Why we all get a little nutzoid out there

[diane o'thirst]

Wow — turns out that the midday siesta is a good idea.

I wonder if the scientists came out to the Playa to do some of their investigations?

Wish I'd known this when my campmates were pitching screaming, cursing, sobbing fits over trivial scheisse like cookie ingredients...

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Livescience.com
Emotions Run Amok in Sleep-Deprived Brains

Charles Q. Choi
Special to LiveScience
LiveScience.com Mon Oct 22, 12:20 PM ET

Without sleep, the emotional centers of our brains dramatically overreact to bad experiences, research now reveals.

"When we're sleep deprived, it's really as if the brain is reverting to more primitive behavior, regressing in terms of the control humans normally have over their emotions," researcher Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Berkeley, told LiveScience.

Anyone who has ever gone without a good night's sleep is aware that doing so can make a person emotionally irrational. While past studies have revealed that sleep loss can impair the immune system and brain processes such as learning and memory, there has been surprisingly little research into why sleep deprivation affects emotions, Walker said.

Walker and his colleagues had 26 healthy volunteers either get normal sleep or get sleep deprived, making them stay awake for roughly 35 hours. On the following day, the researchers scanned brain activity in volunteers using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they viewed 100 images. These started off as emotionally neutral, such as photos of spoons or baskets, but they became increasingly negative in tone over time—for instance, pictures of attacking sharks or vipers.

"While we predicted that the emotional centers of the brain would overreact after sleep deprivation, we didn't predict they'd overreact as much as they did," Walker said. "They became more than 60 percent more reactive to negative emotional stimuli. That's a whopping increase—the emotional parts of the brain just seem to run amok."

The researchers pinpointed this hyperactive response to a shutdown of the prefrontal lobe, a brain region that normally keeps emotions under control. This structure is relatively new in human evolution, "and so it may not yet have adapted ways to cope with certain biological extremes," Walker speculated. "Human beings are one of the few species that really deprive themselves of sleep. It's a real oddity in nature."

In modern life, people often deprive themselves of sleep "almost on a daily basis," Walker said. "Alarm bells should be ringing about that behavior—no pun intended."

Future research can focus on which components of sleep help restore emotional stability—"whether it's dreaming REM sleep or slow-wave, non-dreaming forms of sleep," Walker said.

Many psychiatric disorders, "particularly ones involving emotions, seem to be linked with abnormal sleep," he added. "Traditionally people mostly thought the psychiatric disorders were contributing to the sleep abnormalities, but of course it could be the other way around. If we can find out which parts of sleep are most key to emotional stability, we already have a good range of drugs that can push and pull at these kinds of sleep and maybe help treat certain kinds of psychiatric conditions."

The findings are detailed in the Oct. 23 issue of the journal Current Biology.

[Valkyrie]

I tend to start getting hallucinations after going about 22-23 hrs. without sleep and they get more interesting from there. Drugs just can't touch that stuff. I'll skip the sleep and have a little fun, thanks. Then again, I imagine it's good to treat like other hallucinogens - trips can go bad really fast.

[Remark]

Almost a ritual for me

Jump in the hammock around 4-5pm, read piss clear cover to cover, & sleep until 7-8ish. Eat dinner, dress, & go play. Crash around 5-6am, wake up around 9am, & curse at my tent. Quick SS&S (minus the shave), repair and/or tidy up the camp, & then I go day play.

Must have sleep

[diane o'thirst]

I tend to start getting hallucinations after going about 22-23 hrs. without sleep and they get more interesting from there.

One time I put in a full day, hopped in the car, drove from Eugene to San Francisco for the Town Hall, and midway through the meeting I started seeing hallucinations similar to "Pink Elephants On Parade," open-eye. I believe it's called "endorphins," and they're more powerful than straight opium.

[robotland]

During one of my marathon Michigan-to-Nevada drives I remember being surprised at how many trees lined 447- Big oak trees. They were all gone by the next time I drove by.

[mdmf007]

I see the blue green blobs pop out of the road like a helium balloon filling.
They come out of a hole in the road about an inch in diameter, and inflate rather quickly. when they reach 8-12 feet in diameter the break loose with a little bit of vibration, and slowly drift / float out of my way. SOmetimes I have to swerve around them. (I have theorized the blobs may be other vehicles, obstacles)

thats when I am real tired. I stop and sleep when I see those little guiys.

lately - (the lasat 4-5 years) I catch glimpses of the "white indian" I catch glimpses of a white indian in full white leathers complete with headdress. He always dissapears if i try to look at him directly.

later

[AntiM]

I tend to start getting hallucinations after going about 22-23 hrs. without sleep and they get more interesting from there. Drugs just can't touch that stuff. I'll skip the sleep and have a little fun, thanks. Then again, I imagine it's good to treat like other hallucinogens - trips can go bad really fast.

I miss out on all the fun. I've been up nearly 72 hours straight at times, back when I was in the Navy, and all I did was get a bit loopy. well, more than a bit, but no hallucinations. My sense of humor gets about a million times stranger and the oddest things make me laugh.

Now I just get cranky and mean.

[Badger]

Why we all get a little nutzoid out there

It's all about excess and deficiencies.

Now kids, let's play match the words

A bacon

B sleep

1) Too much _____

2) Not enough _____

Remember, keep your eyes on your own paper.

[regynalonglank]

yeah, with a side of dehydration and altitude please...yummy!

[theCryptofishist]

If I get dehydrated this year will I take 5 bags because there's less of me, or will I take 7 because I've lost storage capacity and will have less of a reserve?

It the new math...

[Valkyrie]

7. I swell up like a pumpkin at the slightest hint of dehydration.

[skygod]

Without sleep, the emotional centers of our brains dramatically overreact to bad experiences, research now reveals.
.

I go to BM for that very reason, so that I CAN have dramatically overreacting emotions. I cannot afford the risk of that luxury anywhere else.
Too much bacon, too little sleep for one week in a supportive environment.

[bigbluedoggy]

Can't sleep.... Clowns will eat me!!!!

[skygod]

Ouchy knows when you're sleeping.
http://www.ouchytheclown.com/

[Barbie]

SLEEP WHEN YOUR DEAD!!!

[Simon of the Playa]

Adderall....excessive doses...major psychosis....


you try 7 days without R.E.M......not for the faint of heart....


"FOCUS!"

[Valkyrie]

I had a friend who had a disorder that caused him not to sleep for extended periods of time. He finally got treatment after an exceptionally protracted period.

After 5 days, he showed up at the hospital to present himself as a specimen of higher man. One who did not require sleep. He was admitted.

After 6 days, he was comparing himself to Jesus Christ as someone who was persecuted for his superiority. He was restrained.

After 7 days, he believed he was Jesus Christ and would perform miracles. He was heavily sedated.

[Simon of the Playa]

and on the eighth day, he decided jesus sucked, and began calling himself tony robbins.


and so it goes...

[nexxtro9]

the psychedelic experience at BM is a big part of the scene...
whether you are on drugs or NOT - much of the art and craziness is trippy and inspired by altered states....
that said i believe that sleep deprivation is one of the strongest factors in my playa world.
Heck you can get all kinds of highs in a pill/powder/paper/poultice/(insert your favorite here), BUT you can't buy sleep deprivation you have to EARN it...
For some of my frie(n)ds its like going on safari... We actually hunt 4:20's -
i.e. how many in a row are you up for...
I like a good 45 min- 1 hour nap every day or two out there -
the trick is to get some good sleep around Wednesday (4 hours or so)
so you can BURN brightly -
plus all the choices in energy drinks have made it even easier to keep going.
I must say that 10 years ago it wasn't a big deal to get to 72 hours with out sleeping, but now an hour or two every 48 makes a big difference.
BE SURE YOU ARE AWARE THE SLEEPLESSNESS WILL AFFECT YOUR BEHAVIOR -
if you are out there with a partner, its inadvisable 'cuz they will take the brunt of your foolishness... GOOD LUCK and see you at Dawn!
neXXtro

[spectabillis]

and on the eighth day, he decided jesus sucked, and began calling himself tony robbins.

now you too can reach enlightenment! for a range of payments from $799 for general admission to $1399 for first row seating, experience the strength of enlightenment simply through proximity to his charismatic aura!

[theCryptofishist]

Can he do a faith healing for the incision in my side?

[Simon of the Playa]

i asked to be seated in the gold cock ring section....

[bohemian dawntreader]

i asked to be seated in the gold cock ring section....

Sweeeet!!!!!!!!!!

[Badger]

I'd call Anthony's agent and ask if there's a 'Tony's Face' section where you could be seated.

[draconispax]

i hate to sound like im completely out of touch with reality, but i am.
who the hell is this guy?

[Badger]

Well, don't Google 'Anthony Robbins' and click the the first link at the top of the page whatever you do.

And definitely don't click on any audio link of his unless you want to have visions of a small tank running over his larynx. The guy's voice is enough to make you wanna plunge an ice pick in each of your ears.

[draconispax]

thanks man.
i definately won't do that

[skygod]

His larynx turns air into money.

[bigbluedoggy]

His larynx turns air into money.

Hot steaming piles of it!

[theCryptofishist]

And I keep confusing him with Tom.