Sleeping is fabulous. It feels amazing and it’s good for the soul. There’s nothing like a sleep-in when you know you’ve just gotta get up.
Plus, it’s crucial for your physical and mental health. Your body does a heap of important work while you’re asleep.
March 19 is World Sleep Day. To celebrate, we thought we’d round up the wildest sleep related world records gained to date. And oooft, some of these are a lot to take in. We’re already yawning.
Breakfast in bed.
In 2012, a group of veeerry relaxed Sydneysiders broke the record for the number of people enjoying breakfast in bed. Participants were lured in with the promise of a free breakfast… pretty hard to resist. The previous record saw 250 people lie back and enjoy brekky in bed. This attempt welcomed 292 people across 85 beds… around three people per bed.
Three people were disqualified. One was a baby who didn’t eat the breakfast served. The other two had their legs dangling off the bed. The successful attempt involved 289 participants.
I could sleep for a week… literally.
Me most Monday mornings, or after a particularly stressful couple of days.
The world record for the longest continuous sleep is pretty hard to measure, particularly when you consider medical conditions that can cause you to sleep.
Peter Powers, a hypnotist from the UK, holds the record for the longest time spent asleep. He stayed asleep for eight whole days, which is one heck of a marathon.
You snooze, you lose.
Randy Gardner holds the world record for the longest time a human has gone without sleep. In 1964, he stayed awake for an impressive eleven days and 25 minutes (a total of 264.4 hours), passing the previous record of 260 hours. Jeepers. He must have been knackered.
Others have since beaten Gardner’s stellar stint but those record attempts aren’t acknowledged by Guinness World Records on account of them being viewed as unethical. The longest period without sleep saw someone stay awake for 18 days, 21 hours and 40 minutes. They experienced hallucinations, paranoia, slurred speech, blurred vision and lapses in concentration and memory. Oooooft. Get thee to bed.
Whoever snores the loudest…
In May 1993, Kåre Walkert broke the world record for the loudest snore ever recorded in May 1993. She suffered from sleep apnoea, a breathing disorder, which triggered a snore to the volume of a mighty 93 decibels.
Sounds above 85 decibels are harmful to the human ear. A lawn mower usually comes in around 90 decibels.
Never underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep.
Sleep deprivation can be really dangerous.
Adequate sleep helps your brain process the information soaked up during the day and triggers the release of hormones that help your body repair. Sleep helps your immune system battle foreign enemies and infection. It also helps reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.
Denying your body the opportunity to grow and rebuild can have negative effects on your health and wellbeing.
To learn more about your sleep health, take a Blooms The Chemist online sleep test.
According to Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, the recommended hours of sleep relates to your age.
| Newborn | 0–3 months | 14–17 hours (National Sleep Foundation) No recommendation (American Academy of Sleep Medicine) |
| Infant | 4–12 months | 12–16 hours per 24 hours (including naps) |
| Toddler | 1–2 years | 11–14 hours per 24 hours (including naps) |
| Preschool | 3–5 years | 10–13 hours per 24 hours (including naps) |
| School Age | 6–12 years | 9–12 hours per 24 hours |
| Teen | 13–18 years | 8–10 hours per 24 hours |
| Adult | 18–60 years | 7 or more hours per night |
| 61–64 years | 7–9 hours | |
| 65 years and older | 7–8 hours |
If you’re waking up exhausted after a solid eight hours of kip and spend your waking moments tired, grouchy and sluggish, you may be suffering from sleep apnoea.
Loud gasping snores can be a common indicator you may have sleep apnoea. If you regularly share a bed with someone who snores keep you up a night, reach out to them. Many people living with sleep apnoea have no idea…
Join Australia’s Biggest Wake Up Call
It’s time to Wake Up Australia! Check in on your sleep health and face the facts of sleep apnoea!
Join Australia’s Biggest Wake Up Call and take the free online sleep quiz.
In minutes you’ll be able to understand your sleep habits and determine your risk for sleep apnoea. If you’re considered at risk, you’ll be advised on what actions you can take.
Presented in partnership with Blooms The Chemist.
