As it happens, the CW is / was wrong. (That bit of "wisdom" had to come in the first place from some knuckle-dragging, slave-driving boss. So, consider the source.) Theoretically you can die from lack of sleep -- not to mention all the indirect ways sleep deprivation can kill you -- as mentioned. While no human is known to have directly died from lack of sleep, animal research strongly suggests it could happen.
In my psychology classes (and reading) on the subject, sleep deprivation studies end because at some point the human brain just shuts down. The person goes to sleep (he virtually falls into a coma) and no legal level of stimulation can rouse him. That seems to be a fail-safe nature has devised. I hate to think of the state you're in when you finally get there.
File this information under: Do not try this at home. Srsly.
I've been sleepless and stressed to the point of virtual hallucinations -- the inability to tell reality from dreams. It was really frightening. (See the previous paragraph. Get enough sleep. Petra, that goes for you, too, girl!!)
Yeah. I agree. First off, from my perspective, CW is wrong way more than right.
I have Narcolepsy. Many of the studies that involve 'normal folks' and sleep needs involve those of us who have N. The fact is that when I go out it really isn't sleep in any classic sense. It is just out. In my case it is specific to the receptors of a brain chemical that don't get enough (orexyin) to process normally. It also screws up my temperature response and eating triggers.
One really common way to describe my daily life is "imagine yourself after 24 hours without sleep". I'm not sure I agree with that completely, but it'll work for starters. People have died from lack of sleep, but it's almost inevitably from errors after pushing too far.
I guess my point would be that I am brutally familiar with the stupidity that goes hand in hand with lack of sleep, and I would not suggest that anyone go there voluntarily. Ever. If I've piqued your curiosity we can probably best be served to continue this discussion privately.