Curing Sleep

[lnxguru]

In what sounds like a dream for millions of tired coffee drinkers, Darpa-funded scientists might have found a drug that will eliminate sleepiness.

A nasal spray containing a naturally occurring brain hormone called orexin A reversed the effects of sleep deprivation in monkeys, allowing them to perform like well-rested monkeys on cognitive tests. The discovery's first application will probably be in treatment of the severe sleep disorder narcolepsy.

The treatment is "a totally new route for increasing arousal, and the new study shows it to be relatively benign," said Jerome Siegel, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA and a co-author of the paper. "It reduces sleepiness without causing edginess."

Orexin A is a promising candidate to become a "sleep replacement" drug. For decades, stimulants have been used to combat sleepiness, but they can be addictive and often have side effects, including raising blood pressure or causing mood swings. The military, for example, administers amphetamines to pilots flying long distances, and has funded research into new drugs like the stimulant modafinil and orexin A in an effort to help troops stay awake with the fewest side effects.
Source: WIRED (http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/12/sleep_deprivation)

Where do I sign up to test the "long-term consequences of not sleeping"?

[Azeron]

Yeah, the pentagon has been after sleep replacement drugs for ages, there are even some of these drugs currently in use with jet fighter pilots and the like. This research is still in it's infancy though, and the use of these meds can have quite serious concequences.

[tenaciousdave]

That would be one addictive drug. I don't care what they say. Peole would go nuts with that crap.

[EuPHoriC PoisoN]

I can see that stuff going for big bucks on the black market of college campuses, especially during finals week. If it ever goes commercial to civilians, I'd bet it'd be prescription only.

[codedigital]

I REALLLLY want that right now.

[EuPHoriC PoisoN]

Well too bad. You can't have any of that fun little chemical right now. Or ever. LOL. I have plenty of generic Tylenol cold I could share. It makes your head all fuzzy! wooooooooooooo

[Veritas347]

That would be perfect though if people could get it because most people don't sleep a lot anyways and some want to try and stay awake. Anyways this could be a good thing and a bad thing at the same time but if they did make it public it would probably be prescription

[L3giOn]

Screw those pills, sleep rocks. :p

[graf1k]

Screw those pills, sleep rocks. :p

I'm with Joe on this one. I just wish there were more hours in the day so I could sleep more. Although this would be handy for those times where I wouldn't mind staying awake for a 5 days at a time.

[codedigital]

Screw those pills, sleep rocks. :p

I have limited time on this planet...I hate wasting it by sleeping.

[v0lum3]

I have limited time on this planet...I hate wasting it by sleeping.

I'm assuming that I'm in the minority by disagreeing... America needs more restful laziness, hammocks, walks, fishing... we're all too focused on careers and charging here and there... or we sit in our houses on our asses and waste away. Sleeping is natural, it's healthy, and my mind at least needs rest in order to focus clearly, I firmly do not believe that any drug can ever replace sleep nor would I want it to. But there are times (especially during military duties) that such sleep deprivation is necessary and the drugs would be a great asset, but I do not believe that they should be available to the general public in any form. Our society has degraded enough.

[Adam Miller]

That would be wicked if there was no sleep, you would have so much more time and raves would never stop..and you could get a lot more points..

[graf1k]

I have limited time on this planet...I hate wasting it by sleeping.

If I have to chose between a couple extra months/years on this earth or a good nights rest every night, I'll take sleep every time. This world isn't that great.

[blum3]

I couldn't be around this stuff. I'd be on 360 or the computer all night and at work all day. I'd never sleep.

[Exane22]

You knock out some seriouse gaming with a drug like that. Id probably use it every once in a while, like when a game first comes out and i dont want to stop playing for sleep.

[D3AD ROMANC3]

wow this is intresting, but like some of you have said, i just wouldnt sleep, but if no one slept then there would be no beds and then were would everyone.... yeh basically i dont think it wil be as powerful as some may assume it unless u took like 20000 of them u prob would have to sleep 4 atleast 5 hours. and they will cost so much and in the uk there will prob be banned

[DrHerbz]

Could come in pretty damn handy in the right conditions such as use for military etc, I mentioned this to my friend who said he had heard of it before and said something like going 3 days on it can cause some pretty screwed hallucinations :rolleyes:

[Azeron]

Just so we're clear, this drug does not eliminate the need for sleep, it just allows you to function at your best for longer periods of time without sleep.

[justcallmeChill]

i already dont sleep for a couple of days at a time sometimes, so if i can do what i do already without any negative effects then SIGN ME UP!