5 extraordinary feats of superhuman endurance

REUTERS/Jim Young

The human body is surprisingly fragile, but there are those who enjoy pushing it to the limits.

From these daredevils, we learn how the body can miraculously compensate for starvation or oxygen deprivation to stay alive for as long as possible.

Here are five incredible feats of superhuman endurance:

Without sleep: 11 days.

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In 1965, then 17-year-old Randy Gardner set the world record by staying awake for 264.4 hours, or 11 days and 24 minutes.

Why you shouldn't try this at home: Sleep is essential for building memory and skills as well as feeling more alert the next day.

Without breathing: 22 minutes.

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The longest any human ever went without breathing took place in 2012, when Danish free diver Stig Severinsen held his breath underwater for 22 minutes.

Why you shouldn't try this at home: Without oxygen, the human brain will die after about four minutes. Severinsen cheated death by breathing in pure oxygen for about 19 minutes beforehand, which saturated his body so it could continue to keep his brain functioning while he was underwater.

Without food and water: 18 days.

REUTERS/Jim Young

In 1979, Andreas Mihavecz — then 18 — was left, forgotten, in a basement prison cell until he was accidentally discovered 18 days later. This was not a stunt, but an act of negligence on the authorities' part. It took Mihavecz several weeks to recover.

Why you shouldn't try this at home: Of the two, water is more critical to replenish than food. An adult is made up of about 60% water, using it to lubricate joints, flush waste, and regulate body temperature.

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