 hours straight a couple times. I set out to do it to write some stories, but I think those days are over. The last time I did it, I was pretty much a wreck for the next three days. And with a four-year old at home (and twins on the way!) you can't afford to not be at the top of your game.

[Skinski]

52 hours for me. I took off from the house one day near Myrtle Beach, SC. and drove straight through to Sacramento, Cali. If I remember correctly it was 3550 miles one way.

[baldidiot]

Back in my student days all nighters were pretty common, but nothing too crazy - probably in the 40 hour range.

[bonusbeast]

I hit about 30 hours in a poker session one time.

[pompeyrayuk]

Almost 5 days way back when I was a wee snip of a lad and into the UK Rave scene lol

[PremTips]

5 days?!? My body would have long shutdown by then!

My friend has UFC Sunday morning-work-NFL-work 7am Monday morning this weekend - I will prod him on the train to make sure he stays awake throughout

[Betpartners]

I did 5 days and let me tell you she was good damn good and i could have gone another 5 days

I wish

[wagerjunction]

The longest I did was about 3 days and 17 hours back when I was 19.

There was this youth journey (called the Northern Route) organised by our Church council and since my aunt is a nun I was selected to be a team leader. Imagine, hundreds of youngsters trekking through the island with backpacks for 3 days... That was rowdy.

Anyway, all team leaders had to meet the organizers at 5 am on Thursday morning to learn the route, rules, etc, etc in order to be able to lead the teams. We spent the whole day at it and were so excited we didn't sleep a wink. The next morning, Friday, we were joined by all participants and got on the road. We walked all day had fun all night joking, playing instruments and singing around campfires.

We did this again on Saturday and by Sunday at noon we had reached our destination where we had the closing ceremony, etc...

By the time I got home at 6 pm I was drained, sore, hoarse, sunburnt and what else but it was one of the best experiences of my whole life.

[Doolally]

About 42-43 hours for me.

I did a full shift and work then my friend and myself hit the pubs followed by a nightclub. Got home around 3 and a party kicked off which went on for a few hours. In the drunken haze we decided to visit the islands to the North of where I stay so we were on the ferry by daybreak. A further pub crawl ensured and I crawled into bed at 3am the next morning.

[Simmo!]

You guys! Seriously? I struggle to get through to lunchtime

[Renee]

Almost 5 days way back when I was a wee snip of a lad and into the UK Rave scene lol

How many days did you sleep after that?

Michael maybe you should add that to the question.
How long have you stayed awake and how long did you sleep afterwards.

I've slept for 3 days before. Not from staying awake but from emotional trauma. When I finally woke up I felt like I needed to sleep for another week!

[pompeyrayuk]

How many days did you sleep after that?

Michael maybe you should add that to the question.
How long have you stayed awake and how long did you sleep afterwards.

I've slept for 3 days before. Not from staying awake but from emotional trauma. When I finally woke up I felt like I needed to sleep for another week!

8hrs and all was good