The Russian Sleep Experiment is a legendary creepypasta originating in 2010 that tells the story of five test subjects kept awake for fifteen days using an experimental gas. The image most associated with the story, often used in memes, is actually a photograph of a Halloween animatronic named 'Spasm' created by Distortions Unlimited. In internet culture, the meme is frequently used to represent extreme sleep deprivation, the physical toll of staying up late gaming, or a general state of disheveled horror. Its transition from a terrifying urban legend to a relatable meme highlights how the internet processes horror through humor and shared experiences of exhaustion.