Harvard doctor claims Michael Jackson went 60 days without 'real' sleep before his fatal overdose
From the outside, it looked like Michael Jackson had the best of both worlds, living a lavish life with millions of admirers. However, on closer inspection, it becomes clear that the King of Pop was facing a lot of struggles. Shedding light on one of Jackson's struggles, his doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, revealed that the musician went 60 days without sleep. To top it all off, the doctor also made a wild claim that Jackson died while preparing to set a world record for the most successful concert run.
Before discussing Jackson's extreme sleep deprivation, it's important to note that Dr. Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death in November 2011, as per Biography. Jackson may have been the only person to go two months without REM sleep, which is essential for survival. Dr. Murray claimed he administered propofol to Jackson for 60 nights to treat insomnia, as per CNN. It is to be noted that this practice is unprecedented in medical history.
A Harvard Medical School sleep expert, Dr. Charles Czeisler, testified, "The symptoms that Mr. Jackson was exhibiting were consistent with what someone might expect to see of someone suffering from total sleep deprivation over a chronic period." Dr. Czeisler highlighted the alarming symptoms Jackson exhibited, as documented in emails and testimonies from his chef, hairstylist, and choreographers. These included "his inability to do standard dances or remember words to songs he sang for decades, paranoia, talking to himself and hearing voices, and severe weight loss."
Czeisler concluded, "I believe that that constellation of symptoms was more probably than not induced by total sleep deprivation over a chronic period," during his testimony. Dr. Czeisler further explained that "propofol disrupts the normal sleep cycle and offers no REM sleep, yet it leaves a patient feeling refreshed as if they had experienced genuine sleep." Dr. Czeisler testified that if Jackson had not died from a propofol overdose on June 25, 2009, "the lack of REM sleep may have taken his life within days anyway." He also estimated that "Jackson would have died before his 80th day of propofol infusions," noting that Murray had given him the drug for "60 nights before trying to wean him off it on June 22, 2009—three days before his death."
On June 24, 2009, Jackson was in the midst of rehearsals for his comeback tour, still struggling with sleep issues. The Associated Press later shared that the night ended around midnight with Jackson performing "Earth Song," as per the Los Angeles Times. He "hugged his dancers, thanked the crew, and wished them a good night. Returning to his home on Carolwood Drive, Jackson briefly stopped at the gate to greet fans. As they arrived, his bodyguard noticed Dr. Murray’s car parked outside—"just as it had been many nights previously."
Soon, Jackson’s security escorted him inside and to the foot of the stairs, and no one, except for Murray and Jackson’s children, was allowed upstairs. That night, Jackson complained of exhaustion and "needed sleep." Through the night and morning, Jackson received "a series of drugs meant to help him sleep," later confirmed by officials. Dr. Murray administered the powerful drugs. Jackson was later found "unresponsive." Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics rushed him to the hospital in "cardiac arrest and not breathing," as attempts to revive him were "unsuccessful."