Does lack of sleep make you very hyper?

By Leca
@lecanis (16647)
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
March 23, 2007 8:37pm CST
I've been driving my coworkers crazy the last few days, because I've been bouncing off the walls hyper. It's because I haven't been sleeping well (for a number of reasons, mostly a baby who isn't sleeping well right now). I wonder how many other people have this same effect from lack of sleep. Do you get hyper if you don't sleep enough? How long does it take to wear off? And when it does, are you so exhausted you can't move? Mine hasn't worn off yet, and it's been going on for several days now. I expect to crash any minute now. =p
9 people like this
25 responses
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
24 Mar 07
I have two different outcomes from being tired the first one is where I get really crabby and usually my wife would say you are crabby and you need to go to bed which most of the time made me realize I was being a jerk and would usually head to bed. The other effect I get sometimes when I am tired is I get hornier than hell...lol. Seriously I dont know why just sometimes it happens that way.
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
24 Mar 07
*laughs* Thanks for sharing. I wonder if your wife thinks about this ahead of time when she knows you haven't had enough sleep... like "Which one will I get today?"
1 person likes this
@mfpsassy (2827)
• United States
24 Mar 07
Yep that's me if I don't get enough sleep I'm grabby as....
@mfpsassy (2827)
• United States
24 Mar 07
Darn it it went on the wrong one sorry
• Canada
24 Mar 07
I have gotten really hyper from lack of sleep before so it can happen. The only thing is when the exhaustion kicks in it hits you like a ton of bricks! Just be very careful when your hyperness does wear off!
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
24 Mar 07
Yeah, I'm not looking forward to it. I'm hoping to unwind slowly with a hot bath once I put the baby to bed tonight, and avoid the crash. Wish me luck!
• Canada
24 Mar 07
Good luck hun! Hopefully you do unwind slowly and not just boom out for the count!!
1 person likes this
@Riptide (2758)
• United States
24 Mar 07
I usually try to keep myself afloat with a lot of coffee, which then makes me hyper but after a couple of days it starts to hit me and I get grouchy and feel like I could fall asleep anywhere. I always try to catch up on lost sleep, which I know is impossible, but it's always worth a try :)
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
24 Mar 07
Thanks for your response! I need coffee the first day I don't get enough sleep, or even on normal days. However, by the second or third day I'm buzzing with the coffee. Interesting how different people's systems react to these things in different ways. I've heard the "catching up on sleep" thing doesn't work too, but I also try. =p
• Singapore
24 Mar 07
This is a good observation, surprising but true. I think it has to do with some innate instinct of humans... you are tired because you didn't sleep enough, but your body automatically sends you into a high alert state because your body's auto defence mechanism knows that you are going to be more prone to mistakes in this case. You really have to sleep and recuperate at first chance. :P
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
24 Mar 07
Thanks for your response! Isn't it just amazing how the human body works? I'm a little better today, but I wish I had slept more last night. I stayed up too late on mylot even though my son was sleeping well last night. I might be smart (or say the tests say) but I'm certainly not practical. =p
• China
24 Mar 07
i feel very sleepy and exhausted if lacking of sleep, and have no mood to do anything. it usually takes me one day to recover from such situation.
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
24 Mar 07
Thanks for your response! I think you're the first person who has said they just get sleepy and exhausted. Interesting. Thanks for contributing. =)
@filmbuff (2909)
• United States
24 Mar 07
I am very bad about not sleeping well. I will pull 30-40 hours without sleep if I'm busy enough and I tend to cycle between being wide awake, to hyper, to tired, to wired. Once I hit that wired stage it's bad, because I don't realize just how exhausted I am, until I lay down to sleep.
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
24 Mar 07
That could be kind of dangerous when you think about it. Hmm. I've slept about four hours total in the past 4 days, so I'm running on pretty much hyper energy right now. So of course instead of going to bed I'm up on mylot, but I'm just having too much fun to leave!
1 person likes this
@katisaurus (1038)
• Canada
25 Mar 07
Lack of sleep causes your body to become over tired. Which makes you surprisingly awake and hyper. Eventually though you'll crash, your body won't be able to handle it anymore. I'm the same way though,when I'm overtired, I find myself very awake.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Mar 07
Sometimes I can get really hyper. For instance, when I'm tired I can get pretty giggly. I'll find anything funny and I'll want to go, go, go because that's the only thing I can do to keep going. Other times I'm cranky and just want to be left alone because of my lack of sleep.
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
24 Mar 07
*laughs* I tend to get the giggles sometimes too when I'm very tired. =p I guess I don't really get cranky.
• United States
24 Mar 07
I used to get hyper when I hadn't slept, and sometimes it would go on for days. Now I just get a headache and sometimes run a fever if I haven't slept enough. That is when I get so exhausted I can't function anymore.
24 Mar 07
I just tend to get very snappy and have little or no patience at all when I'm over tired. That in itself can make things worse because I'm so tired I can't sleep! I get hyper just before my depression kicks in! Kind of a bummer really as when I'm hyper I completely gut the house out!
1 person likes this
• Philippines
26 Mar 07
Expect the unexpected anytime now. I've been doing a lot of things since November and as far as i can remember i haven't been worse sick nor even hospitalized due to sickness. When January came in, i already have severe anemia and i always get a fever once or twice a month. Sleeping is our best source of energy and it really keeps us focused on everything but once u miss the average hrs of sleep, it only means that u'll be needing an overhaul or a change-oil in the future. Even machines need proper rest, why shldn't we? We kinda have the same prob.
@karantso (18)
• Philippines
25 Mar 07
I sometimess get hyper after 30+ hours of no sleep. I will talk to my brother or sister about everything and nothing, comment things I find funny at that time, or just speak out loud to myself, and he/she will tell me to shut up. When I fall sleep, they can't wake me; I sleep like a log for the first 3-4 hours, even if i asked them to wake me for my classes. Sometimes they tell me that I responded when they try to wake me but i always tell them not to talk to me if i didn't get enough sleep because i won't remember them anyways.
1 person likes this
@karantso (18)
• Philippines
25 Mar 07
I sometimes get hyper after 30+ of no sleep. I will talk to my brother or sister about everything and nothing, comment on things I find funny at that time, or just speak out loud to myself, and he/she will tell me to shut up. When I fall asleep, they can't wake me; I sleep like a log for the first 3-4 hours, even if I asked them to wake me for my classes. Sometimes they tell me that I responded when they try to wake me, but I always tell them that if I didn't get enough sleep for a few days, they shouldn't talk to me because I don't remember them.
@daryljane (3406)
• Philippines
24 Mar 07
good for you!!! when i lack sleep, i really feel lazy and doesnt like to do anything...
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Mar 07
This usually doesn't happen to me. If I am sleepy, I am more likely to be lethargic and slow for the entire day - unless I drink coffee, which is another story entirely. However, I have a friend who becomes very hyper and bouncy when she lacks sleep. If she only sleeps for a couple of hours, she will chatter through all of her classes and run from place to place. I really don't understand how having less sleep could mean more energy - but apparently, that's how it works for her (and you). I just think it's funny how people's bodies work and react differently.
@lpetges (3036)
• United States
27 Mar 07
not sleeping makes me tired all day long. it zaps me of my ability to do things well. when i do sleep well, i feel better all over, so i think if someone is sick, it really does help to get rest.
24 Mar 07
This week my wife hasn't been sleeping well (which means that I've not been sleeping well... ;-) ) and Thursday and Friday she was bouncing off the walls. Last night she slept better, and today had a nap this afternoon, and is much mroe chilled out. I have to say that it was genuine 'hyper' - just this side of hysteria and really quite weird. She even turned to me yesterday evening and said 'I feel like I've drunk a gallon of coffee!' I think she'll be sleeping well tonight - she's started yawning already. :-) I, on teh other hand, just fall asleep wherever I fnd myself when I get overtired. Having had a good grumble and whine first.
@aprilgrl (4460)
• United States
24 Mar 07
If I don't get enough sleep I get grouchy and mean.
1 person likes this
• United States
27 Mar 07
My gosh! I wish I were that way! I can't find the will to do anything when I am tired. Now, my son on the other hand is the opposite. The more tired he gets the more wired he gets. I think it is because he is trying to do anything he can to stay awake. I can't do anything with him when he gets that way.
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
24 Mar 07
For the first 12 hours, yes. By the late afternoon, I will feel very tired and may get cranky. No amount of supplements helps. It will take few days to be back to norm unless I sleep early the very night.
1 person likes this
@gegegelay (933)
• Philippines
27 Mar 07
Yeap! Sometimes, hehe.. But when i'm really really tired and i lack sleep.. i can be very very mean or harsh.. or sometimes i won't say anything at all.. i'd rather be aone and not talk to anyone. Sometimes, i'm really really hyper if i only have 2 hours of sleep, or if i don't get any sleep at all.. especially if i had coffee.. man, i'm a totally different person! lol ;)
@blueyes (56)
• Canada
27 Mar 07
HI well me i get every gigglish. I would laugh at anything. Sometimes i have to shake my head and stop to think what i am laughing about. I kids would ask me mom are you alright. I would answer ya and keep on laughing. It would have spells. COming and going but after a couple of days i would crash and go in a deep sleep and sleep for 8 hrs soundly. When i wake up i feel totally refreshed.