Wow! I so want this!

[abditus]

A nasal spray could replace sleep. Maybe they could also put it in coffee (for the double kick) so when you inhale the aroma it wakes you up.

But seriously, unless this ends up turning people into vampire-zombies, this could be amazing. Play games/read all night then go to work in the morning. But the "Sleep is a poor subsitute for Orexin" T-

Comments

[abditus]

True! You'll just have to stock the zombie defense station with Orexin. (Fighting zombies can be an all night affair.)

[devonapple]

We've run out of bullets, but we're still awake!

[abditus]

There always the option to fall back to the machete.

[devonapple]

This would be so awesome! Especially for long drives!

Unfortunately, they may need to study the effects of long-term REM-sleep deprivation, for those hosers who are snort-sleeping all week. Unless orexin A-deficiency is the only fallout from REM-sleep-dep, in which case, rock on!

[abditus]

While I'm sure some alarmists would say it's unnatural and lack of rem sleep can ultimately lead to death, they just aren't seeing the upside of an additional 8 hours during the day.

[devonapple]

Once the level of cost is established, I imagine we'll find out if this discovery means availability on the level of "More TV Watching for Everyone!" or if people will seriously have to ask themselves "Well, it's either fall asleep at the wheel or consume one of these hundred-dollar nose spray doses, so I'll opt to not die tonight!"

How much would you spend for that extra 8 hours?

[deirdremoon]

I got two words for you. Tinker gnome. :)

For long-term, I'm afraid my Luddite brain is going, "Just ain't nat-cheral." But for short-term (finals, fighter pilots, etc) this could be interesting.

[abditus]

Oh please! When have the pharmaceutical companies ever let us down?

[altra]

I say you're all crazy. This just means employers expects people to work longer and harder because you don't need sleep now.

Don't wish away the pleasures of life. Sleep is definately one of the pleasures of life. Besides. unless they come up with a anti-aging/aging reversal cream that works, your skin won't get the regenerative process it needs right? So recap. work longer/harder and age faster... hmm...

No thank you. Although it was tempting for a second for power leveling.

[devonapple]

I'd be most motivated to use such a technology to keep from pooping out during socializing, or on the drive home. Gaming conventions, though... that is a temptation.

[abditus]

I don't think there's any drug they could make (in the next 40 years or so) that guards against brain-fry. Once you're burnt out you're burnt, regardless of how much rest you have. So I don't think they'd use it as a way to prolong work hours.