After life’s fitful fever he sleeps well

In Act III, the affects of Macbeth's conscience and sleeplessness begin to show. In order to cover up the murder of Duncan, and preserve what progress in status he has made so far, he thinks that he must assassinate Banquo and his son, Fleance. Until both are killed he believes he will never have any peace:

Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep
In the affliction of these terrible dreamsThat shake us nightly. Better be with the dead,Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace,Than on the torture of the mind to lieIn restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave.After life’s fitful fever he sleeps well.(3.2.20-26)

It's better to be dead than to go through the agony which has become Macbeth's life. Here, "ecstasy" doesn't mean pleasure of any kind. It is referring to a trance or trance-like state in which an individual transcends normal consciousness, Macbeth is losing it after the mental torture and sleep deprivation. Macbeth has terrible dreams, can't sleep, and feels like he's going crazy. In Act 3, Scene 4, he says exasperated: "I am in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more / Returning were as tedious as go o'er." Macbeth is becoming the murderous tyrant described towards the end of the play.

At the end of the scene where the Ghost of Banquo, Lady Macbeth takes her husband aside and dismisses their guests. She calms him down and urges him to rest: "You lack the season of all natures, sleep" (3.4.140). In my Oxford School Shakespeare version of Macbeth, season is listed as meaning preservative. Lady Macbeth means to say that sleep is the preservative of human nature and reason, and that without it, any person will go insane.

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I did some research on the effects of sleep dept and deprivation:

http://www.art-of-lucid-dreaming.com/sleep-deprivation.html

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1690

Symptoms include (and are not limited to)

headaches memory loss confusion irritability impatience dizziness drowsiness aching muscles tremors slowed reaction time psychosis hyperactivity slurred speech

weakened immune system nausea constant yawning hallucinations symptoms of inebriation loss of concentration blurred vision weight loss or weight gain dark circles around the eyes depression hernia color blindness fainting

Last week, as I previously mentioned, I slept less than 12 hours out of 96 hours. I'm not bragging or anything silly like that, I just noticed significant changes in my behaviour. On the last day (Sleep Debt of 18 hours) I had a headache, experienced memory loss, I was confused, drowsy, couldn't concentrate and was sore all over. I was a miserable wreck, and the moment I got home, I slept 16 hours straight. I cannot even imagine going the length of time Macbeth did without sleep, and I certainly can see why he is losing his mind. From my experience, and Macbeth's, I have actually sworn to take better care of myself in the future, and hope that this past week will never repeat itself ever again... School is NOT worth my sanity.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after the feast. (3.4)