Adenosine is a waste product of neurons and it is a potent nervous system depressant which is why if we don’t sleep for a long time we hallucinate, start to feel cold, and feel tired. We feel like we’re drugged because we kind of are. It also increases sleep pressure. Unlike other areas of the body the brain has no way of flushing out the adenosine unless we sleep which activates the glymphatic system. if we don’t sleep the adenosine keeps accumulating and it can kill us in a similar way an od of sleeping pills can.
Maybe I can also chime in here
Was awake with some caffeine for like 3-4 days. After that the light of the sun got a strange blueish colour and I just couldn’t keep up anymore.
Years later I was routinely up for 2-3 days, but once was up for 5 days with some chemical help.
Major hallucinations with that.
Had a cleaning lady inside my apartment, which was nice.
A guy laying on my desk, that looked like the death smiling at me.
And after some time I, and a hash hot chocolate, which should have helped me to finally sleep, I had a full blown river beside my couch, separating me from my other stuff.
But nothing really troubling, just stuff that was there and could still kinda see through, that it’s bullshit.